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Divergent biofilm colonization on plastics in wastewater: Accelerated maturation on polyamide versus growth inhibition on biodegradable polymers
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Researchers tracked 30-day biofilm formation on three plastic types in simulated wastewater, finding that polyamide promoted rapid, robust microbial colonization via nitrogen enrichment, while biodegradable PBAT/PLA plastic initially attracted bacteria but then inhibited sustained growth due to toxic leachates — demonstrating that plastic chemistry shapes plastisphere ecology in wastewater treatment.
Microplastic (MP)-associated biofilms in wastewater treatment plants affect ecosystem integrity and treatment stability, yet their stage-specific developmental dynamics remain unresolved. This study characterized 30 d biofilm assembly dynamics on polyethylene (PE), polyamide (PA), and biodegradable poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate)/polylactic acid (BP) in simulated wastewater treatment systems. Integrated multi-parametric analyses revealed cyclic di-guanylate monophosphate (c-di-GMP) as a key biomarker of biofilm maturity, peaking at 15-22 d alongside maximal biomass and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). Subsequent detachment was mediated by β-glucosidase and lysozyme, inducing autolysis. Stage-specific transitions included: Initial attachment (0-10 d); Microbial colonization (10-22 d); Maturation/Detachment (post-22 d). EPS-secreting and plastic-degrading taxa (Pseudomonas and Rhodotorula) facilitated initial attachment, followed by functional taxa mediating nitrogen transformation (Ochrobactrum, Aminobacter, and Cupriavidus) and potential biofilm-stabilizing fungi (Rozellomycota-gen-incertae-sedis). PA enhanced colonization via amide-driven nitrogen enrichment and elevated c-di-GMP levels, leading to robust biofilms with functional consortia (Zavarzinia, Sphingopyxis, and Rozellomycota-gen-incertae-sedis). Conversely, BP promoted initial bacterial recruitment (Pseudomonas and Enterobacter) but later inhibited sustained growth because of cytotoxic leachates and nutrient competition, causing biomass decline and fungal inhibition at 20 d. These findings elucidated plastisphere succession pathways, enabling more accurate assessment of their ecological impact and improved MP pollution management strategies in wastewater treatment.
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Early colonization and temporal development of biofilms on microplastics: Influence of polymer type, season, and surrounding land use
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Researchers placed five types of plastic in urban rivers and lakes during winter and summer, tracking microbial communities that grew on them over 60 days. Bacterial communities changed over time and with season, plastic type, and surrounding land use, with biodegradable plastic showing distinct patterns and water pH linked to communities at later stages.
Enumeration of aerobic heterotrophic bacteria in early-stage of biofilm formed on different plastic types
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Researchers found that bacteria begin colonising common plastic surfaces — polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene — within hours of water exposure, forming measurable biofilms within three weeks. This matters because plastic debris in aquatic environments quickly becomes a habitat for microbes, potentially transporting pathogens or creating a "plastisphere" that could amplify the ecological risks of microplastic pollution.
Structural Diversity in Early-Stage Biofilm Formation on Microplastics Depends on Environmental Medium and Polymer Properties
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This study examined the early stages of bacterial biofilm formation on different types of plastic surfaces in different environmental media, finding that both the growth medium and the polymer type influenced which microbial communities colonized the plastic. These plastic-associated biofilms (the plastisphere) can make microplastics more appealing to filter-feeding organisms that mistake them for food.
Biodegradability of microplastics reshapes surface biofilm microbial community structure and nitrogen cycling functions in aquatic environments
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Researchers compared how biodegradable (PLA) and non-biodegradable (polyethylene and PVC) microplastics affect the microbial communities that form on their surfaces in aquatic environments, finding substantial differences in which bacteria colonized each plastic type and how they processed nitrogen. PLA supported communities rich in nitrogen-cycling bacteria, while PVC and polyethylene enriched different microbial groups associated with pollutant degradation. The study suggests that the push toward biodegradable plastics will change — not just reduce — the ecological effects of microplastics in rivers and lakes.
Freshwater plastisphere structure and succession on diverse polymer surfaces: Linking plastisphere ecology and surface alterations in a 210-day field experiment
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Researchers conducted a 210-day in situ lake experiment comparing plastisphere development on biodegradable polymers (PLA, PHBV, PBAT) and conventional polypropylene, finding that microbial succession followed predictable ecological dynamics largely independent of polymer chemistry, with antimicrobial resistance genes appearing at low abundances comparable to surrounding water.
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