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de Vogel FA, Goudriaan M, Zettler ER, Niemann H, Eich A, Weber M, Lott C, Amaral-Zettler LA. Biodegradable plastics in Mediterranean coastal environments feature contrasting microbial succession. Sci Total Environ 2024; 928:172288. [PMID: 38599394 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Plastic pollution of the ocean is a top environmental concern. Biodegradable plastics present a potential "solution" in combating the accumulation of plastic pollution, and their production is currently increasing. While these polymers will contribute to the future plastic marine debris budget, very little is known still about the behavior of biodegradable plastics in different natural environments. In this study, we molecularly profiled entire microbial communities on laboratory confirmed biodegradable polybutylene sebacate-co-terephthalate (PBSeT) and polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) films, and non-biodegradable conventional low-density polyethylene (LDPE) films that were incubated in situ in three different coastal environments in the Mediterranean Sea. Samples from a pelagic, benthic, and eulittoral habitat were taken at five timepoints during an incubation period of 22 months. We assessed the presence of potential biodegrading bacterial and fungal taxa and contrasted them against previously published in situ disintegration data of these polymers. Scanning electron microscopy imaging complemented our molecular data. Putative plastic degraders occurred in all environments, but there was no obvious "core" of shared plastic-specific microbes. While communities varied between polymers, the habitat predominantly selected for the underlying communities. Observed disintegration patterns did not necessarily match community patterns of putative plastic degraders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fons A de Vogel
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, P.O. Box 59, 1790 AB Den Burg, the Netherlands
| | - Maaike Goudriaan
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, P.O. Box 59, 1790 AB Den Burg, the Netherlands
| | - Erik R Zettler
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, P.O. Box 59, 1790 AB Den Burg, the Netherlands
| | - Helge Niemann
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, P.O. Box 59, 1790 AB Den Burg, the Netherlands; Faculty of Geosciences, Department of Earth Sciences, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80.115, 3508 TC Utrecht, the Netherlands; CAGE-Centre for Arctic Gas Hydrate, Environment and Climate, Department of Geosciences, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, 9037 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Andreas Eich
- HYDRA Marine Sciences GmbH, D-77815 Bühl, Germany
| | - Miriam Weber
- HYDRA Marine Sciences GmbH, D-77815 Bühl, Germany
| | | | - Linda A Amaral-Zettler
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, P.O. Box 59, 1790 AB Den Burg, the Netherlands; Department of Freshwater and Marine Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 94240, 1090 GE Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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2
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Khatua S, Simal-Gandara J, Acharya K. Myco-remediation of plastic pollution: current knowledge and future prospects. Biodegradation 2024; 35:249-279. [PMID: 37665521 PMCID: PMC10950981 DOI: 10.1007/s10532-023-10053-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
To date, enumerable fungi have been reported to participate in the biodegradation of several notorious plastic materials following their isolation from soil of plastic-dumping sites, marine water, waste of mulch films, landfills, plant parts and gut of wax moth. The general mechanism begins with formation of hydrophobin and biofilm proceding to secretion of specific plastic degarding enzymes (peroxidase, hydrolase, protease and urease), penetration of three dimensional substrates and mineralization of plastic polymers into harmless products. As a result, several synthetic polymers including polyethylene, polystyrene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyurethane and/or bio-degradable plastics have been validated to deteriorate within months through the action of a wide variety of fungal strains predominantly Ascomycota (Alternaria, Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Fusarium, Penicillium spp.). Understanding the potential and mode of operation of these organisms is thus of prime importance inspiring us to furnish an up to date view on all the presently known fungal strains claimed to mitigate the plastic waste problem. Future research henceforth needs to be directed towards metagenomic approach to distinguish polymer degrading microbial diversity followed by bio-augmentation to build fascinating future of waste disposal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Somanjana Khatua
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of Allahabad, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, 211002, India
| | - Jesus Simal-Gandara
- Nutrition and Bromatology Group, Department of Analytical Chemistry and Food Science, Faculty of Science, Universidade de Vigo, 32004, Ourense, Spain.
| | - Krishnendu Acharya
- Molecular and Applied Mycology and Plant Pathology Laboratory, Department of Botany, Centre of Advanced Study, University of Calcutta, 35, Ballygunge Circular Road, Kolkata, West Bengal, 700019, India.
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3
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Li M, Li Z, Chen F, Shi B, Li Y, Zhu Z, Wang L, Jin Y. Effects of different oxidants on the behaviour of microplastic hetero-aggregates. J Hazard Mater 2024; 470:134286. [PMID: 38615649 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Microplastic hetero-aggregates are stable forms of microplastics in the aqueous environment. However, when disinfecting water containing microplastic hetero-aggregates, the response of them in water to different oxidizing agents and the effect on water quality have not been reported. Our results showed that Ca(ClO)2, K2S2O8, and sodium percarbonate (SPC) treatment could lead to the disaggregation of microplastic hetero-aggregates as well as a rise in cell membrane permeability, which caused a large amount of organic matter to be released. When the amount of oxidant dosing is insufficient, the oxidant cannot completely degrade the released organic matter, resulting in DOC, DTN, DTP and other indicators being higher than before oxidation, thus causing secondary pollution of the water body. In comparison, K2FeO4 can purify the water body stably without destroying the microplastic hetero-aggregates, but it only weakly inhibits the toxic cyanobacteria Microcystis and Pseudanabaena, which may cause cyanobacterial bloom as well as algal toxin and odorant contamination in practical application. Compared with the other oxidizers, K2S2O8 provides better inhibition of toxic cyanobacteria and has better ecological safety. Therefore, when treating microplastic-containing water bodies, we should consider both water purification and ecological safety, and select appropriate oxidant types and dosages to optimize the water treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minghui Li
- School of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan 250101, PR China
| | - Zheng Li
- Shandong Academy for Environmental Planning, PR China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Land and Sea Ecological Governance and Systematic Regulation, PR China
| | - Feiyong Chen
- Resources and Environmental Innovation Institute, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan 250101, PR China
| | - Bingfang Shi
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Urban Water Environment, Baise University, Baise 533000, PR China
| | - Yonggang Li
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Urban Water Environment, Baise University, Baise 533000, PR China
| | - Zhaoliang Zhu
- School of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan 250101, PR China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Urban Water Environment, Baise University, Baise 533000, PR China
| | - Lin Wang
- School of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan 250101, PR China; Resources and Environmental Innovation Institute, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan 250101, PR China.
| | - Yan Jin
- School of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan 250101, PR China; Resources and Environmental Innovation Institute, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan 250101, PR China.
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4
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Zhao X, Niu Z, Ma Y, Zhang Y, Li Y, Zhang R. Exploring the dynamics of antibiotic resistome on plastic debris traveling from the river to the sea along a representative estuary based on field sequential transfer incubations. Sci Total Environ 2024; 923:171464. [PMID: 38447722 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
The environmental risks arising from ubiquitous microplastics or plastic debris (PD) acting as carriers of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) have attracted widespread attention. Enormous amounts of plastic waste are transported by rivers and traverse estuaries into the sea every year. However, changes in the antibiotic resistome within the plastisphere (the biofilms formed on PD) as PD travels through estuaries are largely unknown. In this study, we performed sequential migration incubations for PD along Haihe Estuary to simulate the natural process of PD floating from rivers to the ocean. Metagenomic sequencing and analysis techniques were used to track microbial communities and antibiotic resistome on migrating PD and in seawater representing the marine environment. The total relative gene copies of ARGs on traveling PD remained stable. As migration between greatly varied waters, additional ARG subtypes were recruited to the plastisphere. Above 80 % ARG subtypes identified in the plastisphere were persistent throughout the migration, and over 30 % of these persistent ARGs were undetected in seawater. The bacterial hosts composition of ARGs on PD progressively altered as transported downstream. Human pathogenic bacteria carrying ARGs (HPBs-ARG) exhibited decreasing trends in abundance and species number during transfer. Individual HPBs-ARG persisted on transferred PD and were absent in seawater samples, comprising Enterobacter cloacae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Based on all detected ARGs and HPBs-ARG, the Projection Pursuit model was applied to synthetically evaluate the potential risks of antibiotic resistance on migrating PD. Diminished risks on PD were observed upon the river-to-sea journey but consistently remained significantly higher than in seawater. The potential risks posed to marine environments by drifting PD as dispersal vectors for antibiotic resistance deserve greater attention. Our results provide initial insights into the dynamics or stability of antibiotic resistome on PD crossing distinct aquatic systems in field estuaries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinhai Zhao
- School of Marine Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Zhiguang Niu
- School of Marine Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; The International Joint Institute of Tianjin University, Fuzhou 350207, China.
