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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Influence of microplastics on microbial anaerobic detoxification of chlorophenols
ClearMechanistic and microbial ecological insights into the impacts of micro- and nano- plastics on microbial reductive dehalogenation of organohalide pollutants
Researchers found that microplastics generally enhanced microbial reductive dehalogenation of organohalide pollutants by 10-217%, while nanoplastics consistently inhibited it by increasing reactive oxygen species, revealing size-dependent effects on pollutant biotransformation in contaminated environments.
Effect of microplastics on microbial dechlorination of a polychlorinated biphenyl mixture (Aroclor 1260)
Researchers found that microplastics inhibited microbial anaerobic dechlorination of polychlorinated biphenyls (Aroclor 1260), with polyethylene causing the greatest inhibition at nearly 40%, suggesting microplastics may impede natural bioremediation of PCB-contaminated environments.
Microbial colonization of different microplastic types and biotransformation of sorbed PCBs by a marine anaerobic bacterial community
Different types of microplastic pellets (PE, PET, PS, PP, PVC) were introduced into anaerobic marine sediment microcosms and all were rapidly colonized by organohalide-respiring bacteria within 2 weeks, with PVC attracting the greatest biofilm growth. Importantly, the bacterial community biotransformed PCBs sorbed on the microplastics, suggesting a potential biodegradation route for plastic-associated pollutants.
Effects of microplastic sorption on microbial degradation of halogenated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in water
Researchers investigated how microplastics act as carriers for halogenated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (HPAHs) in water and whether this sorption affects microbial degradation of these dioxin-like compounds. They found that microplastic-sorbed HPAHs had reduced bioavailability to degrading bacteria, potentially slowing natural breakdown of these toxic pollutants.
Impact of microplastics on 4-chlorophenol degradation via MnOOH-catalyzed periodate activation
Researchers found that microplastics interfere with the MnOOH-catalyzed periodate oxidation process used to degrade the toxic phenolic compound 4-chlorophenol in water, with MP surfaces adsorbing both the catalyst and contaminant in ways that reduce treatment efficiency.
Impact of microplastic addition on degradation of dibutyl phthalate in offshore sediments
Adding small amounts of polypropylene and polystyrene microplastics to marine sediments slightly enhanced breakdown of the plasticizer dibutyl phthalate, but higher concentrations inhibited degradation. The findings suggest microplastics alter the chemical fate of co-occurring pollutants in ocean sediments by affecting sorption and microbial communities.
Effects of polyethylene microplastics on CHCl3 and CHBr3 fluxes and microbial community in temperate salt marsh soil
This study examined how polyethylene microplastics in marine sediments affect the production of halogenated compounds (chloroform and bromoform) and microbial community structure, finding that plastics alter both biogeochemical fluxes and microbial diversity.
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.
Response characteristics of indigenous microbial community in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) contaminated aquifers under polyethylene microplastics stress: A microcosmic experimental study
Researchers investigated how polyethylene microplastics affect indigenous microbial communities in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-contaminated groundwater aquifers, finding that microplastics alter microbial community structure and function in ways that affect PAH degradation potential.
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.
Unraveling the effects and mechanisms of microplastics on anaerobic fermentation: Exploring microbial communities and metabolic pathways
Researchers investigated how five types of microplastics affect the anaerobic fermentation process used to treat sewage sludge. They found that polyethylene microplastics caused the greatest reduction in volatile fatty acid production, while polyvinyl chloride had the least impact, and all types disrupted microbial communities in distinct ways. The study suggests that microplastic contamination in wastewater could meaningfully interfere with sludge treatment efficiency.
Bacterial colonization dynamics of different microplastic types in an anoxic salt marsh sediment and impact of adsorbed polychlorinated biphenyls on the plastisphere
Researchers tracked bacterial colonization on different microplastic types in anoxic salt marsh sediment over one year, finding that PVC recruited distinct sulfate-reducing bacterial communities and that PCB-contaminated plastics failed to stimulate actual dechlorination.
