Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Microbial carbon metabolism patterns of microplastic biofilm in the vertical profile of urban rivers

Researchers examined how microbial carbon metabolism in microplastic biofilms varies vertically through the water column of urban rivers, where plastic particles sink and accumulate at different depths. Biofilm metabolic function and community composition changed significantly with depth, suggesting that vertical transport of microplastics through the water column shapes distinct microbial carbon cycling niches in urban river ecosystems.

2024 Journal of Environmental Management 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Distinct community structure and microbial functions of biofilms colonizing microplastics

Biofilm communities were established on polyethylene, polypropylene, cobblestone, and wood substrates over 21 days under controlled conditions and compared by 16S rRNA sequencing, finding that plastic substrates harbored distinct microbial communities and functional profiles compared to natural materials. The study demonstrates that microplastics in freshwater environments provide a selective niche that enriches for distinct microbial taxa and metabolic functions.

2018 The Science of The Total Environment 583 citations
Article Tier 2

Bacterial and fungal assemblages and functions associated with biofilms differ between diverse types of plastic debris in a freshwater system

Researchers characterised bacterial and fungal assemblages on three types of plastic debris in a freshwater urban river system, finding that microbial communities on plastics differ from those in surrounding water. High-throughput sequencing revealed that alpha diversity of bacterial communities was higher on polyethylene microplastics than on other plastic types, with intraspecies interactions between bacteria and fungi differing across diverse plastic substrates.

2020 Environmental Research 90 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

Unraveling water depth dependent microplastic aging driven by functional microbial community interaction in a real urban river

Researchers deployed microplastics in an urban river at different water depths and found that deeper water accelerated plastic aging — PVC microplastics showed twice the carbonyl degradation at 2 metres compared to the surface, driven by distinct microbial biofilm communities that regulated oxidative and dehalogenation enzymes. This matters because faster degradation in deeper water likely produces more chemical leachates and smaller nano-sized fragments that are harder to monitor and remove.

2026 Journal of Hazardous Materials
Article Tier 2

Biofilms on plastic litter in an urban river: Community composition and activity vary by substrate type

Researchers examined biofilms colonizing plastic litter versus natural surfaces in an urban river, finding that community composition and metabolic activity vary by substrate type, with plastic surfaces hosting distinct microbial communities that may influence plastic degradation rates.

2024 Water Environment Research 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Microbial Dynamics on Different Microplastics in Coastal Urban Aquatic Ecosystems: The Critical Roles of Extracellular Polymeric Substances

Researchers investigated how microbial communities colonize different types of microplastics in urban coastal waters, forming distinct ecosystems known as plastispheres. They found that the type of plastic significantly shaped which bacteria grew on it and how much sticky extracellular material they produced. Understanding these microbial communities on microplastics matters because they can harbor harmful bacteria and influence how pollutants move through aquatic environments.

2025 Environmental Science & Technology 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Uniqueness and Dependence of Bacterial Communities on Microplastics: Comparison with Water, Sediment, and Soil

Researchers compared bacterial communities on microplastics with those in water, sediment, and soil in the Three Gorges Reservoir area, finding that microplastic-associated communities are unique in composition and ecological function compared to surrounding environments.

2021 Microbial Ecology 38 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic biofilm in fresh- and wastewater as a function of microparticle type and size class

Researchers compared the biofilm communities that form on microplastics of different types and sizes in both freshwater and wastewater, finding that biofilm composition was influenced by particle type, size, and water source. These findings advance understanding of the plastisphere — the microbial community unique to plastic surfaces — and its potential role in spreading microorganism-associated risks.

2019 Environmental Science Water Research & Technology 184 citations
Article Tier 2

Comparative analysis of microplastic and microbial communities in varied aquatic environments: Disparities in occurrence, interconnections, and ecological implications

Comparative surveys of microplastics and associated microbial communities across river, reservoir, and bay environments in the Dongjiang watershed found that MP abundance and microbial community composition differed significantly by water type, with MP surfaces hosting distinct microbial assemblages.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Distinct microbial metabolic activities of biofilms colonizing microplastics in three freshwater ecosystems

Biofilms growing on microplastics in three freshwater ecosystems showed distinct patterns of carbon metabolism compared to biofilms on glass, with PET-colonizing biofilms showing lower metabolic diversity. Environmental factors like nutrient levels and turbidity also shaped biofilm function, suggesting microplastics alter microbial-mediated carbon cycling in rivers and lakes.

2020 Journal of Hazardous Materials 160 citations
Article Tier 2

Microbial community niches on microplastics and prioritized environmental factors under various urban riverine conditions

Researchers manipulated organic content, salinity, and dissolved oxygen in bioreactors to assess which environmental factors most strongly shaped microbial communities colonizing microplastics in urban rivers. Dissolved oxygen and organic carbon content were identified as priority drivers of plastisphere community composition, with implications for predicting pathogen enrichment on MPs across river conditions.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 59 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluation of prokaryotic and eukaryotic microbial communities on microplastic‐associated biofilms in marine and freshwater environments

Researchers analyzed microbial biofilm communities on microplastic surfaces in both marine and freshwater environments, finding that plastic-associated biofilms harbor distinct prokaryotic and eukaryotic communities with potential roles in plastic biodegradation.

2024 Engineering in Life Sciences 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Microbial biofilm formation and community structure on low-density polyethylene microparticles in lake water microcosms

Researchers investigated biofilm formation on low-density polyethylene microparticles in lake water microcosms, finding that microplastic surfaces supported distinct and dynamic microbial communities that differed from those in the surrounding water.

2019 Environmental Pollution 214 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2025 Journal of hazardous materials
Article Tier 2

The Effect of Microplastics on Microbial Succession at Impaired and Unimpaired Sites in a Riverine System

Researchers compared microbial biofilm diversity on microplastic polymers and natural substrates at impaired and unimpaired riverine sites, examining how environmental nutrient loads, seasonality, and geography influence microbiome succession on plastic surfaces in freshwater ecosystems.

2024
Article Tier 2

Community structure and functional diversity of the plastisphere in aquaculture waters: Does plastic color matter?

Researchers examined whether plastic color influences microbial community structure and functional diversity in the plastisphere by conducting biofilm incubation experiments in aquaculture waters using plastics of different colors. The study found that plastic color was a driving factor shaping microbial assemblages on plastic surfaces, with implications for understanding pathogen and pollutant vectors in aquatic environments.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 114 citations
Article Tier 2

Anthropogenic Litter in Urban Freshwater Ecosystems: Distribution and Microbial Interactions

Researchers quantified anthropogenic litter in urban rivers and streams and found that microplastics dominated by mass and particle count compared to macroplastic items. The study highlights urban freshwater systems as major conduits for plastic pollution moving toward marine environments and documents distinct microbial communities on plastic surfaces.

2014 PLoS ONE 287 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics on the structure and function of bacterial communities in sediments of a freshwater lake

Researchers examined how microplastics alter the structure and function of bacterial communities in sediments, finding that plastic exposure shifted community composition and reduced overall diversity compared to plastic-free controls. Functional analysis showed impaired denitrification and organic matter decomposition in microplastic-contaminated sediments, indicating ecosystem-level consequences for nutrient cycling.

2024 Chemosphere 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in urban waters and its effects on microbial communities: a critical review

This critical review examined microplastic pollution in urban freshwater systems and its effects on microbial communities including water microbiomes and biofilm communities. The authors found evidence that microplastics alter microbial diversity, promote antibiotic resistance gene transfer, and disrupt carbon and nutrient cycling.

2022 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 16 citations