| | - Yongzheng Ma
- School of Marine Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Yuna Li
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Rixin Zhang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China
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5
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Saygin H, Tilkili B, Karniyarik S, Baysal A. Culture dependent analysis of bacterial activity, biofilm-formation and oxidative stress of seawater with the contamination of microplastics under climate change consideration. Sci Total Environ 2024; 922:171103. [PMID: 38402970 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Temperature changes due to climate change and microplastic contamination are worldwide concerns, creating various problems in the marine environment. Therefore, this study was carried out to discover the impact of different temperatures of seawater exposed to different types of plastic materials on culture dependent bacterial responses and oxidative characteristics. Seawater was exposed to microplastics obtained from various plastic materials at different temperature (-18, +4, +20, and +35 °C) for seven days. Then microplastics were removed from the suspension and microplastic-exposed seawater samples were analyzed for bacterial activity, biofilm formation and oxidative characteristics (antioxidant, catalase, glutathione, and superoxide dismutase) using Gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus. The results showed that the activity and biofilm formation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus were affected through oxidative stress by catalase, glutathione, and superoxide dismutase due to the microplastic deformation by temperature changes. This study confirms that temperature changes as a result of climate change might influence microplastic degradation and their contamination impact in seawater in terms of bacterial metabolic and oxidation reactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hasan Saygin
- Application and Research Center for Advanced Studies, Istanbul Aydin University, Sefakoy Kucukcekmece, 34295 Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Batuhan Tilkili
- Health Services Vocational School of Higher Education, Istanbul Aydin University, Sefakoy Kucukcekmece, 34295 Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Sinem Karniyarik
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Istanbul Technical University, Maslak, Sariyer, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Asli Baysal
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Letters, Istanbul Technical University, Maslak, Sariyer, Istanbul, Turkey.
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6
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Pawano O, Jenpuntarat N, Streit WR, Pérez-García P, Pongtharangkul T, Phinyocheep P, Thayanukul P, Euanorasetr J, Intra B. Exploring untapped bacterial communities and potential polypropylene-degrading enzymes from mangrove sediment through metagenomics analysis. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1347119. [PMID: 38638899 PMCID: PMC11024650 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1347119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
The versatility of plastic has resulted in huge amounts being consumed annually. Mismanagement of post-consumption plastic material has led to plastic waste pollution. Biodegradation of plastic by microorganisms has emerged as a potential solution to this problem. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the microbial communities involved in the biodegradation of polypropylene (PP). Mangrove soil was enriched with virgin PP sheets or chemically pretreated PP comparing between 2 and 4 months enrichment to promote the growth of bacteria involved in PP biodegradation. The diversity of the resulting microbial communities was accessed through 16S metagenomic sequencing. The results indicated that Xanthomonadaceae, unclassified Gaiellales, and Nocardioidaceae were promoted during the enrichment. Additionally, shotgun metagenomics was used to investigate enzymes involved in plastic biodegradation. The results revealed the presence of various putative plastic-degrading enzymes in the mangrove soil, including alcohol dehydrogenase, aldehyde dehydrogenase, and alkane hydroxylase. The degradation of PP plastic was determined using Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Water Contact Angle measurements. The FTIR spectra showed a reduced peak intensity of enriched and pretreated PP compared to the control. SEM images revealed the presence of bacterial biofilms as well as cracks on the PP surface. Corresponding to the FTIR and SEM analysis, the water contact angle measurement indicated a decrease in the hydrophobicity of PP and pretreated PP surface during the enrichment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Onnipa Pawano
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Mahidol University and Osaka Collaborative Research Center on Bioscience and Biotechnology, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Nuttarin Jenpuntarat
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Mahidol University and Osaka Collaborative Research Center on Bioscience and Biotechnology, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Wolfgang R. Streit
- Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Pablo Pérez-García
- Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
- Molecular Microbiology, Institute of General Microbiology, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
| | | | - Pranee Phinyocheep
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Parinda Thayanukul
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Faculty of Science, Center of Excellence for Vectors and Vector-Borne Diseases, Mahidol University at Salaya, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
| | - Jirayut Euanorasetr
- Laboratory of Biotechnological Research for Energy and Bioactive Compound (BREBC), Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Bungonsiri Intra
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Mahidol University and Osaka Collaborative Research Center on Bioscience and Biotechnology, Bangkok, Thailand
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7
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Khan Z, Shah T, Haider G, Adnan F, Sheikh Z, El-Sheikh MA, Bhatti MF, Ahmad P. Mycorrhizosphere bacteria inhibit greenhouse gas emissions from microplastics contaminated soil by regulating soil enzyme activities and microbial community structure. J Environ Manage 2024; 356:120673. [PMID: 38508003 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2023] [Revised: 02/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) accumulation in terrestrial ecosystems can affect greenhouse gases (GHGs) production by altering microbial and soil structure. Presently, research on the MPs effect on plants is not consistent, and underlying molecular mechanisms associated with GHGs are yet unknown. For the first time, we conducted a microcosm study to explore the impact of MPs addition (Raw vs. aged) and Trichoderma longibrachiatum and Bacillus subtilis inoculation (Sole vs. combination) on GHGs emission, soil community structure, physiochemical properties, and enzyme activities. Our results indicated that the addition of aged MPs considerably enhanced the GHGs emissions (N2O (+16%) and CO2 (+21%), respectively), C and N cycling gene expression, microbial biomass carbon, and soil physiochemical properties than raw MPs. However, the soil microbial community structure and enzyme activities were enhanced in raw MPs added treatments, irrespective of the MPs type added to soil. However, microbial inoculation significantly reduced GHGs emission by altering the expression of C and N cycling genes in both types of MPs added treatments. The soil microbial community structure, enzymes activities, physiochemical properties and microbial biomass carbon were enhanced in the presence of microbial inoculation in both type of MPs. Among sole and combined inoculation of Trichoderma and Bacillus subtilis, the co-applied Trichoderma and Bacillus subtilis considerably reduced the GHGs emission (N2O (-64%) and CO2 (-61%), respectively) by altering the expression of C and N cycling genes regardless of MPs type used. The combined inoculation also enhanced soil enzyme activities, microbial community structure, physiochemical properties and microbial biomass carbon in both types of MPs treatment. Our findings provide evidence that polyethylene MPs likely pose a high risk of GHGs emission while combined application of Trichoderma and Bacillus subtilis significantly reduced GHGs emission by altering C and N cycling gene expression, soil microbial community structure, and enzyme activities under MPs pollution in a terrestrial ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeeshan Khan
- Atta-ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, 44000, Pakistan
| | - Tariq Shah
- Plant Science Research Unit United States Department for Agriculture -Agricultural Research Service, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Ghulam Haider
- Atta-ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, 44000, Pakistan
| | - Fazal Adnan
- Atta-ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, 44000, Pakistan
| | - Zeshan Sheikh
- Institute of Environmental Sciences and Engineering (IESE), School of Civil and Environmental Engineering (SCEE), National University of Science and Technology (NUST), Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
| | - Mohamed A El-Sheikh
- Botany and Microbiology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Muhammad Faraz Bhatti
- Atta-ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, 44000, Pakistan.
