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Polystyrene Nanoplastics Inhibit the Transformation of Tetrabromobisphenol A by the Bacterium Rhodococcus jostii
Summary
This study found that polystyrene nanoplastics interfere with a bacterium's ability to break down tetrabromobisphenol A, a common flame retardant and environmental contaminant. Nanoplastics adsorbed the chemical onto their surface, reducing its bioavailability, while also causing oxidative stress in the bacteria and disrupting the enzymes needed for biodegradation.
Microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) in the environment pose significant risks to organisms of different trophic levels. While the toxicity of MPs and NPs have been extensively investigated, it remains unknown whether these particles affect microbial transformation of organic pollutants. Here, we show that 20 and 100 nm polystyrene NPs (PS-NPs) can inhibit the transformation of tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) by Gram-positive bacterium Rhodococcus jostii in a concentration-dependent manner. We found that smaller PS-NPs were more inhibitory than larger ones and that both PS-NPs affected biotransformation in several ways. PS-NPs adsorbed TBBPA on their surface and reduced the bioavailable concentration of TBBPA for transformation by R. jostii. Furthermore, PS-NPs induced oxidative stress, increased membrane permeability, and downregulated O-methyltransferase enzymes that transform TBBPA into their methylated derivatives. Our results demonstrate that PS-NPs can impact microbial transformation of organic pollutants, and these effects should be accounted for in future environmental risk assessments.