Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Enrichment of native plastic‐associated biofilm communities to enhance polyester degrading activity

Researchers found that expanded polystyrene promotes high levels of bacterial biofilm formation and demonstrated that native plastic-associated microbial communities from environmental waste can be enriched to enhance polyester-degrading activity, offering potential for biological plastic remediation.

2023 Environmental Microbiology 33 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Role of biofilms in the degradation of microplastics in aquatic environments

This review examined the role of microbial biofilms in degrading microplastics in aquatic environments, highlighting the potential for biofilm-mediated biodegradation as a natural mechanism for breaking down recalcitrant plastic pollutants.

2021 Journal of Chemical Technology & Biotechnology 140 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of biofilm formation on triclosan adsorption by UV-aged and pristine polystyrene microplastics in aquatic environments

Researchers investigated how biofilm formation on UV-aged versus pristine polystyrene microplastics affected triclosan adsorption, finding that biofilm-colonized aged microplastics had altered surface properties that changed triclosan uptake compared to unaged particles.

2025 Water Research X 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of particle size on the colonization of biofilms and the potential of biofilm-covered microplastics as metal carriers

Industrial and food-grade polystyrene microplastics of different sizes were colonized by biofilms in aquatic conditions, with smaller particles supporting denser biofilm growth and showing greater metal adsorption capacity than larger ones. The findings suggest that particle size is a key factor governing both the ecological properties of the plastisphere and the capacity of microplastics to concentrate heavy metals.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 73 citations
Article Tier 2

Adsorptive removal of micron-sized polystyrene particles using magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles

Researchers demonstrated that magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles can effectively adsorb and remove micron-sized polystyrene microplastics from water, offering a magnetically recoverable approach to microplastic remediation.

2022 Chemosphere 86 citations
Article Tier 2

Role of Biofilms in the Degradation of Microplastics

This review examines the role of microbial biofilms in degrading microplastics, presenting insights into how microbial communities colonizing plastic surfaces may contribute to the breakdown of microplastic particles in aquatic and terrestrial environments.

2025
Article Tier 2

Dose-Dependent Responses of Escherichia coli and Acinetobacter sp. to Micron-Sized Polystyrene Microplastics

Researchers exposed E. coli and Acinetobacter sp. to 1,040 nm polystyrene microplastics across a range of concentrations and assessed growth, oxidative stress, membrane integrity, and biofilm formation. Both species showed concentration-dependent decreases in growth and cell viability, increased oxidative stress markers, impaired membrane integrity, and enhanced biofilm formation, demonstrating microplastic toxicity to environmental and human-associated bacteria.

2025 Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Periphytic biofilm: An innovative approach for biodegradation of microplastics

Researchers investigated periphytic biofilm as a method for biodegrading microplastics in aquatic environments, finding that biofilm-forming microorganisms were capable of colonizing and partially degrading plastic surfaces. The approach offers a low-cost, nature-based strategy for reducing microplastic pollution in waterways.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 224 citations
Article Tier 2

Removal of microplastics from water by coagulation of cationic-modified starch: An environmentally friendly solution

Researchers developed a cationic-modified starch bio-coagulant as an eco-friendly method for removing microplastics from water, achieving an average removal rate of over 65% for polystyrene particles. The starch-based treatment was effective across a wide range of water pH levels and performed well in natural water samples from China's Yangtze River Delta. The study offers a sustainable and cost-effective approach for addressing microplastic contamination in water systems.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 31 citations
Article Tier 2

Impacts of Biofilm Formation on the Fate and Potential Effects of Microplastic in the Aquatic Environment

Researchers reviewed how biofilm formation on microplastic surfaces affects the fate and potential ecological effects of microplastics in aquatic environments, finding that biofilms alter particle buoyancy, surface chemistry, and interactions with organisms.

2017 Environmental Science & Technology Letters 1318 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2021 Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 41 citations
Article Tier 2

Pseudomonas Stutzeri may alter the environmental fate of polystyrene nanoplastics by trapping them with increasing extracellular polymers

Researchers found that the denitrifying bacterium Pseudomonas stutzeri physically traps polystyrene nanoplastics within secreted extracellular polymers, which impairs bacterial growth and nitrogen removal gene expression while altering the particles' environmental fate and dispersal.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Interactions between bacteria and nano (micro)-sized polystyrene particles by bacterial responses and microscopy

Researchers studied how bacteria interact with polystyrene particles ranging from 60 to 2,260 nanometers and found that the smallest particles entered bacterial cells while larger ones accumulated on surfaces. The 1,040-nanometer particles, similar in size to the bacteria themselves, inhibited growth most strongly, and bacteria responded by forming biofilm complexes around the microplastics.

