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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Unraveling water depth dependent microplastic aging driven by functional microbial community interaction in a real urban river
ClearMicrobial carbon metabolism patterns of microplastic biofilm in the vertical profile of urban rivers
Researchers examined how microbial carbon metabolism in microplastic biofilms varies vertically through the water column of urban rivers, where plastic particles sink and accumulate at different depths. Biofilm metabolic function and community composition changed significantly with depth, suggesting that vertical transport of microplastics through the water column shapes distinct microbial carbon cycling niches in urban river ecosystems.
New insights into the vertical distribution and microbial degradation of microplastics in urban river sediments
Vertical distribution and microbial degradation of microplastics in sediment cores were investigated, finding that microplastics were present throughout the vertical profile and that indigenous microbial communities were actively interacting with plastic particles. The study provided new insights into how sediment depth, redox conditions, and microbial activity shape microplastic fate in sediment repositories.
[Community Structure and Microbial Function Responses of Biofilms Colonizing on Microplastics with Vertical Distribution in Urban Water].
Biofilm communities colonizing microplastics at different depths in urban water bodies were found to differ significantly in community structure and metabolic function. Microplastics at different depths were exposed to varying light, oxygen, and nutrient conditions, which shaped the attached microbial communities. Understanding how microplastics host distinct microbial assemblages is important for assessing their role as vectors for pathogens and chemical pollutants.
Biofilms on plastic litter in an urban river: Community composition and activity vary by substrate type
Researchers examined biofilms colonizing plastic litter versus natural surfaces in an urban river, finding that community composition and metabolic activity vary by substrate type, with plastic surfaces hosting distinct microbial communities that may influence plastic degradation rates.
Microbial community niches on microplastics and prioritized environmental factors under various urban riverine conditions
Researchers manipulated organic content, salinity, and dissolved oxygen in bioreactors to assess which environmental factors most strongly shaped microbial communities colonizing microplastics in urban rivers. Dissolved oxygen and organic carbon content were identified as priority drivers of plastisphere community composition, with implications for predicting pathogen enrichment on MPs across river conditions.
Distinctive patterns of bacterial community succession in the riverine micro-plastisphere in view of biofilm development and ecological niches
Scientists studied how bacterial communities develop on microplastics versus natural materials in river water and found that plastics support a distinct pattern of microbial colonization. The research identified specific bacteria capable of degrading microplastics and revealed that competition among microbes on plastic surfaces follows unexpected patterns compared to natural substrates.
Plastic substrate and residual time of microplastics in the urban river shape the composition and structure of bacterial communities in plastisphere
Researchers conducted an in-site incubation experiment in an urban river using microplastics from three plastic product types (garbage bags, shopping bags, and plastic bottles), finding that both plastic substrate type and incubation time shaped the bacterial communities colonizing the plastisphere. Different plastic products harbored distinct microbial communities, with potential implications for the spread of plastic-associated microorganisms in urban freshwater.
Diversity, abundance and distribution characteristics of potential polyethylene and polypropylene microplastic degradation bacterial communities in the urban river
Researchers conducted a 1,150-day experiment in an urban river to identify bacteria capable of degrading polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics. The study found two distinct groups of plastic-degrading bacteria, with many rare or low-abundance species in natural river biofilms that may serve as potential degraders, helping explain the slow breakdown rate of these common microplastics in waterways.
Spatial distribution and vertical characteristics of microplastics in the urban river: The case of Qinhuai River in Nanjing, China
Researchers investigated the spatial distribution and vertical characteristics of microplastics in the Qinhuai River in Nanjing, China. The study found an average concentration of about 668 microplastic items per liter, with abundance patterns varying between surface and deep water at different points along the river, and identified correlations between microplastic presence and shifts in microbial community structure.
Hydrodynamics regulates microbial degradation of microplastics by modulating bottom-up and top-down effects in a river-lake confluence zone
Researchers examined how hydrodynamic conditions in river-lake confluence zones regulate microbial degradation of microplastics by modulating bottom-up and top-down effects within multi-trophic microbial communities.
Microplastic is an Abundant and Distinct Microbial Habitat in an Urban River
Researchers demonstrated that microplastic surfaces in an urban river host a microbial community that is distinct from surrounding water and sediment communities, establishing microplastic as an abundant and ecologically distinct habitat for river microorganisms.
The Effect of Microplastics on Microbial Succession at Impaired and Unimpaired Sites in a Riverine System
Researchers compared microbial biofilm diversity on microplastic polymers and natural substrates at impaired and unimpaired riverine sites, examining how environmental nutrient loads, seasonality, and geography influence microbiome succession on plastic surfaces in freshwater ecosystems.
