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20 resultsShowing papers similar to Degradation of subµ-sized bioplastics by clinically important bacteria under sediment and seawater conditions: Impact on the bacteria responses.
ClearSimilarities and Discrepancies Between Bio-Based and Conventional Submicron-Sized Plastics: In Relation to Clinically Important Bacteria.
This study compared the effects of bio-based and conventional submicron-sized plastic particles on clinically important bacteria, finding that bioplastics interacted with bacteria in ways that differed from but were not uniformly less harmful than conventional plastics. The results suggest that bioplastics are not necessarily safer than conventional plastics in terms of their interactions with microorganisms.
Microbiological Characterization of the Biofilms Colonizing Bioplastics in Natural Marine Conditions: A Comparison between PHBV and PLA
Researchers characterized biofilm communities colonizing bioplastics and conventional plastics in natural marine conditions, finding that bioplastic surfaces hosted distinct microbial communities compared to petroleum-based plastics, with implications for biodegradation and ecological interactions.
Biofilm Formation of Clinically Important Bacteria on Bio-Based and Conventional Micro/Submicron-Sized Plastics.
This study compared how clinically important bacteria form biofilms on bio-based versus conventional plastic surfaces of similar size, finding differences in biofilm formation patterns between bioplastics and their conventional equivalents. The results suggest that the push to replace conventional plastics with bioplastics should consider how these materials interact with potentially harmful bacteria.
Bioplastics in the Sea: Rapid In-Vitro Evaluation of Degradability and Persistence at Natural Temperatures
Researchers evaluated the marine degradability of multiple bioplastic materials at natural seawater temperatures, finding that most bioplastics persist in ocean environments rather than degrading quickly, challenging assumptions that bioplastics represent a straightforward solution to marine plastic pollution.
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.
Bacterial Abundance, Diversity and Activity During Long-Term Colonization of Non-biodegradable and Biodegradable Plastics in Seawater
Biofilm communities on conventional (polyethylene and polystyrene) and biodegradable plastics were tracked over 7 months of seawater immersion, finding highly abundant and diverse plastisphere communities on all polymer types but limited evidence of active plastic biodegradation under natural marine conditions.
A community of marine bacteria with potential to biodegrade petroleum-based and biobased microplastics
Researchers showed that a consortium of marine bacteria could partially biodegrade both conventional low-density polyethylene and biobased polyethylene terephthalate microplastic films over 45 days, with spectroscopic and chemical evidence confirming surface changes and early-stage degradation.
Dangerous hitchhikers? Evidence for potentially pathogenic Vibrio spp. on microplastic particles
Researchers tested whether marine microplastics carry potentially pathogenic Vibrio bacteria, finding Vibrio species on microplastic surfaces in seawater, raising concerns about plastics as vehicles for transporting harmful bacteria in marine environments.
Rapid bacterial colonization of low-density polyethylene microplastics in coastal sediment microcosms
Researchers studied how quickly bacteria colonize low-density polyethylene microplastics in coastal marine sediments, finding rapid colonization within days and progressive development of complex biofilm communities. The study highlights that plastic particles in coastal sediments quickly become biologically active surfaces that may influence their fate and ecological interactions.
Challenges and opportunities in bioremediation of micro-nano plastics: A review.
This review examines biological approaches to removing micro- and nanoplastics from the environment, focusing on microbial degradation and bioremediation strategies. While bioremediation holds promise, challenges remain in identifying microbes capable of degrading common plastic types and scaling these processes for practical environmental cleanup.
The threat of microplastics and microbial degradation potential; a current perspective
This review covers the growing threat of microplastics in marine environments, where they enter the food chain and can transfer to humans along with pathogenic organisms, causing various toxic effects. The paper also explores how bacteria and fungi found in ocean environments could be harnessed to biodegrade different types of plastics as a future strategy for reducing microplastic pollution.
Do microbial decomposers find micro- and nanoplastics to be harmful stressors in the aquatic environment? A systematic review of in vitro toxicological research
Researchers systematically reviewed in vitro studies on how bacteria and fungi respond to micro- and nanoplastics, finding that polystyrene particles and E. coli dominate the literature and that nanoplastic toxicity commonly disrupts antioxidative systems, gene expression, and cell membrane integrity in microbial decomposers.
Antibiotic resistant bacteria colonising microplastics in the aquatic environment: An emerging challenge
Researchers reviewed how microplastics in aquatic environments act as surfaces where antibiotic-resistant bacteria can grow and swap resistance genes with each other, raising concern that contaminated seafood and water could transfer these hard-to-treat bacteria to humans.
Evaluation of the degradation from micro to nanoplastics from biodegradable bags in marine conditions
Researchers evaluated how biodegradable plastic bags degrade into micro- and nanoplastics under environmental conditions, comparing them to conventional plastics. The study found that even biodegradable materials generate persistent micro- and nanoplastic particles under real-world conditions.
The Importance of Biofilms to the Fate and Effects of Microplastics
This review examines how biofilms — communities of microorganisms that form on microplastic surfaces — affect the fate and ecological effects of plastic pollution. Biofilm formation alters how microplastics are transported, ingested, and degraded in the environment, and the plastisphere can harbor pathogens and antibiotic-resistant bacteria that may pose risks to human health.
Biodegradation assessment of polymer-based films by bacterial species in the marine environment and its correlation with microplastic production and toxicity
Researchers tested five polymer-based film materials in marine environments and measured biodegradation, bacterial colonization, and microplastic formation, finding that polymer composition strongly determines both marine biodegradability and the amount of microplastic debris generated during degradation.
Review on plastic wastes in marine environment – Biodegradation and biotechnological solutions
Researchers reviewed plastic biodegradation in the marine environment, cataloguing microbial communities that colonize plastic surfaces and the enzymes they produce, while highlighting biotechnological strategies — including enzyme engineering and biofilm optimization — as necessary complements to physical and chemical approaches for reducing micro- and nanoplastic contamination.
Bacterial pathogen assemblages on microplastic biofilms in coastal waters
Researchers incubated different types of microplastics in coastal waters for 21 days and analyzed the bacterial communities that colonized their surfaces. They found that while overall pathogen abundance was low, microplastic biofilms hosted a diverse array of potentially harmful bacteria whose composition varied by polymer type and water location. The study suggests that microplastics in coastal waters can serve as floating platforms for disease-causing microorganisms.
Insights into PET-Microplastics effect on pathogenic bacteria
Researchers exposed four common disease-causing bacteria to PET microplastics and found that the bacteria responded differently depending on the species and plastic concentration, with some growing faster in the presence of plastics. Notably, bacteria exposed to higher concentrations of PET microplastics developed increased resistance to multiple antibiotics, raising concerns about how environmental plastic pollution could contribute to the growing antibiotic resistance problem.
Potential environmental impacts of bioplastic degradation in natural marine environments: A comprehensive review
This review examines the environmental impacts of biodegradable plastics degrading in marine environments, finding that their microscale breakdown raises significant concerns about contributing to microplastic pollution rather than eliminating it. The authors conclude that biodegradable plastics require reevaluation as petroleum-based plastic substitutes given the incomplete understanding of their behavior at the microscale in marine ecosystems.