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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Microplastics Affect Anaerobic Oxidation of Methane and Sedimentary Prokaryotic Communities in Cold Seep Areas
ClearRevealing the response of microbial communities to polyethylene micro(nano)plastics exposure in cold seep sediment
Researchers explored how polyethylene micro- and nanoplastics affect microbial communities in cold seep ocean sediments over a 120-day experiment. While the plastics did not significantly change overall microbial diversity, they did alter the community structure and affected methane-related metabolic processes. The study suggests that plastic pollution could interfere with important deep-sea biogeochemical cycles, including those involved in methane regulation.
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.
Interactions of Microplastics and Methane Seepage in the Deep-Sea Environment
Researchers examined the accumulation of microplastics in cold seep sediments characterized by methane fluid seepage and chemosynthetic ecosystems in the deep sea, detecting 16 types of microplastics with high abundances at sediment surfaces. The findings suggest that cold seep environments act as effective sinks for small-scale microplastics under 100 micrometers and represent an important but overlooked reservoir in the marine carbon cycle.
Effects of microplastics on cold seep sediment prokaryotic communities
Researchers studied how polyethylene, polystyrene, and polypropylene microplastics affect microbial communities in cold seep sediments over a 120-day incubation period. The study found that microplastics significantly altered bacterial community structure in a type- and concentration-dependent manner, with some bacteria associated with plastic degradation increasing, while archaeal communities were less affected.
Effects of Different Types of Microplastics on Cold Seep Microbial Diversity and Function
Researchers simulated deep-sea cold seep conditions to study how different microplastics affect microbial communities. They found that microplastics made the plastisphere microbial networks more fragile than surrounding environments and disrupted nitrogen cycling and methane metabolism, while potentially concentrating pathogenic species.
Impact of Microplastics on the Gene Abundance of ANME-1 Methane Metabolism
Researchers tested whether microplastics affect methane-metabolizing archaea in cold seep environments and found that microplastic addition did not significantly change gene abundance related to methane production or oxidation, though environmental factors like habitat type had a much stronger influence on these microbial communities.
Tracing the Century‐Long Evolution of Microplastics Deposition in a Cold Seep
Researchers traced a century of microplastic deposition in a deep-sea cold seep, finding that burial rates increased significantly since the 1930s in non-seepage areas, while methane seepage zones showed lower microplastic levels, suggesting potential microbial degradation of plastics.
Microplastic type and concentration affect prokaryotic community structure and species coexistence in deep-sea cold seep sediments
Researchers conducted incubation experiments with cold seep sediments amended with four microplastic types (polyamide, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, and polypropylene) at varying concentrations, finding that both MP type and concentration significantly altered prokaryotic community structure and species coexistence patterns.
Methane seepage leads to a specific microplastic aging process in the simulated cold seep environment
Laboratory experiments simulating cold seep conditions found that methane seepage accelerated microplastic surface aging — increasing roughness and oxidation — compared to weak seepage areas, suggesting deep-sea cold seeps represent a unique aging environment for microplastics.
Synergetic effects of chlorinated paraffins and microplastics on microbial communities and nitrogen cycling in deep-sea cold seep sediments
Researchers studied the combined effects of chlorinated paraffins and microplastics on microbial communities in deep-sea cold seep sediments. They found that the two pollutants together disrupted nitrogen cycling processes more severely than either one alone, altering the composition of key microbial groups. The study suggests that the co-occurrence of these contaminants in deep-sea environments could have cascading effects on important ocean nutrient cycles.
Exploring carbon content variation in microplastics sequestrated from seawater to sediment in the Haima cold seep area
Sampling the Haima cold seep in the South China Sea, researchers found that microplastic abundance in the water column increased with methane seepage strength, while the carbon content of microplastics varied with depth and seepage activity. The study suggests that deep-sea cold seeps act as sinks for microplastics and that microbial communities in these oxygen-poor environments may process carbon from plastic particles in ways not yet well understood.
Anaerobic oxidation of methane with conditions of increased temperature and extra sulfate supply
This study investigated how temperature and sulfate availability influence anaerobic methane oxidation in cold seep ecosystems on the seafloor. The research is focused on deep-sea biogeochemistry and is not directly related to microplastic research.
Weathered microplastics alter deep sea benthic biogeochemistry and organic matter cycling: insights from a microcosm experiment
Weathered (aged) microplastics deposited in deep-sea sediments were found to alter benthic biogeochemical cycles, affecting nitrogen and carbon processing by seafloor microorganisms. The findings show that plastic pollution can disrupt the chemical ecology of even the most remote deep-ocean environments.
