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Fate and stability of polyamide-associated bacterial assemblages after their passage through the digestive tract of the blue mussel Mytilus edulis.
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This study examined whether bacterial communities living on polyamide microplastics — including potential pathogens — survive passage through the gut of blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) compared to those on the biopolymer chitin. The results suggest that microplastics may serve as stable vectors for microbial communities, including potentially harmful bacteria, in marine food webs.
We examined whether bacterial assemblages inhabiting the synthetic polymer polyamide are selectively modified during their passage through the gut of Mytilus edulis in comparison to the biopolymer chitin with focus on potential pathogens. Specifically, we asked whether bacterial biofilms remained stable over a prolonged period of time and whether polyamide could thus serve as a vector for potential pathogenic bacteria. Bacterial diversity and identity were analysed by 16S rRNA gene fingerprints and sequencing of abundant bands. The experiments revealed that egested particles were rapidly colonised by bacteria from the environment, but the taxonomic composition of the biofilms on polyamide and chitin did not differ. No potential pathogens could be detected exclusively on polyamide. However, after 7days of incubation of the biofilms in seawater, the species richness of the polyamide assemblage was lower than that of the chitin assemblage, with yet unknown impacts on the functioning of the biofilm community.
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