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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Mechanistic insights into the impact of multi-dimensional microplastic stress on nitrogen removal by heterotrophic nitrifying-aerobic denitrifying bacteria: A meta-transcriptomic analysis
ClearMicroplastics perturb nitrogen removal, microbial community and metabolism mechanism in biofilm system
Researchers found that polystyrene and PET microplastics reduced total nitrogen removal by 7-16% in biofilm wastewater treatment systems by causing cell damage, altering microbial community structure, and suppressing key genes involved in denitrification and nitrogen conversion.
Impaired denitrification of aerobic granules in response to micro/nanoplastic stress: Insights from interspecies interactions and electron transfer processes
This study found that micro- and nanoplastics in wastewater disrupt the ability of beneficial bacteria to remove nitrogen through a process called denitrification. After 90 days of plastic exposure, the communication system bacteria use to coordinate their activity broke down, leading to an imbalance where some bacteria stopped contributing while still consuming shared resources. This reduced the overall efficiency of biological wastewater treatment, a system many communities rely on to clean their water.
Microplastics shaped performance, microbial ecology and community assembly in simultaneous nitrification, denitrification and phosphorus removal process
This study found that polystyrene and PVC microplastics disrupted the performance of wastewater treatment systems designed to remove nitrogen and phosphorus, reducing nitrogen removal by up to 10%. The microplastics altered microbial communities, decreased cooperation between beneficial bacteria, and blocked important biological pathways. Since wastewater treatment is a key barrier against pollution reaching drinking water, microplastic interference with these systems could indirectly increase human exposure to harmful contaminants.
Microplastic interference influences Pseudomonas fluorescens in denitrification efficiency of wastewater treatment
Researchers investigated how microplastics interfere with Pseudomonas fluorescens activity in denitrification processes at wastewater treatment plants, finding that microplastic contamination disrupted microbial performance and could compromise nitrogen removal from wastewater.
Unveiling microplastic's role in nitrogen cycling: Metagenomic insights from estuarine sediment microcosms
Researchers used metagenomic analysis to examine how polyethylene and polystyrene microplastics affect nitrogen cycling in estuarine sediments. They found that microplastics altered the abundance of genes involved in key nitrogen transformation processes like nitrification and denitrification. The study reveals that microplastic pollution in estuaries may disrupt important biogeochemical cycles that support aquatic ecosystem health.
Metagenomic analysis reveals the responses of microbial communities and nitrogen metabolic pathways to polystyrene micro(nano)plastics in activated sludge systems
Scientists used genetic analysis to study how polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics disrupt the bacteria that process nitrogen in wastewater treatment systems. At high concentrations, the plastics reduced nitrogen removal efficiency by up to 30% by generating harmful reactive oxygen species that damaged key microbial processes. This is concerning because less effective wastewater treatment means more pollutants, including microplastics themselves, could end up in waterways.
Effect evaluation of microplastics on activated sludge nitrification and denitrification
Researchers found that microplastics entering wastewater treatment plants interfere with the nitrification and denitrification processes carried out by activated sludge microbes, potentially reducing the effectiveness of nutrient removal in sewage treatment. This effect could undermine water quality if microplastic loads in wastewater continue to increase.
Insight into effect of polyethylene microplastic on nitrogen removal in moving bed biofilm reactor: Focusing on microbial community and species interactions
Researchers studied how polyethylene microplastics affect nitrogen removal in wastewater treatment bioreactors and found that low concentrations slightly improved the process, while higher concentrations disrupted it. The microplastics changed the microbial communities responsible for breaking down nitrogen in wastewater. This matters because less effective wastewater treatment means more nitrogen pollution in waterways, and microplastics entering treatment plants could reduce their ability to clean water effectively.
Response of wastewater treatment performance and bacterial community to original and aged polyvinyl chloride microplastics in sequencing batch reactors
This study found that PVC microplastics, both fresh and aged, severely harmed wastewater treatment processes by reducing the removal of harmful chemicals like ammonia and organic pollutants. The microplastics shifted the bacterial communities in the treatment system, reducing helpful nitrogen-removing bacteria while promoting other types. This means microplastic contamination of wastewater plants could lead to poorer water treatment quality, allowing more pollutants to reach rivers and drinking water sources.
Microplastic biofilms as potential hotspots for plastic biodegradation and nitrogen cycling: a metagenomic perspective
Researchers used genetic analysis to study the microbial communities that form biofilms on different types of microplastics in an estuarine environment. They found that these plastic-associated communities contained genes for both plastic degradation and nitrogen cycling, suggesting the biofilms may play dual roles in the ecosystem. The study indicates that microplastic surfaces in waterways create unique microbial habitats that could influence both pollution breakdown and nutrient processing.
Impact of polyethylene microplastics on the nitrogen removal and bacterial community in sequencing batch reactor at different hydraulic retention times
Researchers examined how polyethylene microplastics affect nitrogen removal performance in biological wastewater treatment at different hydraulic retention times. The study found that the presence of microplastics amplified the negative effects of shortened treatment times on nitrogen removal efficiency and altered bacterial communities and enzyme levels involved in nitrification and denitrification, offering new insights into how microplastics interfere with wastewater treatment processes.
Impact and microbial mechanism of continuous nanoplastics exposure on the urban wastewater treatment process
Researchers investigated the effects of continuous nanoplastic exposure on wastewater treatment over 200 days, finding that while total nitrogen removal was not significantly inhibited, nanoplastics altered microbial community composition and affected nitrification and denitrification processes.
