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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Metagenomics reveals the influence of small microplastics on microbial communities in coastal sediments
ClearMulti-omics-based approach reveals the effects of microplastics on microbial abundance and function of sediments in Shenzhen coastal waters
Researchers used a multi-omics approach combining metagenomics and metatranscriptomics to investigate how microplastic contamination affects microbial community abundance and functional gene expression in coastal sediments from eastern and western Shenzhen, China. They found microplastic concentrations of 119 items per kilogram in eastern sediments and 664 items per kilogram in western sediments, with higher contamination sites showing significant shifts in microbial community composition and altered expression of genes involved in carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur cycling.
Prevalence of small-sized microplastics in coastal sediments detected by multipoint confocal micro-Raman spectrum scanning
Researchers developed a new micro-Raman spectrum scanning method to detect small-sized microplastics in coastal sediments, revealing that particles under 50 micrometers are the most prevalent and commonly overlooked by standard techniques.
Metagenomic profiling of diversified marine microbiome across microplastic-contaminated niches of Bay of Bengal, India
Researchers conducted the first shotgun metagenomic analysis of microplastic-contaminated marine water and sediment samples from the Bay of Bengal coast in India. The study revealed diverse microbial communities colonizing microplastic surfaces that differ from surrounding environments, suggesting that microplastic pollution creates distinct microbial niches that may influence marine biogeochemical cycles.
Microplastic pollution and its relationship with the bacterial community in coastal sediments near Guangdong Province, South China
This study systematically characterized microplastic pollution in coastal sediments near Guangdong Province, China, and found that microplastic abundance was linked to changes in the local bacterial community. Higher microplastic levels were associated with shifts in microbial diversity, suggesting plastic pollution can alter the microbial ecology of marine sediments.
Effects of Microplastics on Microbial Community in Zhanjiang Mangrove Sediments
Researchers found that microplastics in mangrove sediments from Zhanjiang, China, altered the diversity and composition of microbial communities and may affect nitrogen cycling processes such as nitrification.
Full size microplastics in crab and fish collected from the mangrove wetland of Beibu Gulf: Evidences from Raman Tweezers (1–20 μm) and spectroscopy (20–5000 μm)
Researchers combined Raman Tweezers (for particles 1-20 µm) and conventional Raman spectroscopy (for 20-5000 µm) to characterise the full size spectrum of microplastics in crab and fish from the Beibu Gulf mangrove wetland in China. They found that small microplastics (1-20 µm) comprised 35.77% of total particle counts, and that excluding this size fraction introduces large underestimates of total microplastic burden in marine organisms.
Marine microplastic-associated bacterial community succession in response to geography, exposure time, and plastic type in China's coastal seawaters
Researchers used high-throughput gene sequencing to track how microbial communities on polypropylene and polyvinyl chloride microplastics changed over a full year in Chinese coastal waters. They found that the composition of plastic-associated bacterial communities varied significantly across geographic locations and over time, with Alphaproteobacteria being consistently dominant. The study reveals that the plastisphere is a dynamic ecosystem shaped by both environmental conditions and the duration of exposure.
Microplastic-associated bacterial assemblages in the intertidal zone of the Yangtze Estuary
Researchers used high-throughput DNA sequencing to profile bacterial communities colonizing microplastics in the intertidal zone of China's Yangtze Estuary, finding that plastisphere community composition reflected the particles' sedimentary versus aquatic origins and included keystone taxa adapted to surface-colonization as well as potential pathogens hitchhiking on plastic surfaces.
Unveiling microplastic's role in nitrogen cycling: Metagenomic insights from estuarine sediment microcosms
Researchers used metagenomic analysis to examine how polyethylene and polystyrene microplastics affect nitrogen cycling in estuarine sediments. They found that microplastics altered the abundance of genes involved in key nitrogen transformation processes like nitrification and denitrification. The study reveals that microplastic pollution in estuaries may disrupt important biogeochemical cycles that support aquatic ecosystem health.
Microplastic biofilms as potential hotspots for plastic biodegradation and nitrogen cycling: a metagenomic perspective
Researchers used genetic analysis to study the microbial communities that form biofilms on different types of microplastics in an estuarine environment. They found that these plastic-associated communities contained genes for both plastic degradation and nitrogen cycling, suggesting the biofilms may play dual roles in the ecosystem. The study indicates that microplastic surfaces in waterways create unique microbial habitats that could influence both pollution breakdown and nutrient processing.
Microbial Communities on Plastic Polymers in the Mediterranean Sea
Researchers collected floating microplastics from a bay in the Mediterranean and analyzed their bacterial biofilm communities using 16S rRNA sequencing, finding that microbial communities on plastics were distinct from surrounding seawater and differed between polymer types.
