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Time-resolved colonization patterns of bacteria and fungi on polystyrene microplastics in floodplain soils
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Scientists studied how bacteria and fungi grow on tiny plastic particles (microplastics) buried in soil over several months. They found that these microbes form films on the plastic surfaces and some types can actually break down the plastic particles. This matters because microplastics are everywhere in our environment, and understanding how soil microbes interact with them could help us learn whether these plastics break down naturally or accumulate in ways that might affect our food and water.
Microplastic (MP) contamination in soil ecosystems is a growing concern because MPs can accumulate, interact with soil biota, and have negative impact on soil functioning. Microbial biofilms forming on MP surfaces modify their physicochemical properties, potentially influence the transport and bioavailability of MPs, and possibly contribute to microbial degradation of the particles. While many studies have examined how MPs affect soil organisms, less attention has been given to how soil biota, particularly microbial biofilms, influence MPs in soils. This study investigates bacterial and fungal colonization on polystyrene MPs incubated in two parallel experiments in floodplain soil in the field as well as under controlled laboratory conditions over 4, 8, and 16 weeks. Using scanning electron microscopy and biofilm biomass assays, we observed progressive biofilm formation. We found higher biomass on MPs under laboratory conditions compared to natural incubation after 16 weeks. Metabarcoding analysis (16S rRNA genes for bacteria and ITS genes for fungi) showed that bacterial communities on MPs exhibited distinct dynamics under laboratory and natural conditions, with Acidobacteriota and Proteobacteria dominating and indicating temporal succession in natural conditions. In contrast, fungal communities, dominated by Ascomycota and Basidiomycota, remained more stable in composition across both conditions over time. Genera with known PS degradation potential, such as Pseudomonas, Bacillus, and Penicillium, were also detected, suggesting potential microbial involvement in MP breakdown. Our findings underscore the significance of natural incubations in elucidating MP-microbe interactions in soils, with a particular focus on bacterial and fungal communities. This study also calls for longer-term, polymer-diverse studies to better assess MP fate in soil ecosystems.
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Scientists found naturally occurring bacteria and fungi living on microplastics in polluted soil and water that can actually break down these tiny plastic particles over time. This matters because microplastics are showing up everywhere—including in our food, water, and bodies—and these microbe-based cleanup methods could offer a more natural, sustainable way to reduce plastic pollution before it accumulates further in our environment and, potentially, our health.
The Spatiotemporal Successions of Bacterial and Fungal Plastisphere Communities and Their Effects on Microplastic Degradation in Soil Ecosystems
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Researchers tracked how bacterial and fungal communities colonize microplastic surfaces in soil over time, finding that the surrounding soil type had the strongest influence on which microbes grew on the plastics. The microbial communities on microplastics were less diverse and less stable than those in the surrounding soil, but they attracted microbes with a higher capacity to break down organic carbon. The study suggests that microplastic surfaces become hotspots for carbon metabolism in soil ecosystems.
Microplastic accumulation in soils: Unlocking the mechanism and biodegradation pathway
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Researchers reviewed how microplastics accumulate in soil and break down biologically, finding that certain microorganisms can form biofilms on plastic surfaces and use enzymes to slowly degrade the polymers — though conditions like pH, temperature, and moisture must be optimized and new plastic-degrading microbes need to be identified before this approach can be widely applied.
Microbial Isolates in Microplastic-Polluted Soil
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Researchers isolated and characterized microbial communities from microplastic-polluted soil, identifying bacteria capable of colonizing plastic surfaces and assessing their potential roles in plastic degradation and soil nutrient cycling.
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