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Effects of plastisphere on phosphorus availability in freshwater system: Critical roles of polymer type and colonizing habitat
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This study examined how biofilm-covered microplastics of different polymer types affect phosphorus availability in freshwater, finding that polymer type and colonization habitat determined whether plastisphere biofilms acted as phosphorus sources or sinks, with implications for nutrient cycling in aquatic ecosystems.
Biofilm covered microplastics (BMPs) can act as vectors for the transport of exogenous microbial groups to aquatic ecosystem. However, a consensus regarding the formation and development of BMPs and their effect on phosphorus (P) availability has not been reached. Herein, plastic particles made of fuel-based (PET) and biobased polymers (PLA) were deployed in water and hyporheic zones of an urban river for biofilm colonization. Then, BMPs were transferred to lab incubation to study their effects on the P availability. The results showed that different microplastic biofilms had various bacteria and phytoplankton compositions. Additionally, BMPs induced a shift in the microbial co-occurrence patterns co-differentiated by polymer type and colonizing habitats. Network analyses revealed that the structure of PLA BMPs was more robust, while PET colonized in the hyporheic zone reduced network complexity with looser connections between species, and stronger negatively correlated interactions. However, PET formed denser biofilms by the excretion of extracellular polymeric substances from microalgae, which contributed to the better capacity of P utilization. PET colonized in the water/hyporheic zone significantly decreased soluble reactive phosphate by 42.5 % and 30.8 %, respectively. The abovementioned results indicated that BMPs have the potential to disrupt nutrient availability. This study broadens our perspectives for the ecological effects of BMPs in the aquatic environment.
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Microplastic biofilm in fresh- and wastewater as a function of microparticle type and size class
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Researchers compared the biofilm communities that form on microplastics of different types and sizes in both freshwater and wastewater, finding that biofilm composition was influenced by particle type, size, and water source. These findings advance understanding of the plastisphere — the microbial community unique to plastic surfaces — and its potential role in spreading microorganism-associated risks.
Effects of microplastics on nitrogen and phosphorus cycles and microbial communities in sediments
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Researchers found that PVC, PLA, and polypropylene microplastics altered nitrogen and phosphorus cycling in freshwater sediments by shifting microbial community composition, with effects varying by polymer type and biodegradability.
Environmental fate and biogeochemical impacts of microplastics on phosphorus cycling across aquatic interfaces
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Tiny plastic particles in our lakes and rivers don't just pollute water, they're quietly messing with phosphorus, a nutrient that controls algae growth and water quality. This review of 38 studies found that microplastics change how phosphorus moves and cycles by altering bacteria communities and chemical reactions in water, which could worsen problems like harmful algae blooms that affect drinking water safety. The research is still early-stage (mostly lab experiments), but it's a reminder that plastic pollution's effects go beyond what we can see, reaching into the basic chemistry that keeps water ecosystems, and the water we dep
Microalgae colonization of different microplastic polymers in experimental mesocosms across an environmental gradient
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Microalgal colonization of five different microplastic polymer types was monitored in freshwater mesocosms across an environmental gradient, finding that polymer type, surface properties, and environmental conditions all influenced the biomass and community composition of epiplastic microalgal biofilms.
Comparative Analysis of Selective Bacterial Colonization by Polyethylene and Polyethylene Terephthalate Microplastics
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Biofilm communities were compared on polyethylene and polyethylene terephthalate microplastics incubated in two freshwater bacterial communities, finding that the original water source bacteria largely determined biofilm composition rather than the plastic type. The study suggests that the plastisphere in freshwater systems reflects local microbial pools more than plastic-specific selection.
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