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Deposition of polystyrene microplastics on bare or biofilm-coated silica analysed via QCM-D
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Researchers used quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) to study the deposition of pristine and UV-aged polystyrene microplastics onto bare silica and Pseudomonas fluorescens biofilm-coated silica under varying ionic strengths, finding that biofilm presence significantly increased deposition rates and that UV weathering enhanced adhesion of microplastics to biofilm surfaces.
The mobility of microplastics (MPs) in aqueous media is closely related to their environmental risk. The naturally occurring silica substrate surface in the aquatic environment is easily colonized by microorganisms and forms a biofilm, which may affect the migration and distribution of MPs. Herein, a typical MP, polystyrene (PS), and Pseudomonas fluorescens (P. fluorescens) biofilms were selected to study the deposition and release of pristine or ultraviolet (UV)-aged PS MPs on silica and biofilms under different ionic strengths using a quartz crystal microbalance dissipation (QCM-D) system. Statistical analyses of the deposition experiments revealed a significant impact of P. fluorescens biofilms on deposition (p = 0.0042). The deposition rate of weathered MPs on the biofilms was 4.0 ± 0.1 to 16.3 ± 0.6 times that on silica. A release experiment revealed that the biofilm reduced the release fraction (f) of weathered MPs by 34.5 ± 0.3 % compared to bare silica. In addition, the UV-ageing treatment reduced the deposition mass of MPs on the surface of silica by 27.6 ± 0.21 % compared to pristine microspheres. The analysis of the deposition mechanism revealed that the promotion and inhibition of biofilm or UV-ageing treatment on the deposition of microspheres could be attributed to the non-Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) force and the decreased electrostatic repulsion or the increased hydration repulsion, respectively.
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Researchers used quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) to investigate the deposition behavior of polystyrene nanoplastics of varying sizes and surface charges onto quartz and kaolinite mineral surfaces under varying hydrochemical conditions relevant to vadose zone and groundwater transport.
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Researchers studied how biofilm formation rapidly changes the physical and chemical properties of microplastics over a two-week period. The study found significant two-way interactions between microbial communities and plastic surfaces, with biofilm colonization altering surface properties of polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene, while the type of polymer influenced which microbial communities developed.
Adsorption and Protectionof Environmental DNA (eDNA)on Polymer and Silica Surfaces
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Researchers used quartz-crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring to systematically study how environmental DNA adsorbs onto polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene, and silica surfaces under freshwater and seawater ionic conditions. They found that adsorption rate and extent were strongly influenced by ion type and concentration, with cation identity playing a key role in eDNA-microplastic interactions relevant to aquatic ecosystem genetics monitoring.
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