| | - Parvaiz Ahmad
- Department of Botany, GDC Pulwama-192301, Jammu and Kashmir, India
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8
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Ye J, Zhu Y, Chen H, Tang J, Zhao X, Sun X, Zhang J, Chen Y, Guo Y, Fang N, Tan Y, Zhang T. Land use, stratified wastewater and sediment, and microplastic attribute factors jointly influence the microplastic prevalence and bacterial colonization patterns in sewer habitats. Sci Total Environ 2024; 918:170653. [PMID: 38331294 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
The capacity of microplastics to harbor and propagate bacteria has been the focus of attention over the last decade. Such microplastic-supported bacterial colonization behavior in the municipal sewer system could be a critical ecological link influencing the biogeochemical activities and risks in receiving waters in urban areas, given the alarming microplastic loads discharged there. This study conducted a large-scale survey covering a wide range of residential and industrial catchments in Shanghai, China. We aimed to assess the microplastic prevalence and bacterial colonization patterns in different sewer habitats and to explore the role of land use, stratified wastewater and sediment, and microplastic attributes in shaping the patterns. We found that the sewer system formed a temporal but pronounced microplastic pool, with land use playing a significant role in the variability of microplastic prevalence. Industrial sewers contained a high abundance of microplastics with large particle sizes, diverse polymer compositions, and shapes. However, while there was a spatial discrepancy between urban and suburban areas in the abundance of microplastics in residential sewers, their predominant polymer and shape types were simple, i.e., polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and fibers. Sewer habitat characteristics, particularly the stratified wastewater and sediment determined microbial colonization patterns. The latter acted as a long-term sink for microplastics and supported the high growth of colonizers. In contrast, the wastewater plastisphere presented novel niches, hosting communities with a marked proportion of unique bacterial genera after colonization. Besides, statistics showed a highly positive and dense co-occurrence network of the plastisphere communities, especially those from the industrial sewer sediment, with enhanced metabolic activity, cellular processes and systems, and increased human pathogenic potential. Findings indicated a coarse and uncertain effect of the selective pressure of microplastic attributes on plastisphere community structure differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianfeng Ye
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Yi Zhu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Hao Chen
- Science and Technology Innovation Center for Eco-environmental Protection, Shanghai Investigation, Design & Research Institute Co., Ltd., Shanghai 200050, China; YANGTZE Eco-Environment Engineering Research Center, Three Gorges Corporation, Beijing 100038, China.
| | - Jianfei Tang
- College of Engineering, Shanghai Polytechnic University, Shanghai 201209, China
| | - Xin Zhao
- Shanghai Water Engineering Design and Research Institute Co., Ltd., Shanghai 200333, China
| | - Xiaonan Sun
- College of Environment, Hohai University, 210098, China
| | - Jinxu Zhang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Yu Chen
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Yali Guo
- Science and Technology Innovation Center for Eco-environmental Protection, Shanghai Investigation, Design & Research Institute Co., Ltd., Shanghai 200050, China; YANGTZE Eco-Environment Engineering Research Center, Three Gorges Corporation, Beijing 100038, China
| | - Ning Fang
- Science and Technology Innovation Center for Eco-environmental Protection, Shanghai Investigation, Design & Research Institute Co., Ltd., Shanghai 200050, China; YANGTZE Eco-Environment Engineering Research Center, Three Gorges Corporation, Beijing 100038, China
| | - Yaqin Tan
- Science and Technology Innovation Center for Eco-environmental Protection, Shanghai Investigation, Design & Research Institute Co., Ltd., Shanghai 200050, China; YANGTZE Eco-Environment Engineering Research Center, Three Gorges Corporation, Beijing 100038, China
| | - Ting Zhang
- Science and Technology Innovation Center for Eco-environmental Protection, Shanghai Investigation, Design & Research Institute Co., Ltd., Shanghai 200050, China; YANGTZE Eco-Environment Engineering Research Center, Three Gorges Corporation, Beijing 100038, China
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9
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Zhou R, Huang X, Xie Z, Ding Z, Wei H, Jin Q. A review focusing on mechanisms and ecological risks of enrichment and propagation of antibiotic resistance genes and mobile genetic elements by microplastic biofilms. Environ Res 2024; 251:118737. [PMID: 38493850 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2024] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) are emerging ubiquitous pollutants in aquatic environment and have received extensive global attention. In addition to the traditional studies related to the toxicity of MPs and their carrier effects, their unique surface-induced biofilm formation also increases the ecotoxicity potential of MPs from multiple perspectives. In this review, the ecological risks of MPs biofilms were summarized and assessed in detail from several aspects, including the formation and factors affecting the development of MPs biofilms, the selective enrichment and propagation mechanisms of current pollution status of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) in MPs biofilms, the dominant bacterial communities in MPs biofilms, as well as the potential risks of ARGs and MGEs transferring from MPs biofilms to aquatic organisms. On this basis, this paper also put forward the inadequacy and prospects of the current research and revealed that the MGEs-mediated ARG propagation on MPs under actual environmental conditions and the ecological risk of the transmission of ARGs and MGEs to aquatic organisms and human beings are hot spots for future research. Relevant research from the perspective of MPs biofilm should be carried out as soon as possible to provide support for the ecological pollution prevention and control of MPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranran Zhou
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, 30 Puzhu Southern Road, Nanjing, 211816, China
| | - Xirong Huang
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, 30 Puzhu Southern Road, Nanjing, 211816, China
| | - Zhongtang Xie
- College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, MOE Laboratory for Earth Surface Process, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
| | - Zhuhong Ding
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, 30 Puzhu Southern Road, Nanjing, 211816, China
| | - Hengchen Wei
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, 30 Puzhu Southern Road, Nanjing, 211816, China
| | - Qijie Jin
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, 30 Puzhu Southern Road, Nanjing, 211816, China
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10
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Shafi M, Lodh A, Khajuria M, Ranjan VP, Gani KM, Chowdhury S, Goel S. Are we underestimating stormwater? Stormwater as a significant source of microplastics in surface waters. J Hazard Mater 2024; 465:133445. [PMID: 38198866 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 01/01/2024] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Stormwater represent a critical pathway for transporting microplastics (MPs) to surface waters. Due to complex dynamics of MPs in stormwater, its dispersion, weathering, risk, and transport are poorly understood. This review bridges those gaps by summarizing the latest findings on sources, abundance, characteristics, and dynamics involved in stormwater MP pollution. Weathering starts before or after MPs enter stormwater and is more pronounced on land due to continuous heat and mechanical stress. Land use patterns, rainfall intensity, MPs size and density, and drainage characteristics influence the transport of MPs in stormwater. Tire and road wear particles (TRWPs), littering, and road dust are major sources of MPs in stormwater. The concentrations of MPs varies from 0.38-197,000 particles/L globally. Further MP concentrations showed regional variations, highlighting the importance of local monitoring efforts needed to understand local pollution sources. We observed unique signatures associated with the shape and color of MPs. Fibers and fragments were widely reported, with transparent and black being the predominant colors. We conclude that the contribution of stormwater to MP pollution in surface waters is significantly greater than wastewater treatment plant effluents and demands immediate attention. Field and lab scale studies are needed to understand its behavior in stormwater and the risk posed to the downstream water bodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mozim Shafi
- Environmental Engineering and Management Division, Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal 721302, India
| | - Ayan Lodh
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal 721302, India
| | - Medha Khajuria
- Department of Civil Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir 190006, India
| | - Ved Prakash Ranjan
- CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI), Nehru Marg, Nagpur 440020, India
| | - Khalid Muzamil Gani
- Department of Civil Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir 190006, India
| | - Shamik Chowdhury
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal 721302, India
| | - Sudha Goel
- Environmental Engineering and Management Division, Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal 721302, India; School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal 721302, India.
