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Bacterial biofilms on microplastics in the Baltic Sea
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This study characterized bacterial biofilms forming on microplastics in Baltic Sea waters, identifying the microbial communities that colonize plastic surfaces and examining how the plastisphere differs from surrounding seawater microbiomes. The plastisphere can harbor distinct microbial communities, including potential pathogens, and may facilitate transport of harmful microbes through the ocean.
Microplastics (MP) provide a new habitat for biofilm-forming bacteria in aquatic systems. It was investigated if MP could become a vector for atypical bacterial assemblages, including potential pathogens. The MP-biofilms differed from those on seston and free-living bacterial assemblages, but less from those on control surfaces. Vibrio abundances were higher on MP than in the water, but highest on wood. MP are thus a distinct habitat for biofilm bacteria; however, their vector potential depends on the spatial, temporal, and environmental dynamics of the system.
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Plastic substrates incubated in Baltic Sea water developed distinct bacterial communities that differed significantly from those on glass surfaces and from the surrounding water, with some plastic-colonizing taxa selected for regardless of polymer type. The study provides experimental evidence that plastic surfaces act as selective filters for microbial community assembly, contributing to the concept of a unique plastisphere.
Microplastic-Associated Biofilms: A Comparison of Freshwater and Marine Environments
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This review compared microplastic-associated biofilm communities in freshwater and marine environments, examining how plastic type, ecosystem, and environmental conditions shape the microbial communities that colonize plastic surfaces. Understanding these "plastisphere" communities is important because they may include pathogens and can affect the fate and transport of plastic particles.
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This review examines microbial communities that colonize microplastics in the ocean, collectively known as the plastisphere. Researchers found that these biofilms differ significantly from those on natural surfaces and may include pathogenic bacteria and species capable of partially degrading plastics. The study highlights both the ecological risks of microplastics as vectors for harmful microbes and the potential for harnessing plastic-degrading organisms.
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Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.