We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
The invisible threats of sunscreen as a plastic co-pollutant: Impact of a common organic UV filter on biofilm formation and metabolic function in the nascent marine plastisphere
AI summary Read the abstract
Sunscreen chemicals that wash off swimmers and enter the ocean don't just disappear, they can stick to floating plastic debris and change which bacteria grow on it, according to new research. In lab tests, a common sunscreen ingredient (EHMC) encouraged "generalist" bacteria to thrive while reducing bacteria that normally help break down pollutants, potentially making ocean plastic debris even harder for nature to clean up. This matters because as microplastics increasingly make their way into seafood and drinking water, understanding what other chemicals are riding along on them, and how those chemicals affect the microbes living on
Plastic debris in marine environments serves as a substrate for microbial colonisation, forming biofilms known as 'plastispheres'. Also accumulated on plastic debris are co-pollutants including UV-protective organic UV-filters from sunscreens, which likely interact with this niche through their lipophilicity. Despite their widespread use and environmental accumulation, the influence of UV-filters on plastisphere composition and function has never been investigated. This study therefore investigates, for the first time, how co-pollution - specifically by an organic UV-filter - impacts the composition and function of marine plastisphere communities. To achieve this, low-density polyethylene (LDPE) was incubated with marine microbial communities for six days to cultivate a nascent plastisphere, which was then exposed to 5 mg/L of EthylHexyl MethoxyCinnamate (EHMC); the most used organic UV-filter in sunscreens, and a prevalent marine pollutant. Metagenomic analyses revealed that EHMC favoured the growth of bacterial generalists Pseudomonas and Psychromonas while reducing pollutant-degrading genera like Marinomonas. Analysis of 3070 proteins revealed a consistent upregulation of proteins used for biofilm maintenance by Pseudomonas with EHMC exposure, including the considerable upregulation of outer membrane porin F (OprF) which regulates exopolymeric substance (EPS) production. Additionally, proteins thought to indicate a shift from aerobic to anaerobic respiration were frequently expressed after exposure to EHMC. This may have selected against the obligate aerobes Marinomonas and Pseudoalteromonas, contributing to the observed shift in community composition. These findings underscore the importance of considering chemical co-pollutants in plastisphere research as we now begin to discover how ecologically significant, and potentially harmful microbial genera are affected by this interaction.
More Papers Like This
The primary molecular influences of marine plastisphere formation and function: Novel insights into organism -organism and -co-pollutant interactions
AI summary Read the abstract
This review synthesizes the molecular and abiotic factors governing plastisphere formation and microbial function in marine environments beyond taxonomic description, integrating findings from 34 global plastisphere composition studies and 35 co-pollutant concentration studies. The authors specifically highlight the understudied role of lipophilic UV-filter chemicals from plastic additives and sunscreens as emerging influences on plastisphere ecology in coastal tourist environments.
Sorption and desorption of organic UV filters onto microplastics in single and multi-solute systems
AI summary Read the abstract
This study examined how organic UV filters (common sunscreen ingredients) sorb onto microplastics in both single-solute and multi-solute systems, finding that competitive sorption occurs when multiple contaminants are present. The results indicate that sunscreen chemicals can hitchhike on microplastics in marine environments, potentially altering their environmental fate and biological effects.
Microbial Ecotoxicology of Marine Plastic Debris: A Review on Colonization and Biodegradation by the “Plastisphere”
AI summary Read the abstract
This review synthesizes 15 years of research on microbial life colonizing marine plastic debris, known as the plastisphere, examining how plastic pollution affects microbial communities and how microorganisms influence plastic degradation. The authors identify key knowledge gaps regarding plastic biodegradation pathways and the potential for plastic debris to serve as a vector for dispersing harmful pathogens.
Nanoplastics & the marine microbial plastisphere:Towards a better understanding of fate & impact
AI summary Read the abstract
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.
Assessing biofilm formation and resistance of vibrio parahaemolyticus on UV-aged microplastics in aquatic environments
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that UV-weathered microplastics in seawater promote more bacterial biofilm growth than fresh microplastics, and that the food-poisoning bacterium Vibrio parahaemolyticus becomes more resistant to common disinfection methods when growing on these aged plastics. Bacteria on the UV-aged microplastics showed increased resistance to chlorine, heat, and even the harsh conditions of the human stomach. This means that microplastics weathered by sunlight in the ocean could make seafood-borne pathogens harder to kill, increasing food safety risks.
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.