Microplastics and their mechanisms in influencing methane oxidation: A physiological and ecological perspective
This review examines the physiological and ecological mechanisms by which microplastics influence methane oxidation processes in the environment, synthesising current understanding of how ubiquitous plastic contamination may disrupt microbial communities responsible for mitigating methane — a greenhouse gas 20-30 times more potent than CO2.
Response of denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidation processes in freshwater and marine sediments to polyvinyl chloride microplastics
Researchers investigated how polyvinyl chloride microplastics affect denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidation (n-DAMO) processes in freshwater and marine sediments. They found that the presence of microplastics significantly increased n-DAMO rates compared to controls, with marine sediments showing a more pronounced response. The study provides the first evidence that PVC microplastics may actually enhance methane-consuming microbial processes in sediments.
Influence of microplastics on the structure and function of deep-sea communities during long-term enrichment processes
Researchers studied how polystyrene microplastics of different sizes and concentrations affect deep-sea microbial communities over 50 days of incubation. They observed that microorganisms caused visible degradation of the plastic surfaces, while the smallest particles and plastic films significantly inhibited bacterial growth and increased reactive oxygen species production. The study reveals that microplastic pollution can substantially alter deep-sea microbial community structure and function.
Concentration-dependent effects of polystyrene microplastics on methanogenic activity and microbial community shifts in sewer sediment
This study tested how polystyrene microplastics affect methane-producing microbes in sewer sediments and found that low concentrations boosted methane production by over 200%, while higher concentrations had a smaller stimulating effect. The findings matter for wastewater management because microplastics entering sewer systems could alter greenhouse gas emissions and disrupt the microbial processes that treatment plants rely on.
Effects of microplastics on greenhouse gas emissions and microbial communities in sediment of freshwater systems
Researchers found that PET microplastics of different sizes significantly affected greenhouse gas emissions and microbial communities in freshwater sediments, with smaller particles (5 micrometers) notably increasing methane emissions and altering nutrient cycling over 90 days.
Polyethylene microplastic-induced microbial shifts affected greenhouse gas emissions during litter decomposition in coastal wetland sediments
Scientists found that polyethylene microplastics in coastal wetland sediments significantly reduced greenhouse gas emissions during plant litter decomposition, cutting methane by 41% and carbon dioxide by 26%. This happened because the microplastics changed the communities of bacteria, fungi, and archaea responsible for breaking down organic matter. While reduced greenhouse gases may sound positive, the disruption to natural decomposition processes could have unpredictable long-term effects on coastal ecosystems.
Microplastics promote methane emission in estuarine and coastal wetlands
This study found that microplastics in coastal and estuarine wetlands increase methane emissions by boosting the activity of methane-producing microorganisms while reducing methane-consuming ones. Both conventional and biodegradable plastics had this effect, meaning microplastic pollution is not just a direct health concern but also contributes to climate change by amplifying greenhouse gas release from natural ecosystems.
Impact of microbial biofilm community shifts on the degradation of microplastics in cold habitats
This review examines how microbial biofilm communities in cold ocean environments affect the degradation of microplastics, finding that cold-adapted microbial communities can break down plastics but at slower rates. Cold habitats like the deep sea and polar regions are significant sinks for microplastic accumulation.
Colonization characteristics and dynamic transition of archaea communities on polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics in the sediments of mangrove ecosystems
Researchers found that microplastics in mangrove sediments host distinct communities of archaea (ancient microorganisms) that differ from those in surrounding sediments, with some species linked to increased methane production. The microbial communities on microplastic surfaces shifted over time and showed increased potential for methane emissions and changes in nitrogen cycling. This suggests that microplastic pollution in coastal wetlands could amplify greenhouse gas production and disrupt nutrient cycles that support these critical ecosystems.
Revealing the Mechanisms of Polyethylene Microplastics Affecting Anaerobic Digestion of Waste Activated Sludge
Researchers studied how polyethylene microplastics affect the anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge, a common wastewater treatment process. They found that higher concentrations of microplastics significantly reduced methane production by disrupting microbial communities and enzyme activities essential for digestion. The study reveals that microplastic contamination in wastewater systems can undermine the efficiency of sludge treatment and biogas generation.
Deciphering the inhibitory mechanisms of polystyrene microplastics on thermophilic methanogens from the insights of microbial metabolite profiling and metagenomic analyses
Researchers studied how polystyrene microplastics affect methane production during the thermophilic anaerobic digestion of food waste. They found that increasing microplastic concentrations reduced methane yield by up to 47.8%, driven by the accumulation of reactive oxygen species that inhibited key enzymes in the digestion process. Metagenomic analysis revealed that microplastics downregulated genes involved in methane metabolism, providing new insights into how plastic contamination can disrupt waste treatment systems.