We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Papers
61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to New insights into the microbial succession and health risks of atmospheric plastispheres
ClearDynamic evolution of microbial colonization on indoor microplastics: polymer diversity-driven co-occurrence networks and health risks
Researchers simulated 90 days of indoor microplastic exposure to study how different polymer types, aging, and morphology influence microbial colonization on microplastic surfaces. They found that polymer diversity shaped microbial co-occurrence networks and that the resulting plastisphere communities harbored potential human pathogens.
Dynamics and implications of biofilm formation and community succession on floating marine plastic debris
Researchers examined how biofilms form on plastic debris in aquatic environments and how the resulting microbial communities evolve over time, finding that the plastisphere hosts distinct microbial assemblages including potential pathogens. The study has implications for understanding plastic debris as a vector for microbial dispersal.
Potential planetary health impacts of the airborne plastisphere
Researchers reviewed emerging evidence that airborne microplastics can carry and transport living microorganisms — including potential pathogens and antibiotic-resistant bacteria — across long distances through the atmosphere, identifying this as an overlooked global health threat that bridges pollution and infectious disease.
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.
Potential planetary health impacts of the airborne plastisphere
This study examined the planetary health implications of the airborne plastisphere—microbial communities colonizing airborne microplastic particles—noting that these communities harbor pathogens, antibiotic resistance genes, and other hazardous organisms. The airborne plastisphere may facilitate the long-distance dispersal of microbial threats across ecosystems.
Microbiome in Atmospheric Microplastics and Microplastic Deposition on Symbiotic Organisms
This review examines microbiomes associated with atmospheric microplastics and the deposition of airborne MPs on symbiotic organisms, covering the composition of plastic-associated airborne microbial communities and their potential health and ecological implications.
Time-series incubations in a coastal environment illuminates the importance of early colonizers and the complexity of bacterial biofilm dynamics on marine plastics
Researchers used time-series incubations in a coastal marine environment to track plastisphere biofilm formation on microplastics, finding that early bacterial colonizers play a disproportionate role in shaping community dynamics and that biofilm composition is highly complex, varying with polymer type, incubation time, and surrounding environment.
Selective colonization of microplastics, wood and glass by antimicrobial-resistant and pathogenic bacteria
Researchers investigated whether antimicrobial-resistant and pathogenic bacteria selectively colonize microplastics compared to wood and glass surfaces, examining the plastisphere as a potential reservoir for dangerous microbes. Plastic surfaces were found to harbor distinct and enriched communities of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria compared to natural substrates.
It’s a matter of microbes: a perspective on the microbiological aspects of micro- and nanoplastics in human health
Researchers highlighted an often-overlooked aspect of micro- and nanoplastic pollution: the microorganisms that colonize plastic particles and how they might affect human health. The study suggests that the microbial communities living on plastic surfaces, known as the plastisphere, could carry harmful bacteria into the human body through ingestion, inhalation, or skin contact, representing an additional health risk beyond the plastics themselves.
Role of traveling microplastics as bacterial carriers based on spatial and temporal dynamics of bacterial communities
Researchers tracked how the bacterial communities on traveling microplastics gradually shift to match the communities on local microplastics, a process called localization, finding that spatial and temporal dynamics of bacterial colonization determine microplastics' role as vectors for bacteria across environments.
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.
Plastics and Microplastics as Vectors for Bacteria and Human Pathogens
This study reviewed how marine plastic debris serves as a surface for bacterial colonization, including human pathogens, and examined the novel communities forming on plastic surfaces. The research raises public health concerns about microplastics acting as rafts that transport harmful bacteria to new locations, including to seafood and coastal recreational areas.
Colonization characteristics of bacterial communities on plastic debris: The localization of immigrant bacterial communities
Researchers investigated the colonization characteristics of bacterial communities on plastic debris in environmental settings, finding that the localization of immigrant bacterial communities on plastic surfaces reflects specific colonization dynamics distinct from random sampling effects.
Temporal succession of marine microbes drives plastisphere community convergence in subtropical coastal waters
Scientists tracked how microbial communities develop on four common plastic types submerged in subtropical coastal waters over 42 days. They found that the passage of time was a bigger driver of community composition than the type of plastic, with bacterial communities on different plastics becoming more similar as biofilms matured. However, these plastic-associated communities remained distinct from those floating freely in the water, suggesting plastics create unique microbial habitats in marine environments.
The composition of bacterial communities associated with plastic biofilms differs between different polymers and stages of biofilm succession
Researchers tracked bacterial community development on five different plastic types submerged in coastal waters over two months. They found that bacterial community composition varied by both plastic type and stage of colonization, with distinct early and late succession patterns. The study provides evidence that different plastics may host different microbial communities, which has implications for understanding how plastic pollution influences marine microbial ecology.
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.
Formation of specific bacterial assemblages on sterile polyethylene microplastic particles added to a marine aquaria system
Researchers characterized bacterial assemblages that formed on sterile polyethylene microplastic particles after 12 weeks of incubation in marine aquaria, comparing the plastisphere communities to those on sterile sandy sediment and in water fractions to determine whether microplastics select for distinct or potentially pathogenic bacterial communities. The study found that microplastics hosted specific bacterial assemblages distinct from surrounding environmental fractions, confirming their role as selective surfaces for microbial colonization.
Differentiation of bacterial communities on five common plastics after six days of exposure to Caribbean coastal waters
Researchers found that within just six days of entering Caribbean coastal waters, different plastic polymers — including polystyrene, polyethylene, and nylon — develop distinct microbial communities on their surfaces, with plastic-degrading bacteria rapidly increasing in abundance. This "plastisphere" research shows that the type of plastic influences which microbes colonize it, which could affect both plastic breakdown rates and the spread of microbes in ocean environments.
Exploring changes in microplastic-associated bacterial communities with time, location, and polymer type in Liusha Bay, China
Researchers tracked how bacterial communities colonizing different types of microplastics changed over time in an aquaculture bay in China. They found that both exposure duration and plastic type significantly influenced which bacteria grew on the surfaces, with hydrocarbon-degrading species becoming notably abundant. Concerning from a health perspective, the pathogenic bacterium Vibrio was detected on all microplastic samples, suggesting that floating plastics may serve as rafts for disease-causing organisms.
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.
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.
Surfing and dining on the “plastisphere”: Microbial life on plastic marine debris
This review examines the microbial communities — the "plastisphere" — that colonize floating plastic debris in the ocean, discussing how these biofilms form, who lives in them, and what risks they may pose to marine ecosystems and human health. The unique chemistry and buoyancy of plastic creates a novel habitat that can transport potentially harmful microbes across ocean basins.
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.
Evidence for selective bacterial community structuring on microplastics
Plastic substrates incubated in Baltic Sea water developed distinct bacterial communities that differed significantly from those on glass surfaces and from the surrounding water, with some plastic-colonizing taxa selected for regardless of polymer type. The study provides experimental evidence that plastic surfaces act as selective filters for microbial community assembly, contributing to the concept of a unique plastisphere.