Microplastic Contamination in Sediments of Xiamen Bay: Investigating Ecological Consequences
Microplastic contamination was assessed in sediments of Xiamen Bay, China, examining spatial and temporal distribution, ecological consequences for sediment biota, and human exposure pathways. Key risk factors were identified based on particle characteristics, with the study providing insights for managing microplastic impacts in this heavily urbanized coastal environment.
Improving bacterial metagenomic research through long read sequencing
Not relevant to microplastics — this paper compares short-read and long-read DNA sequencing strategies for analyzing microbial communities (metagenomics), with no connection to plastic pollution.
Analysis of 16S rRNA amplicon data illuminates the major role of environment in determining the marine plastisphere microbial communities
Researchers analysed 16S rRNA amplicon data from marine plastisphere communities, finding that environmental factors play the dominant role in determining the microbial communities that colonise microplastic surfaces in marine ecosystems.
Discovering untapped microbial communities through metagenomics for microplastic remediation: recent advances, challenges, and way forward
This review explores how metagenomic approaches are uncovering microbial communities capable of degrading microplastics in various environments. Researchers found that diverse bacteria and fungi in soil, water, and waste systems produce enzymes that can break down plastic polymers, though degradation rates remain slow. The study highlights metagenomics as a powerful tool for discovering new biological solutions to microplastic pollution.
Microplastic distribution in large shallow lake sediments: Variations with offshore distance and implications for microbial communities
Researchers analyzed microplastic distribution in sediments of Taihu Lake at varying distances from shore and examined the effects on microbial communities. They found that microplastic abundance decreased with increasing distance from the shoreline, ranging from 240 to 1,120 items per kilogram. The study suggests that microplastic contamination in lake sediments can significantly alter the composition and diversity of local microbial communities.
Microbial communities on microplastics from seawater and mussels: Insights from the northern Adriatic Sea
Researchers studied the microbial communities that colonize microplastics in seawater and mussels from the northern Adriatic Sea, including the first-ever genetic sequencing of a microplastic particle recovered from inside a mussel. They found that the microbes on particles from both environments were similar, suggesting a shared colonization pattern. The presence of potentially harmful bacteria like Campylobacter on some particles raises questions about microplastics serving as vehicles for pathogen transfer in the marine food chain.
Distribution and potential ecological risks of microplastics in Zhushan Bay, China
Researchers investigated microplastic distribution and associated antibiotic resistance genes in water and sediment from Zhushan Bay, China, using 16S rRNA sequencing, non-targeted metabolomics, and qPCR. Fibrous polyurethane and silicone microplastics dominated, concentrations peaked in winter, and microplastics in water carried more cooperative microbial networks with elevated metabolically important pathways compared to sediment-associated microplastics.
Substrate-driven microbial diversity and functional potential of plastisphere biofilms in a dynamic coastal ecosystem of northeastern Taiwan
Researchers used full-length 16S rRNA sequencing to compare microbial communities on floating microplastics, natural wood debris, and surface seawater from ten coastal sites in Taiwan, finding that microplastics harbor unique and highly diverse microbial assemblages distinct from those on natural surfaces.
Can Microplastic Pollution Change Important Aquatic Bacterial Communities?
Microplastics in coastal sediments can change the composition of important bacterial communities that cycle nutrients and maintain ecosystem health. Microplastic-associated bacteria differ significantly from natural sediment bacteria, with potential consequences for the chemical processes these communities perform.
Contribution of stochastic processes to the microbial community assembly on field‐collected microplastics
Researchers found that stochastic processes played a greater role than deterministic factors in shaping bacterial community assembly on field-collected microplastics in the Hangzhou Bay estuary, challenging assumptions about the distinctiveness of the plastisphere.
A Study of the Effects of Microplastics on Microbial Communities in Marine Sediments
This study investigated how the presence of microplastics in marine sediments affects microbial communities and, specifically, the methane cycle, finding that microplastics significantly altered microbial community structure and function. Since marine sediment microbes play a critical role in regulating greenhouse gas emissions, microplastic contamination could have broader climate-relevant effects beyond direct toxicity.
Spatio-temporal variation of bacterial community structure in two intertidal sediment types of Jiaozhou Bay
This is a microbial ecology study characterizing bacterial communities in intertidal sediments of Jiaozhou Bay, China, using 16S rRNA gene sequencing; it is not a microplastics research paper.
Nanoplastics and ultrafine microplastic in the Dutch Wadden Sea – The hidden plastics debris?
Researchers applied a novel analytical method to detect nanoplastics and ultrafine microplastics smaller than 10 micrometers in Dutch Wadden Sea sediments, revealing a previously hidden fraction of plastic debris that conventional methods miss.