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11
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Huang H, Shi Y, Gong Z, Wang J, Zheng L, Gao S. Revealing the characteristics of biofilms on different polypropylene plastic products: Comparison between disposable masks and takeaway boxes. J Hazard Mater 2024; 465:133400. [PMID: 38198871 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.133400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
The increasingly severe plastic pollution issue was intensified by the enormous plastic emissions into ecosystems during the Covid-19 pandemic. Plastic wastes entering the environment were swiftly exposed to microorganisms and colonized by biofilms, and the plastic-biofilm combined effects further influenced the ecosystem. However, the non-woven structure of disposable masks discarded carelessly during the COVID-19 pandemic was different from those of plastics with flat surface. To reveal the potential effects of plastic structure on colonized biofilms, white disposable surgical masks (DM) and transparent takeaway boxes (TB), both made of polyethylene, were selected for the incubation of organic conditioning films and biofilms. The results indicated that the non-woven structure of disposable mask was destroyed by the influence of water infiltration and biofilm colonization. The influence of surface structure on conditioning films led to a relatively higher proportion of tryptophan-like substances on DM than those on TB samples. Therefore, biofilms with significantly higher microbial biomass and carbon metabolic capacity were formed on DM than those on TB samples owing to the combined effects of their differences in surface structure and conditioning films. Moreover, abundant functional microorganisms associated with stress tolerance, carbon metabolism and biofilm formation were observed in biofilms on disposable mask. Combining with the results of partial least squares regression analysis, the selective colonization of functional microorganisms on disposable masks with uneven surface longitudinal fluctuation was revealed. Although the predicted functions of biofilms on disposable masks and takeaway boxes showed more similarity to each other than to those of free-living aquatic microorganisms owing to the existence of the plastisphere, biofilms on disposable masks may potentially trigger environmental risks different from those of takeaway boxes by unique carbon metabolism and abundant biomass.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hexinyue Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanqi Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhimin Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiahao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, People's Republic of China
| | - Lezhou Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, People's Republic of China
| | - Shixiang Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, People's Republic of China.
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12
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Huang JN, Xu L, Wen B, Gao JZ, Chen ZZ. Reshaping the plastisphere upon deposition: Promote N 2O production through affecting sediment microbial communities in aquaculture pond. J Hazard Mater 2024; 465:133290. [PMID: 38134685 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.133290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) could provide vector for microorganisms to form biofilm (plastisphere), but the shaping process of MPs biofilm and its effects on the structure and function of sedimentary microbial communities especially in aquaculture environments are not reported. For this, we incubated MPs biofilm in situ in an aquaculture pond and established a sediment microcosm with plastisphere. We found that the formation of MPs biofilm in surface water was basically stable after 30 d incubation, but the biofilm communities were reshaped after deposition for another 30 d, because they were more similar to plastisphere communities incubated directly within sediment but not surface water. Moreover, microbial communities of MPs-contaminated sediment were altered, which was mainly driven by the biofilm communities present on MPs, because they but not sediment communities in proximity to MPs had a more pronounced separation from the control sediment communities. In the presence of MPs, increased sediment nitrification, denitrification and N2O production rates were observed. The K00371 (NO2-⇋NO3-) pathway and elevated abundance of nxrB and narH genes were screened by metagenomic analysis. Based on structural equation model, two key bacteria (Alphaproteobacteria bacterium and Rhodobacteraceae bacterium) associated with N2O production were further identified. Overall, the settling of MPs could reshape the original biofilm and promote N2O production by selectively elevating sedimental microorganisms and functional genes in aquaculture pond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Nan Huang
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Lei Xu
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Bin Wen
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; National Demonstration Center for Experimental Fisheries Science Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China.
| | - Jian-Zhong Gao
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; National Demonstration Center for Experimental Fisheries Science Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Zai-Zhong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; National Demonstration Center for Experimental Fisheries Science Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China.
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Kim H, Yoo K. Marine plastisphere selectively enriches microbial assemblages and antibiotic resistance genes during long-term cultivation periods. Environ Pollut 2024; 344:123450. [PMID: 38280464 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Revised: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 01/29/2024]
Abstract
Several studies have focused on identifying and quantifying suspended plastics in surface and subsurface seawater. Microplastics (MPs) have attracted attention as carriers of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the marine environment. Plastispheres, specific biofilms on MP, can provide an ideal niche to spread more widely through horizontal gene transfer (HGT), thereby increasing risks to ecosystems and human health. However, the microbial communities formed on different plastic types and ARG abundances during exposure time in natural marine environments remain unclear. Four types of commonly used MPs (polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC)) were periodically cultured (46, 63, and 102 d) in a field-based marine environment to study the co-selection of ARGs and microbial communities in marine plastispheres. After the first 63 d of incubation (p < 0.05), the initial 16S rRNA gene abundance of microorganisms in the plastisphere increased significantly, and the biomass subsequently decreased. These results suggest that MPs can serve as vehicles for various microorganisms to travel to different environments and eventually provide a niche for a variety of microorganisms. Additionally, the qPCR results showed that MPs selectively enriched ARGs. In particular, tetA, tetQ, sul1, and qnrS were selectively enriched in the PVC-MPs. The abundances of intl1, a mobile genetic element, was measured in all MP types for 46 d (5.22 × 10-5 ± 8.21 × 10-6 copies/16s rRNA gene copies), 63 d (5.90 × 10-5 ± 2.49 × 10-6 copies/16s rRNA gene copies), and 102 d (4.00 × 10-5 ± 5.11 × 10-6 copies/16s rRNA gene copies). Network analysis indicated that ARG profiles co-occurred with key biofilm-forming bacteria. This study suggests that the selection of ARGs and their co-occurring bacteria in MPs could potentially accelerate their transmission through HGT in natural marine plastics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyunsu Kim
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Korea Maritime and Ocean University, Busan, 49112, South Korea; Interdisciplinary Major of Ocean Renewable Energy Engineering, Korea Maritime and Ocean University, Busan, 49112, South Korea
| | - Keunje Yoo
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Korea Maritime and Ocean University, Busan, 49112, South Korea; Interdisciplinary Major of Ocean Renewable Energy Engineering, Korea Maritime and Ocean University, Busan, 49112, South Korea.
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Song H, Xiao S, Zhou X, Li Y, Tao M, Wu F, Xu X. Temporal dynamics of bacterial colonization on five types of microplastics in a freshwater lake. Sci Total Environ 2024; 913:169697. [PMID: 38163614 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs), as a new substrate, provide a unique niche for microbial colonization in the freshwater ecosystems; however, the impacts of long-term MP exposure on colonized bacteria are still unclear. In this study, five MP types were exposed in a freshwater lake for approximately one year, and the MP particles, together with the surrounding water, were collected on days 60, 150, 250 and 330 during the in situ field experiment. Bacteria on the MP surface, as well as free-living bacteria in the surrounding water, were analyzed to evaluate the temporal dynamics of these bacterial communities. Results show that all five MP types exhibited signs of degradation during the exposure process. Additionally, the alpha diversity, community structure and composition of MP-attached bacteria significantly differed from that of the free-living bacteria in the surrounding water, indicating that the five MP types could provide a preferable niche for bacterial colonization in a freshwater environment. Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, Verrucomicrobiota, Actinobacteriota and Firmicutes were the top five dominant phyla. Some plastic-degrading bacteria included in these phyla were detected, verifying that MP-attached biofilms had a certain degree of MP degradation potential. Some potentially pathogenic bacteria were also detected, suggesting an ecological threat for spreading disease in the aquatic ecosystem. Furthermore, the bacterial community and some metabolic pathways were significantly affected by the MP type (P < 0.01) and exposure time (P < 0.01), indicating that the presence of MPs not only alters the bacterial community structure and composition, but also influences their potential functional properties in freshwater ecosystems. Multiple factors, including the physicochemical properties related to MPs and the environmental parameters of the surrounding water, affect the community composition and the function of MP-attached bacteria to different degrees. Our findings indicate that the presence of MPs has a potential ecological impact on freshwater ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiya Song
- School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Sisi Xiao
- School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Xiaohong Zhou
- School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China.
