0
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. Remediation Sign in to save

Structural and Functional Characteristics of Microplastic Associated Biofilms in Response to Temporal Dynamics and Polymer Types

Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 2021 41 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 40 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Chen Tu, Chen Tu, Ying Liu, Ying Liu, Chen Tu, Yongming Luo Lianzhen Li, Lianzhen Li, Chen Tu, Chen Tu, Lianzhen Li, Chen Tu, Ying Liu, Chen Tu, Lianzhen Li, Chen Tu, Chen Tu, Ying Liu, Ying Liu, Chen Tu, Chen Tu, Chen Tu, Chen Tu, Chen Tu, Chen Tu, Chen Tu, Chen Tu, Chen Tu, Chen Tu, Chen Tu, Yuan Li, Joanna J Waniek, Joanna J Waniek, Chen Tu, Ying Liu, Yongming Luo Yongming Luo Yongming Luo Yongming Luo Chen Tu, Chen Tu, Chen Tu, Chen Tu, Chen Tu, Lianzhen Li, Lianzhen Li, Chen Tu, Lianzhen Li, Lianzhen Li, Lianzhen Li, Chen Tu, Chen Tu, Lianzhen Li, Lianzhen Li, Chen Tu, Chen Tu, Lianzhen Li, Lianzhen Li, Lianzhen Li, Lianzhen Li, Lianzhen Li, Yongming Luo Yongming Luo Yongming Luo Yongming Luo Yongming Luo Ying Liu, Ying Liu, Ying Liu, Ying Liu, Ying Liu, Joanna J Waniek, Joanna J Waniek, Joanna J Waniek, Joanna J Waniek, Joanna J Waniek, Joanna J Waniek, Joanna J Waniek, Joanna J Waniek, Chen Tu, Chen Tu, Lianzhen Li, Lianzhen Li, Yuan Li, Lianzhen Li, Chen Tu, Yuan Li, Ying Liu, Chen Tu, Ying Liu, Yuan Li, Ying Liu, Yongming Luo Ying Liu, Angela Vogts, Yongming Luo Yuan Li, Yongming Luo Yuan Li, Lianzhen Li, Yuan Li, Chen Tu, Joanna J Waniek, Joanna J Waniek, Chen Tu, Ying Liu, Ying Liu, Yongming Luo Ying Liu, Ying Liu, Yongming Luo Yongming Luo Yongming Luo Chen Tu, Chen Tu, Chen Tu, Chen Tu, Chen Tu, Chen Tu, Yongming Luo Chen Tu, Yongming Luo Yongming Luo Ying Liu, Ying Liu, Ying Liu, Joanna J Waniek, Joanna J Waniek, Joanna J Waniek, Yuan Li, Yuan Li, Angela Vogts, Chen Tu, Lianzhen Li, Lianzhen Li, Chen Tu, Yongming Luo Chen Tu, Yongming Luo Chen Tu, Ying Liu, Chen Tu, Chen Tu, Chen Tu, Chen Tu, Joanna J Waniek, Chen Tu, Chen Tu, Joanna J Waniek, Chen Tu, Chen Tu, Chen Tu, Chen Tu, Chen Tu, Ying Liu, Lianzhen Li, Ying Liu, Chen Tu, Chen Tu, Ying Liu, Chen Tu, Chen Tu, Chen Tu, Yuan Li, Chen Tu, Lianzhen Li, Yongming Luo Lianzhen Li, Yongming Luo Chen Tu, Lianzhen Li, Yongming Luo Yongming Luo Chen Tu, Yongming Luo Yongming Luo Yongming Luo Yongming Luo Yongming Luo Joanna J Waniek, Chen Tu, Lianzhen Li, Yongming Luo Yongming Luo Chen Tu, Yongming Luo Yongming Luo Chen Tu, Chen Tu, Yongming Luo Yongming Luo Joanna J Waniek, Yongming Luo Yongming Luo Lianzhen Li, Ying Liu, Ying Liu, Yongming Luo Yongming Luo Chen Tu, Chen Tu, Yongming Luo Lianzhen Li, Yongming Luo

Summary

Researchers found that biofilm structural and functional characteristics on microplastics differ significantly depending on polymer type (polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene) and change over time, with implications for understanding microbial colonization and the plastisphere.

Study Type Environmental

The colonization of bacterial communities and biofilm formation on microplastics (MPs) have aroused great concern recently. However, the influence of time and polymer types on the structural and functional characteristics of biofilms remains unclear. In this study, three types of MPs (polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene) were exposed for different time periods (10, 20 and 30 days) in seawater using a microcosm experiment. Microscopic spectroscopy and high-throughput gene sequencing techniques were used to reveal the temporal changes of structural and functional characteristics of MPs associated biofilms. The results indicate that the biofilm formation is affected by both the incubation time and the polymer type. In addition, bacterial diversity and community structure in the biofilms show selectivity towards seawater, and tend to shift over time and among different polymer types. Moreover, biofilms are shown to harbor plastic degrading bacteria, leading to the changes of functional groups and surface hydrophobicity, and thereby enhancing the biodegradation of MPs.

Sign in to start a discussion.

Share this paper