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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to The entrainment of polyester microfibers modifies the structure and function of periphytic biofilms
ClearPresence of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibers in hyporheic zone alters colonization patterns and seasonal dynamics of biofilm metabolic functioning
PET microfibers added to stream mesocosms colonized by biofilms altered microbial community composition and reduced ecosystem metabolic rates during summer but not winter, with effects dependent on seasonal temperature and biofilm maturity, demonstrating that microplastic fiber impacts on stream biogeochemistry are temporally variable.
Effects and Fate of Microfibres on Wastewater Treatment: Insights into Treatment Performance, Microbiome Selection and Synergetic Impacts on Functional Organisms in Granular Sludge Reactors
Researchers examined the effects of polyester and denim microfibres on aerobic granular sludge reactors used in wastewater treatment, finding that fibre presence influences treatment performance, microbiome community composition, and the function of key organisms in the granular sludge. The findings reveal that textile microfibres reaching wastewater plants can have synergistic negative impacts on biological treatment processes.
Effects of Polyester Microfibers on Microphytobenthos and Sediment-Dwelling Infauna
Researchers examined the effects of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microfibers on microphytobenthos, a deposit-feeding bivalve (Macomona liliana), and sediment nutrient cycling across six concentration levels in controlled sediment chambers. The study found that PET microfibers disrupted benthic community structure and altered sediment nutrient fluxes at environmentally relevant concentrations.
No Effect of Realistic Concentrations of Polyester Microplastic Fibers on Freshwater Zooplankton Communities
Researchers tested whether realistic concentrations of polyester microplastic fibers affect freshwater zooplankton communities in experimental settings. The study found no significant effects on zooplankton abundance, diversity, or community structure at environmentally relevant concentrations, suggesting that current levels of fiber pollution may not substantially impact these organisms.
Biofilms Enhance the Adsorption of Toxic Contaminants on Plastic Microfibers under Environmentally Relevant Conditions
Researchers grew natural biofilms on plastic microfibers under realistic environmental conditions and measured changes in adsorption of two toxic contaminants, finding that biofilm formation substantially increased the fibers' capacity to bind pollutants, amplifying their potential as chemical vectors.
Microfiber Surface Acting as a Potential Niche for Proliferation of Microbial Community
This chapter explores how microfiber surfaces in soil, groundwater, and freshwater serve as niches for microbial colonization and biofilm formation, examining the factors influencing microbial community dynamics on microfibers in aquatic and terrestrial environments.
Impact of polyester and cotton microfibers on growth and sublethal biomarkers in juvenile mussels
Researchers exposed juvenile mussels to polyester and cotton microfibers at realistic ocean concentrations for 94 days and found that polyester microfibers reduced mussel growth rates by up to 36%, suggesting that microplastic fiber pollution could harm marine ecosystems and threaten shellfish aquaculture.
Effects and fate of microfibres on wastewater treatment: Insights into treatment performance, microbiome selection and synergetic impacts on functional organisms in granular sludge reactors
Researchers investigated the effects of denim and polyester microfibres on aerobic granular sludge reactor performance, examining how these commonly encountered anthropogenic fibres influence wastewater treatment efficiency, microbiome selection, and interactions with functional organisms.
Unraveling Physical and Chemical Effects of Textile Microfibers
This review examines both the physical and chemical effects of textile microfibers on organisms, discussing how these most prevalent microplastics expose biota to manufacturing chemicals and environmental contaminants across terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems.
Effects and fate of microfibres on wastewater treatment: Insights into treatment performance, microbiome selection and synergetic impacts on functional organisms in granular sludge reactors
Researchers investigated the effects of denim and polyester microfibres on the performance of aerobic granular sludge wastewater treatment reactors, examining impacts on treatment efficiency, microbiome composition, and synergistic effects on functional microbial organisms.
Effects of long-term exposure to microfibers on ecosystem services provided by coastal mussels
Researchers examined the effects of long-term microfiber exposure on the biofiltration capacity of coastal mussels, investigating whether small microfibers (more common in nature than the larger microplastics studied previously) impair this important ecosystem service that helps mitigate coastal eutrophication.