| | - Yanan Li
- School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Miaomiao Tao
- School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Fan Wu
- School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Xiaohong Xu
- School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
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15
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Xu M, Chen M, Pan C, Xu RZ, Gao P, Chen HQ, Shen XX. Microplastics shape microbial interactions and affect the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes in different full-scale wastewater treatment plants. Sci Total Environ 2024; 912:168313. [PMID: 38007128 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/27/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) pose a potential threat to the environment because of the accumulation of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and microplastics (MPs). However, the interactions between ARGs and MPs, which have both indirect and direct effects on ARG dissemination in WWTPs, remain unclear. In this study, spatiotemporal variations in different types of MPs, ten ARGs (sul1, sul2, tetA, tetO, tetM, tetX, tetW, qnrS, ermB, and ermC), class 1 integron integrase (intI1) and transposon Tn916/1545 in three typical WWTPs were characterized. Sul1, tetO, and sul2 were the predominant ARGs in the targeted WWTPs, whereas the intI1 and transposon Tn916/1545 were positively correlated with most of the targeted ARGs. Saccharimonadales (4.15 %), Trichococcus (2.60 %), Nitrospira (1.96 %), Candidatus amarolinea (1.79 %), and SC-I-84 (belonging to phylum Proteobacteria) (1.78 %) were the dominant genera. Network and redundancy analyses showed that Trichococcus, Faecalibacterium, Arcobacter, and Prevotella copri were potential hosts of ARGs, whereas Candidatus campbellbacteria and Candidatus kaiserbacteria were negatively correlated with ARGs. The potential hosts of ARGs had a strong positive correlation with polyethylene terephthalate, silicone resin, and fluor rubber and a negative correlation with polyurethane. Candidatus campbellbacteria and Candidatus kaiserbacteria were positively correlated with polyurethane, whereas potential hosts of ARGs were positively correlated with polypropylene and fluor rubber. Structural equation modeling highlighted that intI1, transposon Tn916/1545 and microbial communities, particularly microbial diversity, dominated the dissemination of ARGs, whereas MPs had a significant positive correlation with microbial abundance. Our study deepens the understanding of the relationships between ARGs and MPs in WWTPs, which will be helpful in designing strategies for inhibiting ARG hosts in WWTPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Xu
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Mengkai Chen
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Chengyu Pan
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Run-Ze Xu
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Peng Gao
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Hao-Qiang Chen
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Xiao-Xiao Shen
- Institute of Water Science and Technology, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; The National Key Laboratory of Water Disaster Prevention, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China.
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16
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Yang M, Zhao L, Yu X, Shu W, Cao F, Liu Q, Liu M, Wang J, Jiang Y. Microbial community structure and co-occurrence network stability in seawater and microplastic biofilms under prometryn pollution in marine ecosystems. Mar Pollut Bull 2024; 199:115960. [PMID: 38159383 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Prometryn has been extensively detected in marine environment because of its widespread usage in agriculture and aquaculture and has been concerns since its serious effects on aquatic organisms. However, its impact on the microbial community in the marine ecosystem including seawater and biofilm is still unclear. Therefore, a short-term indoor microcosm experiment of prometryn exposure was conducted. This study found that prometryn had a more significant impact on the structure and stability of the microbial community in seawater compared to microplastic biofilms. Additionally, we observed that the assembly of the microbial community in biofilms was more affected by stochastic processes than in seawater under the exposure of prometryn. Our study provided evidence for the increasing impact of the microbial communities under the stress of prometryn and microplastics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengyao Yang
- College of Marine Life Sciences & Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Lingchao Zhao
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Xiaowen Yu
- College of Marine Life Sciences & Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Wangxinze Shu
- Fisheries College, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Furong Cao
- College of Marine Life Sciences & Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Qian Liu
- Institute of Marine Science and Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Mingjian Liu
- College of Marine Life Sciences & Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China; MoE Key Laboratory of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Jun Wang
- College of Marine Life Sciences & Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Yong Jiang
- College of Marine Life Sciences & Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China; MoE Key Laboratory of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China.
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Chen Y, Yan Z, Zhou Y, Zhang Y, Jiang R, Wang M, Yuan S, Lu G. Dynamic evolution of antibiotic resistance genes in plastisphere in the vertical profile of urban rivers. Water Res 2024; 249:120946. [PMID: 38043355 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) can vertically transport in the aquatic environment due to their aging and biofouling, forming distinct plastisphere in different water layers. However, even though MPs have been regarded as hotspots for antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), little is known about the propagation and transfer of ARGs in plastisphere in waters, especially in the vertical profile. Therefore, this study investigated the dynamic responses and evolution of ARGs in different plastisphere distributed vertically in an urbanized river. The biofilm biomass in the polylactic acid (PLA) plastisphere was relatively higher than that in the polyethylene terephthalate (PET), showing depth-decay variations. The ARGs abundance in plastisphere were much higher than that in the surrounding waters, especially for the PLA. In the vertical profiles, the ARGs abundance in the PET plastisphere increased with water depths, while the highest abundance of ARGs in the PLA mostly appeared at intermediate waters. In the temporal dynamic, the ARGs abundance in plastisphere increased and then decreased, which may be dominated by the MP types at the initial periods. After long-term exposure, the influences of water depths seemed to be strengthened, especially in the PET plastisphere. Compared with surface waters, the microbiota attached in plastisphere in deep waters showed high species richness, strong diversity, and complex interactions, which was basically consistent with the changes of nutrient contents in different water layers. These vertical variations in microbiota and nutrients (e.g., nitrogen) may be responsible for the propagation of ARGs in plastisphere in deep waters. The host bacteria for ARGs in plastisphere was also developed as water depth increased, leading to an enrichment of ARGs in deep waters. In addition, the abundance of ARGs in plastisphere in bottom waters was positively correlated with the mobile genetic elements (MGEs) of intI1 and tnpA05, indicative of a frequent horizontal gene transfer of ARGs. Overall, water depth played a critical role in the propagation of ARGs in plastisphere, which should not be ignored in a long time series. This study provides new insights into the dynamic evolution of ARGs propagation in plastisphere under increasing global MPs pollution, especially in the vertical profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yufang Chen
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes of Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Zhenhua Yan
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes of Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China.
| | - Yixin Zhou
- College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes of Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Runren Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes of Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Min Wang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes of Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Saiyu Yuan
- The National Key Laboratory of Water Disaster Prevention, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Guanghua Lu
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes of Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
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18
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Vercauteren M, Lambert S, Hoogerwerf E, Janssen CR, Asselman J. Microplastic-specific biofilm growth determines the vertical transport of plastics in freshwater. Sci Total Environ 2024; 910:168399. [PMID: 37981154 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the sinking behavior of microplastics in freshwater is essential for assessing their environmental impact, guiding research efforts, and formulating effective policies to mitigate plastic pollution. Sinking behavior is a complex process driven by plastic density, environmental factors and particle characteristics. Moreover, the growth of biological entities on the plastic surface can affect the total density of the microplastics and thus influence the sinking behavior. Yet, our understanding of these processes in freshwater is still limited. Our research thus focused on studying biofilm growth on microplastics in freshwater. Therefore, we evaluated biofilm growth on five different polymer types (both microplastic particles and plates) which were incubated in freshwater for 63 days in a controlled laboratory setting. Biofilm growth (mass-based) was used to compare biofilm growth between polymer types, surface roughness and study the changes over time. Understanding the temporal aspect of biofilm growth enabled us to refine calculations on the predicted effect of biofilm growth on the settling behavior in freshwater. The results showed that biofilm formation is polymer-specific but also affected by surface roughness, with a rougher surface promoting biofilm growth. For PET and PS, biofilm tended to grow exponentially during 63 days of incubation. Based on our calculations, biofilm growth did affect the sinking behavior differently based on the polymer type, size and density. Rivers can function as sinks for some particles such as large PET particles. Nevertheless, for others, the likelihood of settling within river systems appears limited, thereby increasing the probability of their transit to estuarine or oceanic environments under hydrometeorological influences. While the complexity of biofilm dynamics on plastic surfaces is not fully understood, our findings help to elucidate the effect of biofilms on the vertical behavior of microplastics in freshwater systems hereby offering knowledge to interpret observed patterns in environmental plastic concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maaike Vercauteren
- Blue Growth Research Lab, Ghent University, Wetenschapspark 1, Bluebridge, 8400 Oostende, Belgium.
