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Papers
61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Degradation of microplastics and the plastisphere bacteria in the acidogenic phase of simulated municipal solid waste landfilling
ClearMicroplastic polymer properties as deterministic factors driving terrestrial plastisphere microbiome assembly and succession in the field
Researchers incubated five common microplastic polymer types in landfill soil for 14 months and used 16S rRNA sequencing to characterize the plastisphere communities that assembled on each polymer. Polymer type was a significant deterministic factor in plastisphere microbiome composition, which differed from surrounding soil communities and varied over time.
Synergistic functional activity of a landfill microbial consortium in a microplastic-enriched environment
Scientists studied soil bacteria from a decades-old landfill to understand how microbes adapt to high concentrations of polyethylene and PET microplastics. They found that multiple bacterial species work together to break down these plastics, with different roles for bacteria floating freely versus those attached to plastic surfaces. While biodegradation of microplastics is possible, it is slow, and understanding these natural processes could eventually help with cleanup efforts.
Selective bacterial colonization processes on polyethylene waste samples in an abandoned landfill site
Researchers examined polyethylene plastic waste from an abandoned landfill after more than 35 years of weathering, finding that each degraded plastic type hosted a unique community of bacteria that differed from neighboring plastics and from the surrounding soil. The most degraded plastics had bacterial communities most similar to the surrounding soil, suggesting that plastic breakdown gradually reduces the distinct ecological niche that plastics create for microbes.
Deciphering the Mechanisms Shaping the Plastisphere Microbiota in Soil
Researchers characterized bacterial communities colonizing biodegradable and conventional microplastics in soil, finding that polymer type and biodegradability shaped distinct plastisphere communities, with deterministic processes playing a stronger role in community assembly than in surrounding soil.
Large-scale omics dataset of polymer degradation provides robust interpretation for microbial niche and succession on different plastisphere
Researchers generated a large-scale microbiome and metabolome dataset from five biodegradable polymer types, revealing that microbial communities converge to polymer-specific compositions during degradation and follow distinct succession stages from initial colonization through biofilm formation.
New insights on municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill plastisphere structure and function
Characterization of a large municipal solid waste landfill plastisphere found that plastic surfaces harbored more diverse bacterial communities than surrounding refuse, with abundant plastic-degrading genera including Bacillus, Pseudomonas, and Paenibacillus detected in both environments.
Aging of Microplastics across a Constructed Wetland
Researchers studied the weathering and microbial colonization of five microplastic polymer types over 18 months within four habitat zones of a constructed wastewater wetland, finding that microorganisms colonized plastics rapidly and that weathering rates varied by polymer type and habitat.
The SpatiotemporalSuccessions of Bacterial and FungalPlastisphere Communities and Their Effects on Microplastic Degradationin Soil Ecosystems
Researchers explored spatiotemporal succession of bacterial and fungal plastisphere communities on three microplastic types across three soil types over multiple time periods, finding that colonization environment was the dominant driver of plastisphere microbiome assembly, followed by polymer type and incubation time.
Elucidating degradation properties, microbial community, and mechanism of microplastics in sewage sludge under different terminal electron acceptors conditions
Researchers found that the type of terminal electron acceptor significantly controls the degradation rates and pathways of polylactic acid, polyvinyl chloride, and polyhydroxyalkanoate microplastics in sewage sludge, with aerobic conditions promoting faster degradation than anaerobic alternatives.
Effects of different concentrations and types of microplastics on bacteria and fungi in alkaline soil
Researchers examined how different types and concentrations of polyethylene, polystyrene, and PVC microplastics affect soil bacteria and fungi in alkaline soil over 310 days, finding that all three stimulated enzyme activities and shifted microbial community abundance patterns.
The Polymer-Plastisphere-Function Nexus Links to Divergent Biodegradation of Microplastics During Composting.
Researchers found a fundamental dichotomy in microplastic biodegradation during thermophilic composting, where biodegradable polymers (PLA, PBS, PBAT) underwent rapid degradation driven by selective microbial community assembly shaped by polymer chemistry, while conventional plastics resisted breakdown despite similar composting conditions.
Microplastic release and sulfate reduction response in the early stage of a simulated landfill
An experiment simulating a landfill found that microplastics rapidly leach into landfill liquid (leachate) during the early stages of waste decomposition, with circulating leachate carrying 1.45 times more microplastics than non-circulating systems. Larger plastic fragments broke down into smaller particles during the process, and a positive correlation was found between microplastic release and sulfate-reducing activity. Landfills represent an underappreciated but significant pathway for microplastics to enter groundwater and surrounding environments.