2022 Chemosphere 53 citations
Article Tier 2

Microbial Colonization and Degradation of Microplastics in Aquatic Ecosystem: A Review

This review examines how microorganisms colonize and form biofilms on microplastics in aquatic environments, creating a plastisphere where bacteria and fungi can potentially degrade plastic particles through enzymatic processes.

2021 Geomicrobiology Journal 154 citations
Article Tier 2

The impacts of polystyrene microplastics on development, energy transfer and nutrient cycling of biofilms: A comprehensive chronic toxicity study

A chronic toxicity study found that polystyrene microplastics inhibited freshwater biofilm development, reducing biomass, photosynthetic activity, and nutrient cycling rates, with effects increasing with MP concentration over the 60-day exposure period.

2025 Water Cycle
Article Tier 2

Biofilm on microplastics in aqueous environment: Physicochemical properties and environmental implications

This review examines how bacteria and other microorganisms form sticky films called biofilms on microplastic surfaces in water. These biofilms change how microplastics move through the environment and increase their ability to absorb pollutants like heavy metals, pesticides, and antibiotics. Biofilm-coated microplastics may also carry harmful bacteria, making them a greater potential health risk than clean microplastic particles.

2021 Journal of Hazardous Materials 353 citations
Article Tier 2

Microbial Degradation of Microplastics in Aquatic Ecosystems: A New Frontier in Environmental Bioremediation

This review examines microbial degradation of microplastics in aquatic ecosystems, covering bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes capable of colonizing plastic surfaces, forming biofilms, and secreting enzymes to degrade polymers including polyethylene and PET.

2025 International Journal of Integrative Studies (IJIS)
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene Microplastics Degradation by Microbial Consortium From Jakarta Bay

Researchers isolated microbial consortia from Jakarta Bay that demonstrated the ability to degrade polystyrene microplastics. The bacterial communities, sourced from biofilm-covered plastic waste in the bay, showed measurable degradation of polystyrene over the study period. The findings suggest that naturally occurring marine microorganisms in polluted environments may have evolved capabilities that could be harnessed for bioremediation of plastic waste.

2024 Environmental Quality Management 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Polystyrene microplastics removal from aqueous solutions by magnetic iron nanoparticles

Researchers tested magnetic iron oxide (Fe₃O₄) nanoparticles for removing polystyrene microplastics from water, systematically optimizing concentration, dosage, contact time, and pH, and found effective microplastic removal through adsorption interactions that could be leveraged for environmental remediation.

2025
Article Tier 2

Bacillus subtilis, a promising bacterial candidate for trapping nanoplastics during water treatment

Researchers found that the probiotic bacterium Bacillus subtilis can effectively trap polystyrene nanoplastics from water, with most nanoparticles clustering around the bacterial cells. At a concentration of 10 mg/L, over 73% of the nanoplastics' environmental state was altered through interaction with the bacteria. The study suggests B. subtilis could be a promising candidate for biological nanoplastic removal during water treatment, while simultaneously processing nitrogen compounds.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Fluid dynamics and cell‐bound Psl polysaccharide allows microplastic capture, aggregation and subsequent sedimentation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa in water

Researchers found that Pseudomonas aeruginosa captures and aggregates polystyrene microplastics in water via cell-bound Psl exopolysaccharide, with bacterial motility and fluid flow driving further aggregation and sedimentation of microplastic-bacteria assemblies.

2022 Environmental Microbiology 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Efficient removal of nano- and micro- sized plastics using a starch-based coagulant in conjunction with polysilicic acid

Researchers found that combining a starch-based coagulant with polysilicic acid efficiently removes nano- and micro-sized polystyrene particles from water, offering an eco-friendly coagulation approach for addressing microplastic pollution in water treatment applications.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 35 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Bioremediation of microplastics in freshwater environments: A systematic review of biofilm culture, degradation mechanisms, and analytical methods

This review summarizes existing research on using natural biofilms — communities of microorganisms — to break down microplastics in freshwater. Certain bacteria can degrade plastic particles, offering a potential eco-friendly cleanup method. While the approach is still slow and not yet widely practical, it points toward biological solutions for reducing microplastic pollution in our water supply.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 114 citations