| | - Silke Lambert
- Blue Growth Research Lab, Ghent University, Wetenschapspark 1, Bluebridge, 8400 Oostende, Belgium
| | - Esther Hoogerwerf
- Blue Growth Research Lab, Ghent University, Wetenschapspark 1, Bluebridge, 8400 Oostende, Belgium
| | - Colin R Janssen
- Blue Growth Research Lab, Ghent University, Wetenschapspark 1, Bluebridge, 8400 Oostende, Belgium; GhEnToxLab, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jana Asselman
- Blue Growth Research Lab, Ghent University, Wetenschapspark 1, Bluebridge, 8400 Oostende, Belgium
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19
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Meng D, Li Y. Assessing the Settling Velocity of Biofilm-Encrusted Microplastics: Accounting for Biofilms as an Equivalent to Surface Roughness. Environ Sci Technol 2024; 58:1329-1337. [PMID: 38163930 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c07147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
While it is well established that a biofilm contributes to the sinking of plastics, the underlying mechanisms of how it influences the vertical transport of plastics have not been well explained. In this context, our study dives into the intricate effects of biofouling on the settling velocity (Ws) of microplastics (MPs) within the fluid. We adopt the perspective that the biofilm is a form of surface roughness impacting the drag coefficient (Cd) and vertical settling of MPs. By advancing the biofouling process model, we simulate the temporal variations of density and biofilm thickness of biofouled floating MPs, accounting for realistic parameters and assuming a layer-by-layer growth of biofilm on plastisphere surfaces. MPs of polyethylene (PE) exhibit a quicker initiation of descent compared to their polypropylene (PP) counterparts. Furthermore, leveraging computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation, the method to predict the Cd of spherical MPs with surface roughness is established. By treating the thickness of the biofilm as roughness height, an explicit method to predict the Ws of biofouled MPs is derived. The settling experiments for biofouled MPs conducted not only support the combination of the biofouling model and the explicit method to predict the Ws of biofouled MPs but also enhance the prediction accuracy by introducing a ratio parameter Co to better relate the equivalent surface roughness height (k) to the biofilm thickness (σ), i.e., k = Co·σ, where the recommended value of Co for spherical PP and PE MPs is between 0.5 to 0.8. This study, thus, provides new insights into the dynamics of biofouled MPs in hydraulic ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daizong Meng
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117576, Republic of Singapore
| | - Yuzhu Li
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117576, Republic of Singapore
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20
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Graca B, Rychter A, Staniszewska M, Pryputniewicz-Flis D. The seasonality of the concentration of endocrine phenolic compounds in the matter attached to the surface of microplastics. Sci Total Environ 2024; 908:168400. [PMID: 37939964 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
Rapid biofilm formation on microplastic (MP) surfaces in marine environments and the tendency of hydrophobic pollutants to bioaccumulate may increase the exposure of organisms to ingested plastics and transport pollutants far from their sources. The role of the matter attached to MPs (MaM) in the interactions between MPs and other pollutants in marine environments is poorly understood. This paper studies pollutant sorption in MaM for three phenolic endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs): bisphenol A (BPA), 4-tert-octylphenol (4-t-OP), and 4-nonylphenol (4-NP). Polypropylene (PP), expanded polystyrene (EPS), and polylactide (PLA) MPs were exposed to an environment conducive to biofouling (Vistula Lagoon, Baltic Sea) for four weeks in summer, spring, and winter. The concentrations of EDCs in MaM and the suspended particulate matter (SPM) were similar and were 2-3 orders of magnitude higher than those in water and sediment. The type and morphology of the polymers were less significant for determining the concentrations of EDCs in MaM than the season. The concentrations were higher in the growing season than in winter. EDCs increased linearly with the increase in particulate organic carbon. The relationships between organic carbon partition coefficients and octanol/water partition coefficients indicate that hydrophobic partitioning into organic matter was the dominant mechanism of 4-t-OP and 4-NP binding in MaM and in SPM. For BPA, additional sorption mechanisms seem to be significant. In addition to the direct sorption from ambient water, the binding of phytoplankton-derived particles, most probably via attachment to extracellular polymeric substances, appears to be a source of EDCs in MPs. Rough estimates showed that the largest load of particulate matter and EDCs was attached to expanded polystyrene. This study suggests that the potential negative impacts of MPs on the environment are seasonal and that low-density porous plastics can be particularly effective carriers of large EDC loads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bożena Graca
- University of Gdansk, Faculty of Oceanography and Geography, Al. Marszałka Piłsudskiego 46, 81-378 Gdynia, Poland.