Temporal Feedback Loop Drives the Coevolutionary Fate of Microplastics and Surface Biofilms in River Sediments
Researchers conducted a 60-day field study to understand how biofilms and microplastics interact in river sediments. They found a temporal feedback loop in which oxygen-containing groups on microplastic surfaces served as nutrient sources for biofilm-forming microbes, which in turn produced enzymes that accelerated plastic degradation. The study shows that different polymer types support distinct microbial communities and degrade at different rates based on their surface chemistry.
A depth-resolved snapshot of microplastic abundances in riffle heads in a gravelbed river
Researchers took depth-resolved samples from gravel riverbed sediments to map how microplastics distribute vertically through streambeds. They found significant quantities at depth, suggesting that riverbeds act as long-term reservoirs of microplastic pollution rather than just transient transport pathways.
Quantitative study of microplastic degradation in urban hydrosystems: Comparing in situ environmentally aged microplastics vs. artificially aged materials generated via accelerated photo-oxidation
Researchers compared how polyethylene microplastics degrade in real urban water environments versus under controlled laboratory UV exposure. They found that lab-aged plastics showed primarily physical and chemical changes from UV light, while microplastics collected from stormwater and sediments also showed signs of biological degradation and hydrolysis. The study demonstrates that artificial aging alone does not fully replicate the complex degradation processes microplastics undergo in actual urban water systems.
Riverbed depth-specific microplastics distribution and potential use as process marker
Researchers examined the depth-specific distribution of microplastics in riverbed sediments, finding that particle concentration and type varied significantly with sediment depth. The findings suggest that riverbeds act as significant microplastic sinks, with deeper layers representing older accumulation zones.
Hydrodynamics shape riverine biofilms on microplastics: insights from an in-situ incubation study
Researchers incubated polystyrene microplastics in the Rhine River under different water flow conditions and found that faster-flowing water produced much denser and more diverse microbial communities (called biofilms) on the plastic surfaces. Because biofilms change how microplastics move and interact with ecosystems, water flow conditions need to be considered when studying microplastic behavior in real rivers.
Bacterial and fungal assemblages and functions associated with biofilms differ between diverse types of plastic debris in a freshwater system
Researchers characterised bacterial and fungal assemblages on three types of plastic debris in a freshwater urban river system, finding that microbial communities on plastics differ from those in surrounding water. High-throughput sequencing revealed that alpha diversity of bacterial communities was higher on polyethylene microplastics than on other plastic types, with intraspecies interactions between bacteria and fungi differing across diverse plastic substrates.
Fate of Microplastics in Deep Gravel Riverbeds: Evidence for Direct Transfer from River Water to Groundwater
Researchers tracked microplastic particles vertically through gravel riverbeds using depth-profile sampling, finding that MPs move directly from river water into subsurface gravel sediments and onward toward groundwater, documenting a pathway for plastic particles to enter drinking water aquifers.
Aging of microplastics in a subtropical river system in Florida, USA
Researchers conducted a two-year field study in a subtropical Florida river to track how five common polymer types age across different environmental layers from air to sediment. They found that aging processes, including surface cracking, chemical oxidation, and microbial colonization, varied significantly by polymer type and environmental position, revealing the complex ways microplastics transform in river systems.
Effects of microplastics on nitrogen and phosphorus cycles and microbial communities in sediments
Researchers found that PVC, PLA, and polypropylene microplastics altered nitrogen and phosphorus cycling in freshwater sediments by shifting microbial community composition, with effects varying by polymer type and biodegradability.
Anthropogenic Litter in Urban Freshwater Ecosystems: Distribution and Microbial Interactions
Researchers quantified anthropogenic litter in urban rivers and streams and found that microplastics dominated by mass and particle count compared to macroplastic items. The study highlights urban freshwater systems as major conduits for plastic pollution moving toward marine environments and documents distinct microbial communities on plastic surfaces.
Longitudinal patterns of microplastic concentration and bacterial assemblages in surface and benthic habitats of an urban river
This study measured microplastic concentrations and microbial communities in a river from source to mouth, finding that both plastic levels and unique plastisphere bacterial communities increased downstream of wastewater treatment plant outflows. The results identify wastewater discharge as a key driver of both microplastic loading and microbial community shifts in rivers.
Vertical distribution of microplastics in a river water column using an innovative sampling method
An innovative sampling method was used to assess microplastic contamination in both surface and subsurface river water, finding higher MP concentrations near the riverbed than at the surface, highlighting that surface-only sampling underestimates total MP contamination in rivers.