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Effect of Polystyrene Microplastics of Different Sizes to Escherichia coli and Bacillus cereus
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Researchers exposed Gram-negative E. coli and Gram-positive Bacillus cereus to polystyrene particles of different sizes and found opposite effects — PS inhibited E. coli growth while promoting B. cereus growth — suggesting that microbial cell wall structure determines whether plastic particles are harmful or beneficial to bacterial growth.
The toxicity of polystyrene (PS) particles of different sizes was investigated using Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Gram-positive Bacillus cereus. PS particles could inhibit the cell growth of E. coli but promote the cell growth of B. cereus, and this difference might be attributed to different composition in their cell walls and the different interactions between the two bacteria and PS particles. Direct adhesion of E. coli cells on the surface of 5 μm PS microbeads by flagella was observed, indicating the putative role of E. coli on biofilm formation of plastisphere. The regulations of malondialdehyde, lactate dehydrogenase and glutathione were similar between the two bacteria, so the difference in the toxicity effect of PS between the two bacteria was not caused by the antioxidant activity. The overall results of the present study could help to understand the responses of different bacteria to microplastic exposure.
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Researchers studied how bacteria interact with polystyrene particles ranging from 60 to 2,260 nanometers and found that the smallest particles entered bacterial cells while larger ones accumulated on surfaces. The 1,040-nanometer particles, similar in size to the bacteria themselves, inhibited growth most strongly, and bacteria responded by forming biofilm complexes around the microplastics.
Distinct impact of polystyrene microplastics on six species of common pathogenic and probiotic bacteria and their boosting support to Vibrio cholerae proliferation
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Researchers investigated the impact of polystyrene microplastics of different diameters on six species of common pathogenic and probiotic bacteria. The study found that microplastics boosted the proliferation of Vibrio cholerae and deciphered the molecular mechanisms behind this effect, raising concerns about the potential for microplastics to promote pathogenic bacterial growth.
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Researchers exposed E. coli and Acinetobacter bacteria to polystyrene microplastics with different surface chemistries, finding that surface functionalization strongly influenced MP toxicity, with some functionalized particles disrupting bacterial membrane integrity and biofilm formation more than non-functionalized particles.
Dose-Dependent Responses of Escherichia coli and Acinetobacter sp. to Micron-Sized Polystyrene Microplastics
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Researchers exposed E. coli and Acinetobacter sp. to 1,040 nm polystyrene microplastics across a range of concentrations and assessed growth, oxidative stress, membrane integrity, and biofilm formation. Both species showed concentration-dependent decreases in growth and cell viability, increased oxidative stress markers, impaired membrane integrity, and enhanced biofilm formation, demonstrating microplastic toxicity to environmental and human-associated bacteria.
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Researchers exposed two common bacteria — Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae — to 100-nanometer polystyrene plastic particles and found that the nanoparticles attached to bacterial cell surfaces, changing their electrical charge (zeta potential) without killing the cells. This matters because nanoplastics interacting with bacteria in the human gut microbiome could alter microbial behavior in ways that are not yet fully understood.
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