| | - Agata Rychter
- University of Applied Sciences in Elbląg, Ul. Wojska Polskiego 1, 82-300 Elbląg, Poland
| | - Marta Staniszewska
- University of Gdansk, Faculty of Oceanography and Geography, Al. Marszałka Piłsudskiego 46, 81-378 Gdynia, Poland
| | - Dorota Pryputniewicz-Flis
- University of Gdansk, Faculty of Oceanography and Geography, Al. Marszałka Piłsudskiego 46, 81-378 Gdynia, Poland
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21
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Buhari SB, Nezhad NG, Normi YM, Shariff FM, Leow TC. Insight on recently discovered PET polyester-degrading enzymes, thermostability and activity analyses. 3 Biotech 2024; 14:31. [PMID: 38178895 PMCID: PMC10761646 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-023-03882-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
The flexibility and the low production costs offered by plastics have made them crucial to society. Unfortunately, due to their resistance to biological degradation, plastics remain in the environment for an extended period of time, posing a growing risk to life on earth. Synthetic treatments of plastic waste damage the environment and may cause damage to human health. Bacterial and fungal isolates have been reported to degrade plastic polymers in a logistic safe approach with the help of their microbial cell enzymes. Recently, the bacterial strain Ideonella sakaiensis (201-F6) was discovered to break down and assimilate polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic via metabolic processes at 30 °C to 37 °C. PETase and MHETase enzymes help the bacterium to accomplish such tremendous action at lower temperatures than previously discovered enzymes. In addition to functioning at low temperatures, the noble bacterium's enzymes have amazing qualities over pH and PET plastic degradation, including a shorter period of degradation. It has been proven that using the enzyme PETase, this bacterium hydrolyzes the ester linkages of PET plastic, resulting in production of terephthalic acid (TPA), nontoxic compound and mono-2-hydroxyethyl (MHET), along with further depolymerization of MHET to release ethylene glycogen (EG) and terephthalic acid (TPA) by the second enzyme MHETase. Enzymatic plastic degradation has been proposed as an environmentally friendly and long-term solution to plastic waste in the environment. As a result, this review focuses on the enzymes involved in hydrolyzing PET plastic polymers, as well as some of the other microorganisms involved in plastic degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunusi Bataiya Buhari
- Enzyme and Microbial Research Center, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor Malaysia
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor Malaysia
| | - Nima Ghahremani Nezhad
- Enzyme and Microbial Research Center, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor Malaysia
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor Malaysia
| | - Yahaya M. Normi
- Enzyme and Microbial Research Center, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor Malaysia
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor Malaysia
| | - Fairolniza Mohd Shariff
- Enzyme and Microbial Research Center, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor Malaysia
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor Malaysia
| | - Thean Chor Leow
- Enzyme and Microbial Research Center, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor Malaysia
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor Malaysia
- Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor Malaysia
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22
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Sababadichetty L, Miltgen G, Vincent B, Guilhaumon F, Lenoble V, Thibault M, Bureau S, Tortosa P, Bouvier T, Jourand P. Microplastics in the insular marine environment of the Southwest Indian Ocean carry a microbiome including antimicrobial resistant (AMR) bacteria: A case study from Reunion Island. Mar Pollut Bull 2024; 198:115911. [PMID: 38103498 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
The increasing threats to ecosystems and humans from marine plastic pollution require a comprehensive assessment. We present a plastisphere case study from Reunion Island, a remote oceanic island located in the Southwest Indian Ocean, polluted by plastics. We characterized the plastic pollution on the island's coastal waters, described the associated microbiome, explored viable bacterial flora and the presence of antimicrobial resistant (AMR) bacteria. Reunion Island faces plastic pollution with up to 10,000 items/km2 in coastal water. These plastics host microbiomes dominated by Proteobacteria (80 %), including dominant genera such as Psychrobacter, Photobacterium, Pseudoalteromonas and Vibrio. Culturable microbiomes reach 107 CFU/g of microplastics, with dominance of Exiguobacterium and Pseudomonas. Plastics also carry AMR bacteria including β-lactam resistance. Thus, Southwest Indian Ocean islands are facing serious plastic pollution. This pollution requires vigilant monitoring as it harbors a plastisphere including AMR, that threatens pristine ecosystems and potentially human health through the marine food chain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loik Sababadichetty
- Université de La Réunion, UMR ENTROPIE, 15 Avenue René Cassin, CS 92003, 97744 Saint Denis Cedex 9, La Réunion, France; CHU, Laboratoire de Bactériologie, CHU Félix Guyon, Allée des Topazes, 97400 Saint-Denis, La Réunion, France
| | - Guillaume Miltgen
- CHU, Laboratoire de Bactériologie, CHU Félix Guyon, Allée des Topazes, 97400 Saint-Denis, La Réunion, France; Université de La Réunion, UMR PIMIT Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical, CNRS 9192, INSERM 1187, IRD 249, Plateforme de recherche CYROI, 2 rue Maxime Rivière, 97490 Ste Clotilde, La Réunion, France
| | - Bryan Vincent
- CIRAD, UMR040 LSTM, Campus Agro Environnemental Caraïbe, BP 214-97285, Cedex 2 le Lamentin, Martinique, Antilles Françaises, France
| | - François Guilhaumon
- IRD, UMR ENTROPIE, 15 Avenue René Cassin, CS 92003, 97744 Saint Denis Cedex 9, La Réunion, France
| | - Veronique Lenoble
- Université de Toulon, Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, IRD, UMR MIO, 83 Toulon, France
| | - Margot Thibault
- Université de La Réunion, UMR ENTROPIE, 15 Avenue René Cassin, CS 92003, 97744 Saint Denis Cedex 9, La Réunion, France; The Ocean Cleanup, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; CNRS, Université Toulouse III, Laboratoire des Interactions Moléculaires et Réactivité Chimique et Photochimique (IMRCP), UMR 5623, Toulouse, France
| | - Sophie Bureau
- Université de La Réunion, UMR ENTROPIE, 15 Avenue René Cassin, CS 92003, 97744 Saint Denis Cedex 9, La Réunion, France
| | - Pablo Tortosa
- Université de La Réunion, UMR PIMIT Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical, CNRS 9192, INSERM 1187, IRD 249, Plateforme de recherche CYROI, 2 rue Maxime Rivière, 97490 Ste Clotilde, La Réunion, France
| | - Thierry Bouvier
- UMR MARBEC, Université Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Philippe Jourand
- IRD, UMR ENTROPIE, 15 Avenue René Cassin, CS 92003, 97744 Saint Denis Cedex 9, La Réunion, France.
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23
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Hu S, Johnson DM, Jiang M, Zhang J, Huang Y, Xi Y, Xu T. The effect of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) color on biofilm development and biofilm-heavy metal chemodynamics in the aquatic environment. Sci Total Environ 2023; 905:166924. [PMID: 37704145 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
Plastic surfaces are colonized by microorganisms and biofilms are formed in the natural aquatic environment. As the biofilm develops, it changes the density and buoyancy of the plastic-biofilm complex, results in plastic sinking, and increases the heavy metals accumulated by biofilm's mobility and availability in aquatic ecosystems. In this experiment, biofilms were cultured on five colors of polyvinyl chloride (PVC; transparent, green, blue, red, black) in an aquatic environment to investigate the effects of plastic color on biofilm formation and development (Phase 1) and to study the effects of being sunk below the photic zone on biofilm (Phase 2). The PVC color significantly affected the biofilm formation rate but had no impact on the final biofilm biomass. After sinking the biofilm-PVC below the photic zone in Phase 2, the layer of diatoms on the biofilm surface began to disintegrate, and the biomass and Chlorophyll-a (Chla) content of the biofilm decreased, except on the red PVC. Below the photic zone, the microbial community of the biofilm changed from primarily autotrophic microbes to mostly heterotrophic microbes. Microbial diversity increased and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) content decreased. The primary factor leading to microbial diversity and community structure changes was water depth rather than PVC color. The changes induced in the biofilm led to an increase in the concentration of all heavy metals in the biofilm, related to the increase in microbial diversity. This study provides new insights into the biofilm formation process and the effects on a biofilm when it sinks below the photic zone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Hu
- College of Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China; Engineering Research Center of Eco-Environment in Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China
| | - David M Johnson
- College of Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China; Engineering Research Center of Eco-Environment in Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China
| | - Menghan Jiang
- Engineering Research Center of Eco-Environment in Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China; College of Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China
| | - Junjie Zhang
- College of Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China; Engineering Research Center of Eco-Environment in Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China
| | - Yingping Huang
- Engineering Research Center of Eco-Environment in Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China; College of Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China
| | - Ying Xi
- Engineering Research Center of Eco-Environment in Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China; College of Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China
| | - Tao Xu
- College of Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China; Engineering Research Center of Eco-Environment in Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, Hubei, China.