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 Affect Anaerobic Oxidation of Methane and Sedimentary Prokaryotic Communities in Cold Seep Areas
Laboratory experiments exposing cold seep seafloor sediments to microplastics for 120 days showed that polyamide and PET microplastics reduced methane oxidation rates to roughly a third of normal and altered the bacterial communities responsible for this process. Cold seep sediments are major global sinks for methane, so microplastic disruption of this microbial activity could have implications for greenhouse gas cycling in 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.
Site-specific response of sediment microbial community to supplementation of polyhydroxyalkanoates as biostimulants for PCB reductive dechlorination
This study tested whether biodegradable plastics (polyhydroxyalkanoates, or PHAs) could be deliberately added to contaminated marine sediments to stimulate bacteria that break down toxic PCBs. PHA additions did enhance PCB-degrading microbial activity, but they also significantly altered the broader microbial community in ways that varied by location. The findings matter for microplastic science because they show that even "eco-friendly" biodegradable plastics can reshape environmental microbial communities when they enter sediments.
Sorption of alkylphenols and estrogens on microplastics in marine conditions
Researchers investigated the sorption of six endocrine-disrupting chemicals — including alkylphenols and estrogens — onto microplastics under marine conditions, supporting the hypothesis that microplastics act as a secondary contamination vector for aquatic organisms by concentrating pollutants.
Microplastics spatiotemporal distribution and plastic-degrading bacteria identification in the sanitary and non-sanitary municipal solid waste landfills
This study examined how the presence of microplastics influences the fate of organic pollutants in marine sediments, finding that polyethylene particles reduced the bioavailability of adsorbed hydrophobic compounds to benthic worms. The sink effect varied with pollutant hydrophobicity and plastic age.
Impact of micro-nanoplastics on biochemical phases of anaerobic digestion in sewage sludge treatment: mechanistic insights and future prospects
Micro- and nanoplastics were found to disrupt the biochemical phases of anaerobic digestion, affecting the efficiency of the biological process used to treat organic waste. Understanding these impacts is important because anaerobic digestion is a common wastewater and sludge treatment method that may both receive and process microplastic-contaminated materials.
Fate and Impacts of Microplastics in Sludge Anaerobic Digestion: Effects on Methanogenic and Acidogenic Pathways
This review examined how microplastics in sewage sludge influence anaerobic digestion performance, covering effects on methane production, volatile fatty acid accumulation, and microbial community function. MPs inhibited methanogenesis at higher concentrations by altering microbial community structure and disrupting electron transfer pathways in the anaerobic digestion process.
Influence of microplastics on the toxicity of chlorpyrifos and mercury on the marine microalgae Rhodomonas lens
Researchers examined how polyethylene microplastics influence the toxicity of chlorpyrifos and mercury to the marine microalga Rhodomonas lens, finding that microplastics can modify pollutant bioavailability and alter toxic effects depending on particle surface oxidation state.
Mangrove degradation retarded microplastics weathering and affected metabolic activities of microplastics-associated microbes
Microplastic weathering was slower in degraded mangrove sediments than in intact mangroves, with degradation also altering the composition and metabolic activity of microplastic-associated microbial communities. The findings suggest mangrove ecosystem health influences how rapidly microplastics degrade and what ecological roles microplastic-associated microbes play in these coastal environments.
Relative importance of microplastics as a pathway for the transfer of hydrophobic organic chemicals to marine life
Researchers assessed the relative importance of microplastics as a pathway for transferring hydrophobic organic chemicals to marine life. The study suggests that while microplastics can carry high concentrations of contaminants, factors like gut surfactants, pH, and temperature influence desorption rates, and modeling indicates other exposure routes may be more significant in natural environments.
Microplastics impair extracellular enzymatic activities and organic matter cycling in oligotrophic sandy marine sediments
Researchers investigated how microplastic contamination affects the breakdown of organic matter in sandy marine sediments. They found that microplastics significantly reduced the activity of key enzymes responsible for decomposing organic material, disrupting normal nutrient cycling processes. The study suggests that microplastic accumulation on the seafloor could impair the ecosystem services provided by benthic sediment communities.