We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Surfactants facilitate microbial growth on the surface of microplastics in biological wastewater treatment
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that surfactants in wastewater differentially altered microbial colonisation of polypropylene and polylactic acid microplastics — rhamnolipids reduced nitrifying bacteria on PP by 21%, while primary alcohol ethoxylate decreased complex-organic-degrading microbes on PLA by 26% — and that microbial colonisation accelerated microplastic aging and leaching of components.
Microplastics are prevalent in wastewater treatment plants and offer a substrate for microbial colonization. With the aging of microplastics, the community of colonized microorganisms can be restructured. Furthermore, substantial surfactants in wastewater can modulate this community by altering the surface properties of microplastics. This study examined the influence of polypropylene and polylactic acid microplastic particles, along with rhamnolipids and primary alcohol ethoxylate surfactants, on microbial colonization and the aging processes of microplastics. The microbial biomass and abundance were significantly higher on the surface of polylactic acid compared to polypropylene. Rhamnolipids reduced the nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria on polypropylene by 21.26 %, while primary alcohol ethoxylate decreased microbes capable of degrading complex organic compounds on polylactic acid by 25.90 %. The proportion of microorganisms capable of degrading complex organic pollutants in the suspended microbial community decreased by 19.40 % with polylactic acid present and 17.64 % with polypropylene. Microbial colonization accelerated microplastic aging, particularly for PLA, thereby increasing the leaching of components and elevating environmental risks. These findings highlight the interaction between microplastics and surfactants in shaping microbial community structures and affecting biological wastewater treatment.
More Papers Like This
Wastewater treatment alters microbial colonization of microplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
Analysis of microplastics and their biofilms across raw sewage, effluent, and sludge at two wastewater treatment plants found that >99% of influent MPs were retained in sludge, and that wastewater treatment substantially altered biofilm microbial composition, enriching bioflocculation-associated taxa.
Analysis of the potential role of microplastics as transporters of microorganisms in activated sludge
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers investigated whether microplastic microbeads present in wastewater can support microbial biofilm formation and facilitate the spread of microorganisms in activated sludge treatment systems. Microplastics from multiple polymer types readily hosted biofilm development, with bacterial communities differing between plastic types, suggesting microplastics can serve as microbial vectors in wastewater treatment.
Divergent biofilm colonization on plastics in wastewater: Accelerated maturation on polyamide versus growth inhibition on biodegradable polymers
AI summary Read the abstract
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.
Determinants of microbial colonization on microplastics through wastewater treatment processes: The role of polymer type and sequential treatment
AI summary Read the abstract
This study examined how polymer type (HDPE vs. PET) and sequential versus individual deployment at each wastewater treatment stage affect microbial colonization on microplastics. The stage of wastewater treatment was found to profoundly influence the bacterial communities colonizing microplastic surfaces.
Colonization characteristics and surface effects of microplastic biofilms: Implications for environmental behavior of typical pollutants
AI summary Read the abstract
This review examines how bacteria colonize microplastic surfaces in water, forming biofilms that change how the plastics behave in the environment. These biofilms alter the surface properties of microplastics and affect how they absorb and transport heavy metals and other pollutants. Understanding biofilm formation on microplastics is important because it can make the particles more dangerous by concentrating toxic substances that could eventually enter the food chain.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.