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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Microbial Diversity of the Surface of Polypropylene and Low Density Polyethylene‐Based Materials (Plastisphere) From an Area Subjected to Intensive Agriculture
ClearThe Terrestrial Plastisphere: Diversity and Polymer-Colonizing Potential of Plastic-Associated Microbial Communities in Soil
Soil-buried plastic debris harbored microbial communities clearly distinct from surrounding bulk soil and from aquatic plastisphere communities, with a core set of plastic-colonizing taxa including Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria detected across both polymer types tested, suggesting that terrestrial plastisphere colonization follows predictable ecological rules.
New insights on municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill plastisphere structure and function
Characterization of a large municipal solid waste landfill plastisphere found that plastic surfaces harbored more diverse bacterial communities than surrounding refuse, with abundant plastic-degrading genera including Bacillus, Pseudomonas, and Paenibacillus detected in both environments.
Microbial communities associated with plastic mulch debris in agricultural soils
Researchers characterized microbial communities colonizing agricultural plastic mulch debris in soil using both culture-dependent and high-throughput sequencing methods. The plastic surfaces harbored distinct microbial communities compared to surrounding soil. Understanding which microbes colonize agricultural plastic debris is important for assessing biodegradation potential and the ecological role of the plastisphere in farmland.
Microplastics from mulching film is a distinct habitat for bacteria in farmland soil
Microplastics collected from cotton field mulch films in Xinjiang, China were analyzed by electron microscopy and 16S rRNA sequencing, revealing bacterial communities on plastic surfaces that were structurally distinct from surrounding soil, plant litter, and macroplastics. The study identifies microplastics from agricultural mulch films as novel microbial habitats with a distinct plastisphere community structure.
The plastisphere of biodegradable and conventional microplastics from residues exhibit distinct microbial structure, network and function in plastic-mulching farmland
Researchers compared the bacterial communities that colonize biodegradable and conventional plastic microplastics in farmland soil. They found that biodegradable plastics (PBAT/PLA) and conventional polyethylene each attracted distinct microbial communities with different functions, including bacteria that could degrade plastics or cycle nutrients. The results suggest that even biodegradable plastics create unique microbial environments in soil that may affect soil health and function in unexpected ways.
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.
Some Microbiological Characteristics of the Biofilm on the Surface of Pre-Production Pellets of Polypropylene Microplastics after Short Exposure in Soil
After 30 days of burial in residential soil, polypropylene microplastic pellets developed distinct surface biofilms with microbial communities different from those on quartz sand and from the surrounding soil. The colonization of microplastic surfaces by soil microbes (forming a 'plastisphere') is significant because these biofilms can alter how microplastics move through soil and may carry pathogens or antibiotic resistance genes into the environment.
Plastisphere assemblages differ from the surrounding bacterial communities in transitional coastal environments
Researchers found that bacterial communities colonizing plastic particles (the plastisphere) in Portuguese estuarine and beach environments were significantly different from those in surrounding water and sediments, with plastic type and environmental conditions influencing microbial community composition.
Selective bacterial colonization processes on polyethylene waste samples in an abandoned landfill site
Researchers examined polyethylene plastic waste from an abandoned landfill after more than 35 years of weathering, finding that each degraded plastic type hosted a unique community of bacteria that differed from neighboring plastics and from the surrounding soil. The most degraded plastics had bacterial communities most similar to the surrounding soil, suggesting that plastic breakdown gradually reduces the distinct ecological niche that plastics create for microbes.
Microplastic polymer properties as deterministic factors driving terrestrial plastisphere microbiome assembly and succession in the field
Researchers incubated five common microplastic polymer types in landfill soil for 14 months and used 16S rRNA sequencing to characterize the plastisphere communities that assembled on each polymer. Polymer type was a significant deterministic factor in plastisphere microbiome composition, which differed from surrounding soil communities and varied over time.
The “Plastisphere” of Biodegradable Plastics Is Characterized by Specific Microbial Taxa of Alpine and Arctic Soils
Microbial communities colonizing biodegradable plastics in soil (the plastisphere of biodegradable materials) were characterized and compared to communities on conventional non-biodegradable plastics and bulk soil. Biodegradable plastic surfaces hosted distinct microbial assemblages enriched in polymer-degrading taxa, showing that material type shapes the plastisphere community even for plastics designed to decompose.
Plastisphere community assemblage of aquatic environment: plastic-microbe interaction, role in degradation and characterization technologies
This review examines the plastisphere—microbial communities colonizing plastic surfaces in aquatic environments—covering how these biofilms form, their role in plastic biodegradation, and current characterization technologies for studying plastic-microbe interactions.