Investigating the roles of microbes in biodegrading or colonizing microplastic surfaces
Researchers investigated the roles of microbes in biodegrading or colonizing microplastic surfaces, examining how microbial communities interact with plastic polymers in environmental settings. The study characterized the 'plastisphere' — the community of microorganisms that colonize microplastic surfaces — and assessed the extent to which microbial activity contributes to plastic degradation in natural environments.
The evolution and fate of waste plastics in landfills subject to physical and biochemical processes - implications for microplastics
This review examines how plastic waste in landfills is physically and biochemically transformed over time, with a focus on the conditions that generate microplastics from buried macroplastics. The authors explore implications for microplastic leaching and environmental contamination from landfill sites.
New Insights into Microplastic Contamination in Different Types of Leachates: Abundances, Characteristics, and Potential Sources
Researchers examined microplastic contamination in leachates from different types of municipal solid waste disposal facilities, moving beyond the typical focus on landfill leachate alone. The study found varying abundances and characteristics of microplastics across leachate types, identifying waste processing as a significant source of microplastic release into the environment.
Biodegradation of micro-polyethylene particles by bacterial colonization of a mixed microbial consortium isolated from a landfill site
A bacterial consortium isolated from a municipal landfill, dominated by Bacillus and Paenibacillus species, was shown to reduce the dry weight of polyethylene microplastic particles by 14.7% and particle diameter by 22.8% after 60 days of incubation. The study provides evidence that landfill-adapted bacteria can biodegrade PE microplastics under mesophilic conditions.
Dynamic formation of microplastics from plastic waste in landfill leachate pressure-bearing zone
Laboratory experiments tracked how microplastics form dynamically from larger plastic waste in landfill conditions over time. The study helps quantify the landfill as a long-term source of secondary microplastic generation and potential leaching into surrounding soils and groundwater.
Abundance and characteristics of microplastics in soil and leachate at different zones of unsanitary landfill
Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in soil and leachate across young, middle-aged, and old zones of an unsanitary landfill. They found that fiber-shaped microplastics were most common, with PET, polypropylene, and polystyrene as the dominant polymers, and that leachate from middle-aged zones had significantly lower microplastic abundance than young or old zones. The study shows that landfill age and environmental degradation influence how microplastics are distributed between soil and leachate.
The Spatiotemporal Successions of Bacterial and Fungal Plastisphere Communities and Their Effects on Microplastic Degradation in Soil Ecosystems
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.
Microbial Allies in Plastic Degradation: Specific bacterial genera as universal plastic-degraders in various environments
Researchers identified specific bacterial genera capable of degrading multiple types of plastic across different environments including landfill soil, sewage sludge, and river water. They found that certain bacteria, such as Pseudomonas and Bacillus species, consistently appeared as effective plastic degraders regardless of the environment. The study suggests that these universal plastic-degrading bacteria could be valuable candidates for developing bioremediation strategies to address plastic pollution.
Aging of Microplasticsacross a Constructed Wetland
Researchers tracked the aging of five microplastic polymer types — LDPE, HDPE, polypropylene, polystyrene, and PET — across four habitats within a wastewater constructed wetland over 18 months, finding that physical, chemical, and biological processes jointly drive weathering and microorganism colonisation of plastics in these treatment systems.
Effect of landfill age on the physical and chemical characteristics of waste plastics/microplastics in a waste landfill sites
Researchers examined how landfill age affects waste plastic degradation, finding that older landfills contained smaller, more fragmented microplastics with increased surface oxidation and crystallinity changes, revealing the progressive breakdown pathway of plastics in landfill environments.
Biodegradation of Microplastics by Microorganisms Isolated from Two Mature Landfill Leachates
Researchers isolated bacteria and fungi from leachates of two mature landfills and screened them for the ability to degrade polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene microplastics using lipase production and microplastic-as-sole-carbon-source assays. Among 211 isolates, a Bacillus paramycoides strain showed the highest lipase index and degraded up to 11.12% of polystyrene microplastics within 42 days.
Spatio-temporal distribution of soil microbial communities and nutrient availability around a municipal solid waste landfill
Despite its title referencing soil microbial communities near a municipal solid waste landfill, this paper studies bacterial and fungal community composition in soils surrounding a landfill — not microplastic pollution. It examines how proximity to the landfill affects microbial diversity and nutrient cycling and is not directly relevant to microplastics or human health.