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Article ? AI-assigned paper type based on the abstract. Classification may not be perfect — flag errors using the feedback button. Tier 2 ? Original research — experimental, observational, or case-control study. Direct primary evidence. Environmental Sources Gut & Microbiome Human Health Effects Remediation Sign in to save

Microplastics as a New Ecological Niche For Multispecies Microbial Biofilms within the Plastisphere

Microbiology 2022 29 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count.
М. В. Журина, K. I. Bogdanov, А. В. Ганнесен, S. V. Mart’yanov, В. К. Плакунов

Summary

This review examines microplastics as a novel ecological niche — the 'plastisphere' — analyzing how multispecies microbial biofilms colonize plastic surfaces, differ from surrounding environmental communities, and may facilitate biodegradation and horizontal gene transfer.

The distribution, colonization, and biodegradation of primary and secondary microplastics, as well as were effect on the plastisphere ecological systems, are analyzed. The pathways of microplastic contamination of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere are described. The composition of multispecies communities colonizing the microplastics and their differences from environmental communities unassociated with plastic within the same habitat are considered. The processes of microplastic biodegradation and their role as vectors for transfer of genetic information affecting the structure of natural microbial communities and for the propagation of toxic components are discussed.

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