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Nanoplastics & the marine microbial plastisphere:Towards a better understanding of fate & impact
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This thesis demonstrates that nanoplastics interact dynamically with marine microbial plastisphere biofilms, that the plastisphere modulates nanoplastic environmental fate, and that fluorinated plastics leach perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids at rates influenced by microbial presence. The plastisphere functions as both a sink for nanoplastics and a hotspot for accumulating plastic-associated contaminants, significantly influencing pollutant persistence and mobility in marine systems.
This thesis investigates the fate and impact of nanoplastics (plastic particles between 1 – 1000 nm) on the marine microbial plastisphere (the microbial biofilm that colonizes plastic surfaces). Central to this work are several key hypotheses: 1) nanoplastics interact dynamically with microbial biofilms in the plastisphere; 2) these biofilms modulate the environmental fate of nanoplastics; exposure to nanoplastics may alter microbial community composition and biofilm structure; and 3) the plastisphere may function as a sink for nanoplastics while facilitating the accumulation of plastic–associated contaminants, thereby influencing their persistence and mobility in marine systems.Literature review highlighted how nanoplastics display distinct aggregation dynamics, often binding to organic matter, and how marine microbial communities of the plastisphere may become a dynamic hotspot for these interactions. Laboratory experiments revealed how a) polystyrene nanoplastics (PS NPs) do not significantly inhibit PHBH biodegradation extent, but may alter biofilm microbial community dynamics b) perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acid (PFCAs) leach from polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) micro/nanoplastics (MNPs) in seawater to a different extent in the presence of a plastisphere bacterium compared to treatments without and c) fluorescent nanoplastics of varying morphologies synthesized via nanoprecipitation with selective staining can be differentiated once taken up by plastisphere–isolated protists. Altogether, this work demonstrates the complex role of microbial communities in mediating nanoplastic fate. The methodologies used here–such as utilizing natural microbial consortia, tracking functional endpoints, and employing environmentally relevant nanoplastic estimates–offer valuable tools for advancing nanoplastic research under more realistic marine conditions.
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Dynamics, ecological implications, and mitigation strategies of the ocean plastisphere
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This review examines how plastic debris accumulates in marine environments, fragmenting into micro- and nanoplastics through physical, chemical, and biological processes. Researchers found that plastic surfaces serve as substrates for microbial colonization, forming complex biofilm communities known as the plastisphere, which can affect marine organisms through ingestion and trophic transfer. The study highlights the need for coordinated global strategies combining policy, technology, and public awareness to reduce marine plastic pollution.
Marine microplastic-associated biofilms – a review
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This review synthesizes research on biofilm communities forming on marine microplastics, covering their composition, formation dynamics, and potential consequences for both plastic fate and ocean microbiology. The authors highlight that plastic-associated biofilms can include pathogens and toxin producers, and that the plastisphere community differs meaningfully from the surrounding seawater microbiome.
Marine Microbial Assemblages on Microplastics: Diversity, Adaptation, and Role in Degradation
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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.
The Importance of Biofilms on Microplastic Particles in Their Sinking Behavior and the Transfer of Invasive Organisms between Ecosystems
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This review explores how biofilm formation on microplastic surfaces, known as the plastisphere, affects the transport and ecological impact of plastic particles in marine environments. Researchers found that biofilm colonization can cause microplastics to sink from the ocean surface, altering their distribution through the water column, while also providing a habitat that protects invasive microbial species. The study suggests that some plastisphere organisms with plastic-degrading abilities could potentially be harnessed for marine pollution cleanup strategies.
Biofilm formation and its implications on the properties and fate of microplastics in aquatic environments: A review
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Researchers reviewed how microplastics in water attract and support communities of bacteria and other microorganisms that form biofilms — living coatings that alter the plastic particles' movement, help them carry pathogens, and affect how toxic chemicals attached to the plastic are absorbed by living things. Understanding this "plastisphere" ecosystem is critical for predicting where microplastics go and how harmful they become.
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