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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Sources of microplastics to two Southeast Michigan rivers and biofilm responses plastic substrata
ClearThe 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.
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.
Wastewater-induced microplastic biofouling in freshwater: role of particle size and flow velocity
This study examined how wastewater discharge promotes biofouling — the colonization of microplastics by microorganisms — in freshwater environments, finding that particle size and wastewater-derived nutrients both influenced biofilm formation rates and community composition. Wastewater-exposed microplastics rapidly developed distinct microbial communities.
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.
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.
Spatial patterns of microplastics in freshwater bivalves (Bivalvia: Unionidae and Sphaeriidae) relative to municipal wastewater effluent discharges
Microplastics were found in freshwater bivalves (fingernail clams and mussels) collected along 155 km of Ontario's Grand River, with significantly higher concentrations downstream of municipal wastewater treatment plant discharges, confirming WWTPs as key sources of microplastic contamination in filter-feeding freshwater organisms.
The role of biofilm and hydrodynamics on the fate of microplastic particles in rivers: an experimental study
Researchers conducted experimental flume studies to investigate how biofilm formation and hydrodynamic conditions jointly govern microplastic particle fate in rivers, examining why some urbanized and industrialized river reaches show no significant upstream-to-downstream increase in microplastic concentration despite theoretical inputs.
Microparticles in Wild and Caged Biota, Sediments, and Water Relative to Large Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant Discharges
Researchers examined microplastic levels in fish, water, and sediment upstream and downstream of two large wastewater treatment plants along the Grand River in Ontario, Canada. Despite expectations, they did not find consistently higher microplastic levels in organisms living near wastewater outfalls compared to upstream sites. The findings suggest that microplastic contamination in rivers may come from many widespread sources rather than being dominated by wastewater discharge.
Influence of microplastics on nutrients and metal concentrations in river sediments
Researchers investigated how microplastics influence nutrient and metal concentrations in river sediments, finding that microplastics alter the distribution of pollutants through their capacity to adsorb contaminants and support biofilm formation on their hydrophobic surfaces.
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.
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.
Wastewater discharges and polymer type modulate the riverine plastisphere and set the role of microplastics as vectors of pathogens and antibiotic resistance
Researchers investigated how wastewater treatment plant discharges and polymer type shape microbial communities on microplastics in a river environment. They found that microplastics harbored significantly higher microbial diversity than surrounding water, and that wastewater discharges led to a 2.3-fold increase in antibiotic resistance gene abundance on the plastic surfaces. Different polymer types, including polyethylene, polypropylene, and PET, each attracted distinct microbial communities with varying levels of pathogens and resistance genes.
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.
Microplastic in surface waters of urban rivers: concentration, sources, and associated bacterial assemblages
Researchers measured microplastic levels in the surface waters of the Chicago River and its urban tributaries, finding concentrations as high as 1.94 particles per cubic meter near wastewater outflows. They discovered that microplastic fibers and pellets were often colonized by bacterial communities distinct from those in the surrounding water. The study provides early evidence that urban rivers are significant conduits for microplastic pollution and that these particles may serve as rafts for microorganisms.
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.
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.
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.
Effects of Microplastic Biofilms on an Anthropogenically Impacted Suburban Lake
Researchers investigated the effects of microplastic biofilms on a suburban lake impacted by highway runoff, examining how plastic fragments from brake pads, car tires, litter, and road paint degrade into microplastics and interact with freshwater ecosystems. The study assessed how biofilm formation on microplastic surfaces alters their ecological behavior and potential impacts on the lake system.
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.
Distinct microbial metabolic activities of biofilms colonizing microplastics in three freshwater ecosystems
Biofilms growing on microplastics in three freshwater ecosystems showed distinct patterns of carbon metabolism compared to biofilms on glass, with PET-colonizing biofilms showing lower metabolic diversity. Environmental factors like nutrient levels and turbidity also shaped biofilm function, suggesting microplastics alter microbial-mediated carbon cycling in rivers and lakes.
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.
Microplastic surface properties affect bacterial colonization in freshwater
Researchers incubated six types of microplastics in Lake Erie water for eight weeks and found that bacterial colonization patterns differed significantly depending on plastic surface properties such as roughness, hydrophobicity, and weathering. The study suggests that eroded microplastics, which better mimic environmental conditions, are colonized differently than pristine particles, which has implications for how plastics transport bacteria in freshwater ecosystems.
Effects of plastisphere on phosphorus availability in freshwater system: Critical roles of polymer type and colonizing habitat
This study examined how biofilm-covered microplastics of different polymer types affect phosphorus availability in freshwater, finding that polymer type and colonization habitat determined whether plastisphere biofilms acted as phosphorus sources or sinks, with implications for nutrient cycling in aquatic ecosystems.
Influence of wastewater treatment plant discharges on microplastic concentrations in surface water
This study measured microplastic concentrations upstream and downstream of wastewater treatment plant discharges in a freshwater river and found elevated concentrations below discharge points. The findings confirm that wastewater treatment plants, even when functioning properly, act as point sources of microplastic pollution to freshwater systems.