We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Papers
20 resultsShowing papers similar to Coexistence of specialist and generalist species within mixed plastic derivative-utilizing microbial communities
ClearSynergistic functional activity of a landfill microbial consortium in a microplastic-enriched environment
Scientists studied soil bacteria from a decades-old landfill to understand how microbes adapt to high concentrations of polyethylene and PET microplastics. They found that multiple bacterial species work together to break down these plastics, with different roles for bacteria floating freely versus those attached to plastic surfaces. While biodegradation of microplastics is possible, it is slow, and understanding these natural processes could eventually help with cleanup efforts.
Microbial Allies in Plastic Degradation: Specific bacterial genera as universal plastic-degraders in various environments
Researchers identified specific bacterial genera capable of degrading multiple types of plastic across different environments including landfill soil, sewage sludge, and river water. They found that certain bacteria, such as Pseudomonas and Bacillus species, consistently appeared as effective plastic degraders regardless of the environment. The study suggests that these universal plastic-degrading bacteria could be valuable candidates for developing bioremediation strategies to address plastic pollution.
Plastic-Degrading Microbial Consortia from a Wastewater Treatment Plant
Researchers isolated bacteria from a wastewater treatment plant that can break down common plastics including polyethylene and polystyrene, some of the hardest plastics to recycle. The microbial communities worked together to degrade the plastics more effectively than individual bacterial strains. While biological plastic degradation is still slow compared to the scale of pollution, identifying these bacteria is a step toward developing biotechnology solutions for plastic waste cleanup.
Toward sustainable plastic bioremediation using bacterial consortia from aquatic environments.
This study explored the biotechnological potential of native bacteria from diverse aquatic environments to biodegrade synthetic plastics and microplastics. Bacterial consortia isolated from contaminated sites showed promising plastic-degrading capabilities, pointing toward bioremediation strategies for plastic pollution.
Bacterial consortia based enhanced biofilm mediated synthetic plastic waste treatment
Researchers investigated bacterial consortia-enhanced biofilm formation as a biodegradation strategy for synthetic plastic waste, examining how multi-species consortia can improve polymer degradation performance compared to single organisms, positioning biodegradation as a sustainable approach to reducing plastic accumulation in air, water, and soil.
Deciphering the Mechanisms Shaping the Plastisphere Microbiota in Soil
Researchers characterized bacterial communities colonizing biodegradable and conventional microplastics in soil, finding that polymer type and biodegradability shaped distinct plastisphere communities, with deterministic processes playing a stronger role in community assembly than in surrounding soil.
Microbial Isolates in Microplastic-Polluted Soil
Researchers isolated and characterized microbial communities from microplastic-polluted soil, identifying bacteria capable of colonizing plastic surfaces and assessing their potential roles in plastic degradation and soil nutrient cycling.
Investigating the roles of microbes in biodegrading or colonizing microplastic surfaces
Researchers investigated the roles of microbes in biodegrading or colonizing microplastic surfaces, examining how microbial communities interact with plastic polymers in environmental settings. The study characterized the 'plastisphere' — the community of microorganisms that colonize microplastic surfaces — and assessed the extent to which microbial activity contributes to plastic degradation in natural environments.
Cross-feeding drives degradation of phthalate ester plasticizers in a bacterial consortium
Researchers characterized a three-member bacterial consortium capable of fully mineralizing the plasticizer diethyl phthalate as a sole carbon source, revealing through metaproteomic analysis that degradation relies on cross-feeding between Microbacterium and two Pseudomonas species, with each member contributing distinct enzymatic steps in a cooperative pathway.
Engineering microbial division of labor for plastic upcycling
Scientists engineered a team of two specialized bacteria that work together to break down PET plastic waste and convert it into useful chemicals. This microbial partnership outperformed single-bacteria approaches, especially when dealing with high concentrations of plastic waste. The research demonstrates a promising biological method for recycling plastic pollution into valuable materials rather than letting it accumulate in the environment.
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.
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.
A multi-OMIC characterisation of biodegradation and microbial community succession within the PET plastisphere
Researchers performed a multi-omic analysis of bacterial communities colonizing PET plastic in marine environments, identifying microorganisms capable of degrading PET and characterizing the enzymatic pathways involved, advancing understanding of natural plastic biodegradation in ocean systems.
Community Diversity and Makeup Affect the Capacity for Bioconversion of Chemically Deconstructed PET Plastic Waste Into Biomass
Researchers investigated microbial community diversity as a factor in converting chemically deconstructed PET plastic waste into edible biomass protein, finding that community composition significantly affects conversion capacity and proposing this dual-purpose approach as a solution for plastic waste and food security challenges in remote or disaster-affected regions.
The structure and assembly mechanisms of plastisphere microbial community in natural marine environment
Researchers investigated how microbial communities colonize different types of microplastic surfaces in natural marine environments over an eight-week period. They found that the composition of these plastic-associated microbial communities, known as the plastisphere, was shaped more by environmental conditions and time than by the specific type of plastic. The study provides new understanding of the ecological processes governing how microorganisms assemble on ocean plastic debris.
Deciphering the distinct successional patterns and potential roles of abundant and rare microbial taxa of urban riverine plastisphere
Researchers examined how microbial communities colonize microplastics in urban river environments, distinguishing between abundant and rare bacterial species. The study found that rare taxa played critical roles in maintaining community stability on plastic surfaces, while abundant taxa drove community succession, and both groups contributed to nutrient cycling functions.
Large-scale omics dataset of polymer degradation provides robust interpretation for microbial niche and succession on different plastisphere
Researchers generated a large-scale microbiome and metabolome dataset from five biodegradable polymer types, revealing that microbial communities converge to polymer-specific compositions during degradation and follow distinct succession stages from initial colonization through biofilm formation.
Molecular Characterization of the Bacterial Community in Biofilms for Degradation of Poly(3-Hydroxybutyrate-co-3-Hydroxyhexanoate) Films in Seawater
Researchers characterised the bacterial community in biofilms degrading PHBH films in seawater, finding that Glaciecola dominated during early degradation on intact surfaces, while Rhodobacteraceae, Rhodospirillaceae, and Oceanospirillaceae became dominant on broken or partially degraded films. The dynamic community shift revealed that different microbial consortia drive successive stages of marine biodegradable plastic degradation.
Potential routes of plastics biotransformation involving novel plastizymes revealed by global multi-omic analysis of plastic associated microbes
Researchers analyzed all publicly available genetic data from microbes living on plastic debris worldwide and found that while plastic-eating bacteria are rare in most environments, rivers appear to be hotspots for novel plastic-degrading organisms. They also created a freely accessible database of these plastic-associated microbes, which could accelerate efforts to develop biological solutions for plastic pollution.
Microplastics increase soil microbial network complexity and trigger diversity-driven community assembly
Researchers found that microplastics in soil increased bacterial network complexity and shifted microbial community assembly in a diversity-dependent manner, with high-density polyethylene causing more harm to plant growth than polystyrene or polylactic acid particles.