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Ecological responses of coral reef to polyethylene microplastics in community structure and extracellular polymeric substances

Environmental Pollution 2022 35 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 50 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.

Chang‐Mao Hung, Chang‐Mao Hung, Shu‐Ling Hsieh, Shu‐Ling Hsieh, Shu‐Ling Hsieh, Chin‐Pao Huang, Chiu‐Wen Chen, Shu‐Ling Hsieh, Chiu‐Wen Chen, Shu‐Ling Hsieh, Chin‐Pao Huang, Chin‐Pao Huang, Chiu‐Wen Chen, Shu‐Ling Hsieh, Chiu‐Wen Chen, Shu‐Ling Hsieh, Chiu‐Wen Chen, Cheng–Di Dong, Chiu‐Wen Chen, Cheng–Di Dong Chang‐Mao Hung, Chin‐Pao Huang, Cheng–Di Dong Cheng–Di Dong Chiu‐Wen Chen, Shu‐Ling Hsieh, Chiu‐Wen Chen, Chiu‐Wen Chen, Chiu‐Wen Chen, Cheng–Di Dong, Cheng–Di Dong, Cheng–Di Dong, Cheng–Di Dong, Chin‐Pao Huang, Cheng–Di Dong Cheng–Di Dong Chang‐Mao Hung, Cheng–Di Dong, Shu‐Ling Hsieh, Chin‐Pao Huang, Cheng–Di Dong Cheng–Di Dong, Cheng–Di Dong, Cheng–Di Dong, Cheng–Di Dong Chiu‐Wen Chen, Chiu‐Wen Chen, Cheng–Di Dong Cheng–Di Dong, Cheng–Di Dong Chiu‐Wen Chen, Chiu‐Wen Chen, Chiu‐Wen Chen, Shu‐Ling Hsieh, Shu‐Ling Hsieh, Cheng–Di Dong Cheng–Di Dong Cheng–Di Dong, Cheng–Di Dong, Cheng–Di Dong, Cheng–Di Dong, Cheng–Di Dong, Chiu‐Wen Chen, Cheng–Di Dong Cheng–Di Dong Chiu‐Wen Chen, Cheng–Di Dong Cheng–Di Dong, Cheng–Di Dong Cheng–Di Dong

Summary

Researchers investigated how polyethylene microplastics affect coral reef communities, finding that microplastic exposure altered extracellular polymeric substance production and community structure in scleractinian coral, indicating ecological stress responses.

Polymers

The relationships and interactions between extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and microplastics (MPs) in coral reef ecosystems were symmetrically investigated. The current study aims to investigate the responses of scleractinian coral (Goniopora columna) to exposure of model MPs, exemplified by polyethylene (PE), in the size range of 40-48 μm as affected by MPs concentration of MP in the range between 0 and 300 mg L for 14 days. The structure of EPS-associated microbial community was studied using a series of techniques including high-throughput sequencing of 16 S rRNA, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), hydrodynamic diameter, surface charge (via zeta potential), X-ray diffraction (XRD), attenuated total reflectance‒Fourier transform infrared (ATR‒FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and fluorescence excitation-emission matrix (FEEM) spectroscopy. Microbial interactions between PE-MPs and coral caused aggregation and formation of EPS matrix, which resulted in increase and decrease in the relative abundance of Donghicola (Proteobacteria phylum) and Marivita (Proteobacteria phylum) in PE-MP-associated EPS, respectively. Particle size, electrostatic interactions, and complexation with the functional groups of the EPS-based matrix affected the humification index. FEEM spectroscopy analyses suggested the presence of humic- and fulvic-like fluorophores in EPS and dissolved organic matter (DOM) in PE-MP-derived DOM. The findings provided insights into the potential environmental implications of coral-based EPS and co-existing microbial assemblages due to EPS-PE-MP-microbiome interactions throughout the dynamic PE-MP exposure process.

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