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Microplastic: A New Habitat for Biofilm Communities

2022 1 citation ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count.
Mechthild Schmitt‐Jansen, S. H. Lips, Hannah Schäfer, Christoph Rummel

Summary

Microplastics entering aquatic environments are rapidly colonized by microorganisms that form biofilms, creating a unique ecological niche known as the 'plastisphere' that differs markedly from surrounding water communities. These biofilms can harbor pathogens and antibiotic-resistant bacteria, raising concerns about microplastics serving as vectors for harmful microorganisms throughout aquatic food chains.

Since half a century, aquatic environments are polluted by plastic debris resulting in its global distribution even to remote systems. Immediately after entering the aquatic environment, microorganisms colonize on plastic surfaces and build up a biofilm, the...

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