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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Nascently generated microplastics in freshwater stream are colonized by bacterial communities from stream and riparian sources
ClearDistinctive 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.
In situ Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Communities on Microplastic Particles in a Small Headwater Stream in Germany
Researchers characterized prokaryotic and eukaryotic communities colonizing microplastic particles in a German headwater stream, finding distinct plastisphere biofilms enriched in specific bacterial taxa compared to surrounding water and natural substrates.
Microbial colonizers of microplastics in an Arctic freshwater lake
Researchers characterized the microbial communities that colonize biodegradable and non-biodegradable microplastics deployed in an Arctic freshwater lake over eleven days. The study found that the plastisphere microbial community was complex and differed from the surrounding water, with biodegradable plastic attracting distinct bacterial groups, suggesting that microplastic type influences which microorganisms colonize these particles in pristine environments.
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.
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.
Microalgae colonization of different microplastic polymers in experimental mesocosms across an environmental gradient
Microalgal colonization of five different microplastic polymer types was monitored in freshwater mesocosms across an environmental gradient, finding that polymer type, surface properties, and environmental conditions all influenced the biomass and community composition of epiplastic microalgal biofilms.
Comparative Analysis of Selective Bacterial Colonization by Polyethylene and Polyethylene Terephthalate Microplastics
Biofilm communities were compared on polyethylene and polyethylene terephthalate microplastics incubated in two freshwater bacterial communities, finding that the original water source bacteria largely determined biofilm composition rather than the plastic type. The study suggests that the plastisphere in freshwater systems reflects local microbial pools more than plastic-specific selection.
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.
Characterization of Microplastic-Associated Biofilm Development along a Freshwater-Estuarine Gradient
Researchers characterized biofilm bacterial communities on three types of microplastics incubated along a freshwater-estuarine gradient, finding that salinity and plastic type influenced microbial community composition and succession over a 31-day period.
Temporal dynamics of bacterial colonization on five types of microplastics in a freshwater lake
Researchers submerged five types of microplastics in a freshwater lake for about a year to study how bacterial communities colonize their surfaces over time. They found that different plastic types attracted distinct microbial communities, which changed significantly across seasons. The study reveals that microplastics serve as unique habitats for bacteria in freshwater, potentially influencing nutrient cycling and ecosystem dynamics.
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 composition on microplastics mediated by stream impairment
This study compared the microbial communities living on microplastics collected from streams with different levels of water quality impairment, finding that poorer water quality was associated with distinct biofilm compositions on the plastic surfaces. Streams with greater impairment harbored different — and potentially more harmful — communities of microorganisms on the microplastics they carried. The findings suggest that microplastics in degraded waterways may act as vectors for spreading pollution-adapted or pathogenic microbes downstream.
Dynamic succession and biodegradation potential of microplastic prokaryotic microbial communities in the Pearl River estuary
Researchers conducted a 35-day field experiment in the Pearl River Estuary to study how microbial communities colonize and change over time on different types of microplastic surfaces. They found that the bacterial communities on microplastics underwent distinct succession phases and differed significantly from those in surrounding water and sediment. The study identified several microorganisms with potential plastic-degrading capabilities, suggesting that microplastic surfaces in estuarine environments may harbor unique biodegradation-relevant microbial communities.
Environmental Factors Support the Formation of Specific Bacterial Assemblages on Microplastics
Researchers incubated polystyrene, polyethylene, and wooden pellets across marine and freshwater environments and found that environmental conditions — more than plastic type — drove the formation of specific bacterial communities on microplastics, with plastic-specific assemblages only emerging under certain conditions.
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.
Microplastic biofilm in fresh- and wastewater as a function of microparticle type and size class
Researchers compared the biofilm communities that form on microplastics of different types and sizes in both freshwater and wastewater, finding that biofilm composition was influenced by particle type, size, and water source. These findings advance understanding of the plastisphere — the microbial community unique to plastic surfaces — and its potential role in spreading microorganism-associated risks.
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.
Lacustrine plastisphere: Distinct succession and assembly processes of prokaryotic and eukaryotic communities and role of site, time, and polymer types
Researchers investigated how microbial communities colonize different types of microplastic polymers in freshwater lakes. The study found that bacteria and single-celled organisms follow distinct assembly patterns on microplastic surfaces, with colonization time, location, and polymer type all influencing community composition. These findings suggest microplastics serve as carriers that can promote microbial spread in aquatic environments.
Effects of photoaging on biofilm development and microbial community in polypropylene and polylactic acid microplastics in freshwater
Researchers systematically examined how varying degrees of photoaging affect the physicochemical properties, biofilm formation, and bacterial community composition of polypropylene and polylactic acid microplastics in freshwater environments.
Bacterial Population Changes during the Degradation Process of a Lactate (LA)-Enriched Biodegradable Polymer in River Water: LA-Cluster Preferable Bacterial Consortium
Not relevant to microplastics — this study tracks how the bacterial community in river water changes during the biodegradation of a lactate-enriched biopolymer (LAHB), identifying which microbial groups preferentially break down the polymer's lactate-rich segments.
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.
Biofilm development as a factor driving the degradation of plasticised marine microplastics
Researchers investigated how natural marine biofilms drive the degradation of plasticized microplastics. The study found that biodegradation was dependent on polymer type, plasticizer type, and time, with polystyrene containing bisphenol A showing the most degradation, coinciding with increased abundance of putative biodegradative bacteria in the colonizing biofilm.
Microbiomes on microplastics versus natural microcarriers: Stability and transformation during aquatic travel from aquaculture ponds to adjacent stream
Researchers compared microbial communities that form on microplastics versus natural materials as they travel from aquaculture ponds to adjacent streams. They found that different plastic types harbored distinct microbial communities, and that these plastisphere communities were less stable than those on natural substrates during transit between water bodies. The study suggests that microplastics may spread different assemblages of microorganisms as they move through connected aquatic environments.
Evaluation of prokaryotic and eukaryotic microbial communities on microplastic‐associated biofilms in marine and freshwater environments
Researchers analyzed microbial biofilm communities on microplastic surfaces in both marine and freshwater environments, finding that plastic-associated biofilms harbor distinct prokaryotic and eukaryotic communities with potential roles in plastic biodegradation.