Distinct community structure and microbial functions of biofilms colonizing microplastics
Biofilm communities were established on polyethylene, polypropylene, cobblestone, and wood substrates over 21 days under controlled conditions and compared by 16S rRNA sequencing, finding that plastic substrates harbored distinct microbial communities and functional profiles compared to natural materials. The study demonstrates that microplastics in freshwater environments provide a selective niche that enriches for distinct microbial taxa and metabolic functions.
A planet too rich in fibre
Researchers highlighted that synthetic microfibres shed from clothing have become pervasive across environmental compartments — including drinking water and food — raising concerns about chronic human and ecosystem exposure to a poorly understood class of microplastic contaminant.
Long-term exposure of a free-living freshwater micro- and meiobenthos community to microplastic mixtures in microcosms
Researchers exposed a natural freshwater micro- and meiobenthos community to microplastic mixtures in long-term microcosm experiments, finding community-level effects that differ from single-species studies and highlighting the importance of realistic multi-polymer exposure scenarios.
Polyester Microfibers Exposure Modulates Mytilus galloprovincialis Hemolymph Microbiome
Researchers exposed Mediterranean mussels to polyester microfibers and found that the fibers significantly altered the microbial communities in the mussels' circulatory fluid. The changes in the microbiome could potentially affect the mussels' immune function and overall health. The findings suggest that microfiber pollution in the ocean may disrupt the delicate balance between marine organisms and their beneficial bacteria.
Influence of synthetic and natural microfibers on the growth, substance exchange, energy accumulation, and oxidative stress of field-collected microalgae compared with microplastic fragment
Researchers tested how synthetic microfibers from plastics like PET and polypropylene affect freshwater algae compared to natural fibers like cotton and wool. The synthetic fibers inhibited algae growth more than natural fibers and caused oxidative damage to the cells, with fiber-shaped particles being more harmful than fragments of the same material. Since algae form the base of aquatic food chains, damage to them from microplastic fibers could ripple through ecosystems and affect the fish and water that humans depend on.
Impacts of Biofilm Formation on the Fate and Potential Effects of Microplastic in the Aquatic Environment
Researchers reviewed how biofilm formation on microplastic surfaces affects the fate and potential ecological effects of microplastics in aquatic environments, finding that biofilms alter particle buoyancy, surface chemistry, and interactions with organisms.
Unraveling the ecological impact of textile microfibers: Current knowledge and research challenges
This review examines the ecological impact of textile microfibers, a major subset of microplastic pollution released during laundry and fabric wear. Researchers found significant knowledge gaps regarding how these fibers affect organisms and ecosystems, particularly when interacting with other environmental contaminants. The study calls for more standardized research methods and greater attention to this pervasive but understudied form of microplastic pollution.
Effects of Nanoplastics on Freshwater Biofilm Microbial Metabolic Functions as Determined by BIOLOG ECO Microplates
Nanoplastics were found to significantly alter the metabolic functions of freshwater biofilm microbial communities, as measured by BIOLOG ECO microplates, with effects varying by concentration and polymer type. The disruption of biofilm microbial metabolism by nanoplastics could have cascading effects on nutrient cycling in freshwater ecosystems.
Microfibres from Textile Industry Effluents
Researchers reviewed the fate of microfibres released from textile industry effluents, finding that conventional wastewater treatment is insufficient to fully remove fibres, which then enter receiving waterways and contribute to environmental microplastic loads.
Microbial biofilm formation and community structure on low-density polyethylene microparticles in lake water microcosms
Researchers investigated biofilm formation on low-density polyethylene microparticles in lake water microcosms, finding that microplastic surfaces supported distinct and dynamic microbial communities that differed from those in the surrounding water.
Structural and Functional Characteristics of Microplastic Associated Biofilms in Response to Temporal Dynamics and Polymer Types
Researchers found that biofilm structural and functional characteristics on microplastics differ significantly depending on polymer type (polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene) and change over time, with implications for understanding microbial colonization and the plastisphere.
Interactions between microplastics and benthic biofilms in fluvial ecosystems: Knowledge gaps and future trends
This review examines the interactions between microplastics and benthic biofilms in freshwater ecosystems, identifying key knowledge gaps around how biofilms influence microplastic fate and transport, and calling for more field-based research to understand these complex ecological relationships.
Aging of textile-based microfibers in both air and water environments
Researchers aged textile-based microfibers under controlled air and water environments over extended periods, characterizing changes in surface chemistry, mechanical properties, and morphology, finding that degradation pathways differed substantially between air and aquatic conditions.