Influence of nanoplastic type on the short-cut nitrification-denitrification in a sequencing batch reactor: Elucidating the metabolic relationship of nitrogen, extracellular polymeric substances, and oxidative stress
Researchers compared the effects of biodegradable (PBAT) and non-biodegradable (polyethylene) nanoplastics on nitrogen-removing bacteria in a wastewater reactor, finding that both types disrupted nitrogen metabolism, extracellular polymer production, and oxidative stress pathways, with non-biodegradable polyethylene causing more severe inhibition of the treatment process.
Effects of polyvinyl chloride microplastics and benzylalkyldimethylethyl compounds on system performance, microbial community and resistance genes in sulfur autotrophic denitrification system
Researchers found that PVC microplastics and a common disinfectant chemical in wastewater treatment systems promoted the spread of antibiotic resistance genes, with the disinfectant having an even stronger effect than the microplastics. The microplastic surfaces harbored disease-causing bacteria that carried these resistance genes. This is concerning because wastewater treatment plants could be releasing both microplastics and antibiotic-resistant pathogens into waterways, potentially threatening human health.
Responses of nitrogen removal under microplastics versus nanoplastics stress in SBR: Toxicity, microbial community and functional genes
Researchers compared the effects of microplastics versus nanoplastics on nitrogen removal in sequencing batch reactors used in wastewater treatment. The study found that microplastics had no significant effect on nitrogen removal, while high concentrations of nanoplastics impaired the process by disrupting microbial communities and functional gene expression. The results suggest that nanoplastics may pose a greater threat to biological wastewater treatment performance than microplastics.
Integration of metagenomic analysis and metabolic modeling reveals microbial interactions in activated sludge systems in response to nanoplastics and plasticizers
Researchers combined amplicon sequencing, metagenomics, and metabolic modeling to show that PVC nanoplastics and the plasticizer DEHP alter microbial community interactions in activated sludge wastewater systems — with DEHP exposure promoting cooperative metabolic relationships and both pollutants shifting interspecies iron and antioxidant exchange pathways.
An in-depth analysis of microbial response to exposure to high concentrations of microplastics in anaerobic wastewater fermentation
This study investigated how high concentrations of three common microplastic types affect the microbes used in anaerobic wastewater treatment, finding that microplastics reduced methane production by up to 56%. PVC had the most damaging effect on the microbial communities that break down waste, while polyethylene was somewhat less disruptive. The findings matter because impaired wastewater treatment means more pollutants, including microplastics themselves, could escape into waterways that feed human water supplies.
Unveiling the plastisphere in anammox process: Physicochemical evolution of microplastics and microbial succession dynamics
Researchers tracked how polyethylene terephthalate microplastics change physically and chemically over 30 days in an anaerobic wastewater treatment system. They found that while the microplastics had minimal impact on nitrogen removal efficiency, they developed distinct microbial communities on their surfaces that evolved over time. The study provides new insights into how microplastics interact with beneficial microbes in wastewater treatment processes.
Polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride microplastics promote soil nitrification and alter the composition of key nitrogen functional bacterial groups
Researchers found that polyethylene and PVC microplastics in soil increased nitrification (a key step in the nitrogen cycle) and changed the composition of nitrogen-processing bacteria. These changes could affect soil fertility and the availability of nutrients for crops. The study highlights how microplastic contamination in agricultural soil may have hidden effects on food production by altering fundamental soil processes.
Mechanisms underlying the detrimental impact of micro(nano)plastics on the stability of aerobic granular sludge: Interactions between micro(nano)plastics and extracellular polymeric substances
Researchers found that both micro- and nanoplastics at realistic concentrations harmed the performance of aerobic granular sludge, a technology used for wastewater treatment, by reducing its ability to remove nitrogen. The plastic particles interacted with the sticky substances that hold the sludge granules together, weakening their structural integrity. The study reveals a specific mechanism by which plastic pollution can undermine wastewater treatment systems that communities rely on for clean water.
Microplastics provide new niches for nitrifiers to maintain nitrification performance in nitrifying bioreactors
Researchers found that microplastics provide novel niches for nitrifying bacteria in wastewater treatment systems, with MP surfaces maintaining nitrification performance even under stress conditions that suppress conventional nitrifiers, suggesting unexpected ecosystem services from plastic contamination in treatment settings.
Deciphering anammox response characteristics and potential mechanisms to polyethylene terephthalate microplastic exposure
This study tested how PET microplastics affect the bacteria used in wastewater treatment for removing nitrogen pollutants. Long-term exposure to high concentrations of PET microplastics reduced the nitrogen removal efficiency by nearly 29%, though the system partially recovered over three months. The findings matter because compromised wastewater treatment means more pollutants could end up in waterways that supply drinking water.
Biofilms in plastisphere from freshwater wetlands: Biofilm formation, bacterial community assembly, and biogeochemical cycles
Researchers studied how bacteria form biofilms on microplastic surfaces in freshwater wetlands and found that these plastic-associated communities differ significantly from natural soil bacteria. The microplastic biofilms had lower diversity but higher activity in carbon processing and nitrogen cycling genes. This means microplastics in wetlands can alter natural nutrient cycles, potentially affecting water quality in ecosystems that many communities rely on.
Polystyrene nanoplastics shape microbiome and functional metabolism in anaerobic digestion
Researchers studied how polystyrene nanoplastics and microplastics affect the microbial communities and biochemical processes in anaerobic digestion systems used for waste treatment. They found that nanoplastics had a more disruptive effect than microplastics, significantly altering the composition and metabolic functions of the microbial community. The study suggests that plastic contamination in waste streams could reduce the efficiency of anaerobic digestion, a widely used waste processing technology.