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.
Homogenization of bacterial plastisphere community in soil: a continental-scale microcosm study
Researchers conducted a large-scale study across 99 sites in China to examine how bacteria colonize microplastics in soil compared to surrounding soil communities. The study found that bacterial communities on polyethylene microplastics were much more uniform than those in the soil itself, suggesting that the consistent properties of plastic surfaces drive a standardized microbial community. Evidence indicates that soil pH, carbon content, and temperature all influence how different the plastic-associated bacteria are from nearby soil microbes.
Taxonomic variation, plastic degradation, and antibiotic resistance traits of plastisphere communities in the maturation pond of a wastewater treatment plant
Researchers placed different types of weathered plastics in a wastewater treatment pond for up to a year and studied the microbial communities that grew on them. The study suggests that the bacteria colonizing plastics in wastewater were shaped more by time and water depth than by the type of plastic, and that these communities may carry genes related to plastic degradation and antibiotic resistance.
Distinct microbial communities in the microplastisphere of inland wetlands: Diversity, composition, co-occurrence networks, and functions.
Researchers collected samples from different inland wetland types to characterize the microbial communities colonizing plastic surfaces (the microplastisphere), finding distinct bacterial and fungal communities compared to surrounding soils. Community composition varied by wetland type and plastic surface, highlighting the ecological diversity of plastic-associated microbiomes in freshwater habitats.
Metagenomic Analysis of Polypropylene and Low-Density Polyethylene Plastispheres from an Intensive Agriculture Waste Landfill
Researchers used shotgun metagenomics to analyze the microbial communities growing on polyethylene and polypropylene plastic surfaces collected from an agricultural waste landfill. The analysis identified enzymes potentially involved in plastic biodegradation, particularly from the bacterial genus Phyllobacterium, including sarcosine oxidases, cytochrome P450, and multicopper oxidases that may initiate the breakdown of these plastics.
Farmland Microhabitat Mediated by a Residual Microplastic Film: Microbial Communities and Function
Researchers studied how leftover plastic film in farmland creates a unique microbial environment called a plastisphere, where different bacteria and fungi colonize compared to the surrounding soil. The plastic surfaces attracted more pathogens and bacteria involved in nitrogen and sulfur cycling, potentially increasing nutrient loss from agricultural soil. This finding is concerning because it suggests microplastic contamination in farmland does not just sit there passively but actively changes the soil ecosystem in ways that could affect crop health and food safety.
The plastisphere ecology: Assessing the impact of different pollution sources on microbial community composition, function and assembly in aquatic ecosystems
Researchers studied the microbial communities living on microplastic surfaces (called the plastisphere) across four different aquatic sites and found that plastics host a distinctly different mix of microbes than the surrounding water, shaped by local pollution sources. These plastic-surface microbes also carry more antibiotic resistance genes and show greater potential for breaking down plastics, making the plastisphere both a health concern and a potential bioremediation resource.
Soil plastispheres as hotspots of antibiotic resistance genes and potential pathogens
Researchers investigated microbial communities and antibiotic resistance genes on microplastic surfaces (the plastisphere) in soil environments. They found that plastispheres harbor enriched levels of potential pathogens and antibiotic resistance genes compared to surrounding soil, and that adding manure or increasing temperature and moisture further amplified these concerning microbial communities.
Dynamics of the plastisphere microbiome in agricultural soils under changing climatic conditions
Researchers monitored the microbial communities colonizing biodegradable (PBS, PBAT) and conventional polyethylene plastics buried in agricultural soils over one year under organic vs. conventional farming and current vs. projected climate conditions, finding that farming practice shaped the plastisphere microbiome more than climate, with early colonization dominated by genera known to degrade plastics.
Marine Plastic Debris: A New Surface for Microbial Colonization
This review examines the "Plastisphere" -- the community of microbes that rapidly colonizes plastic debris in the ocean -- covering biofilm development, potential biodegradation, and the hitchhiking of harmful bacteria. Researchers found that microbial communities on plastics do not dramatically differ from those on other inert surfaces, especially in mature biofilms. The study identifies key knowledge gaps and calls for more environmentally realistic research into how these plastic-associated microbes interact with marine ecosystems.
Biodiversity of Microorganisms Colonizing the Surface of Polystyrene Samples Exposed to Different Aqueous Environments
Researchers examined which bacteria colonize polystyrene surfaces in seawater and industrial water, finding distinct microbial communities dominated by Alphaproteobacteria in seawater. Some of the colonizing bacteria have known plastic-degrading abilities, suggesting the plastisphere could be harnessed for bioremediation of plastic pollution.
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.