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24
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Oluwoye I, Machuca LL, Higgins S, Suh S, Galloway TS, Halley P, Tanaka S, Iannuzzi M. Degradation and lifetime prediction of plastics in subsea and offshore infrastructures. Sci Total Environ 2023; 904:166719. [PMID: 37673242 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
Engineering and civil developments have relied on synthetic polymers and plastics (including polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide, etc.) for decades, especially where their durability protects engineering structures against corrosion and other environmental stimuli. Offshore oil and gas infrastructure and renewable energy platforms are typical examples, where these plastics (100,000 s of metric tonnes worldwide) are used primarily as functional material to protect metallic flowlines and subsea equipment against seawater corrosion. Despite this, the current literature on polymers is limited to sea-surface environments, and a model for subsea degradation of plastics is needed. In this review, we collate relevant studies on the degradation of plastics and synthetic polymers in marine environments to gain insight into the fate of these materials when left in subsea conditions. We present a new mathematical model that accounts for various physicochemical changes in the oceanic environment as a function of depth to predict the lifespan of synthetic plastics and the possible formation of plastic debris, e.g., microplastics. We found that the degradation rate of the plastics decreases significantly as a function of water depth and can be estimated quantitatively by the mathematical model that accounts for the effect (and sensitivity) of geographical location, temperature, light intensity, hydrostatic pressure, and marine sediments. For instance, it takes a subsea polyethylene coating about 800 years to degrade on ocean floor (as opposed to <400 years in shallow coastal waters), generating 1000s of particles per g of degradation under certain conditions. Our results demonstrate how suspended sediments in the water column are likely to compensate for the decreasing depth-corrected degradation rates, resulting in surface abrasion and the formation of plastic debris such as microplastics. This review, and the complementing data, will be significant for the environmental impact assessment of plastics in subsea infrastructures. Moreover, as these infrastructures reach the end of their service life, the management of the plastic components becomes of great interest to environmental regulators, industry, and the community, considering the known sizeable impacts of plastics on global biogeochemical cycles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ibukun Oluwoye
- Curtin Corrosion Centre, Western Australian School of Mines: Minerals, Energy and Chemical Engineering, Curtin University, Perth, Australia; Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Yoshida-Honmachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan.
| | - Laura L Machuca
- Curtin Corrosion Centre, Western Australian School of Mines: Minerals, Energy and Chemical Engineering, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
| | - Stuart Higgins
- Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6824, Australia
| | - Sangwon Suh
- Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Tamara S Galloway
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Peter Halley
- School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Shuhei Tanaka
- Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Yoshida-Honmachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Mariano Iannuzzi
- Curtin Corrosion Centre, Western Australian School of Mines: Minerals, Energy and Chemical Engineering, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
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25
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Bos RP, Kaul D, Zettler ER, Hoffman JM, Dupont CL, Amaral-Zettler LA, Mincer TJ. Plastics select for distinct early colonizing microbial populations with reproducible traits across environmental gradients. Environ Microbiol 2023; 25:2761-2775. [PMID: 37132662 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Little is known about early plastic biofilm assemblage dynamics and successional changes over time. By incubating virgin microplastics along oceanic transects and comparing adhered microbial communities with those of naturally occurring plastic litter at the same locations, we constructed gene catalogues to contrast the metabolic differences between early and mature biofilm communities. Early colonization incubations were reproducibly dominated by Alteromonadaceae and harboured significantly higher proportions of genes associated with adhesion, biofilm formation, chemotaxis, hydrocarbon degradation and motility. Comparative genomic analyses among the Alteromonadaceae metagenome assembled genomes (MAGs) highlighted the importance of the mannose-sensitive hemagglutinin (MSHA) operon, recognized as a key factor for intestinal colonization, for early colonization of hydrophobic plastic surfaces. Synteny alignments of MSHA also demonstrated positive selection for mshA alleles across all MAGs, suggesting that mshA provides a competitive advantage for surface colonization and nutrient acquisition. Large-scale genomic characteristics of early colonizers varied little, despite environmental variability. Mature plastic biofilms were composed of predominantly Rhodobacteraceae and displayed significantly higher proportions of carbohydrate hydrolysis enzymes and genes for photosynthesis and secondary metabolism. Our metagenomic analyses provide insight into early biofilm formation on plastics in the ocean and how early colonizers self-assemble, compared to mature, phylogenetically and metabolically diverse biofilms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan P Bos
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Fort Pierce, Florida, USA
| | - Drishti Kaul
- Environmental Sustainability, J. Craig Venter Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Erik R Zettler
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Texel, The Netherlands
| | - Jeffrey M Hoffman
- Environmental Sustainability, J. Craig Venter Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Christopher L Dupont
- Environmental Sustainability, J. Craig Venter Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Linda A Amaral-Zettler
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Texel, The Netherlands
- Department of Freshwater and Marine Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Josephine Bay Paul Center for Comparative Molecular Biology and Evolution, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Tracy J Mincer
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Fort Pierce, Florida, USA
- Department of Biology, Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, Florida, USA
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26
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Silva V, Pérez V, Gillanders BM. Short-term plastisphere colonization dynamics across six plastic types. Environ Microbiol 2023; 25:2732-2745. [PMID: 37341062 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023]
Abstract
Marine plastic pollution is a major concern worldwide, but the understanding of plastisphere dynamics remains limited in the southern hemisphere. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a study in South Australia to investigate the prokaryotic community of the plastisphere and its temporal changes over 4 weeks. We submerged six plastic types (i.e., High-Density Polyethylene [HDPE], Polyvinyl chloride [PVC], Low-Density Polyethylene [LDPE], Polypropylene [PP], Polystyrene [PS] and the understudied textile, polyester [PET]) and wood in seawater and sampled them weekly to characterize the prokaryotic community using 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding. Our results showed that the plastisphere composition shifted significantly over short time scales (i.e., 4 weeks), and each plastic type had distinct groups of unique genera. In particular, the PVC plastisphere was dominated by Cellvibrionaceae taxa, distinguishing it from other plastics. Additionally, the textile polyester, which is rarely studied in plastisphere research, supported the growth of a unique group of 25 prokaryotic genera (which included the potential pathogenic Legionella genus). Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the colonization dynamics of the plastisphere over short time scales and contributes to narrowing the research gap on the southern hemisphere plastisphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinuri Silva
- Southern Seas Ecology Laboratories, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Vilma Pérez
- Southern Seas Ecology Laboratories, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- Australian Centre for Ancient DNA (ACAD), University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Bronwyn M Gillanders
- Southern Seas Ecology Laboratories, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
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27
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Dudek KL, Neuer S. Environmental exposure more than plastic composition shapes marine microplastic-associated bacterial communities in Pacific versus Caribbean field incubations. Environ Microbiol 2023; 25:2807-2821. [PMID: 37899673 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics have arisen as a global threat to marine ecosystems. In this study, we explored the role that plastic polymer type, incubation time and geographic location have on shaping the microbial community adhered to the microplastics, termed the plastisphere. We performed detailed bacterial plastisphere community analyses on microplastics of six different household plastic polymers, serving as proxies of secondary microplastics, incubated for 6 weeks in coastal Pacific waters. These bacterial communities were compared to the plastisphere communities grown on identical microplastic particles incubated in the coastal Caribbean Sea at Bocas del Toro, Panama. Ribosomal gene sequencing analyses revealed that bacterial community composition did not exhibit a significant preference for plastic type at either site but was instead driven by the incubation time and geographic location. We identified a 'core plastisphere' composed of 57 amplicon sequence variants common to all plastic types, incubation times and locations, with possible synergies between taxa. This study contributes to our understanding of the importance of geography in addition to exposure time, in the composition of the plastisphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kassandra L Dudek
- School of Life Sciences and Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Susanne Neuer
- School of Life Sciences and Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
- School of Ocean Futures, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
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28
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Pan H, Zhao X, Zhou X, Yan H, Han X, Wu M, Chen F. Research progress on the role of biofilm in heavy metals adsorption-desorption characteristics of microplastics: A review. Environ Pollut 2023; 336:122448. [PMID: 37640222 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) have been found to be widely distributed in aquatic environments, where they will interact with toxic heavy metals and result in more serious adverse effects on the aquatic environments and organisms. However, after entering the aquatic environments, MPs are quickly covered by biofilms, which significantly modify MPs properties and relevant heavy metals adsorption-desorption characteristics In order to better understand the adsorption behavior of heavy metals on biofilm developed MPs (BMPs), we comprehensively reviewed representative studies in this area. First, we summarized the formation process of biofilms on MPs. Subsequently, we reviewed the current understanding on the influence of biofilm formation on the properties of MPs and discussed the metal adsorption-desorption characteristics of MPs affected by these changes. Finally, based on the systematic literature review, some future research needs and strategies were proposed to further understand the interactions between MPs and heavy metals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haixia Pan
- School of Resources and Civil Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang, 110819 China
| | - Xin Zhao
- School of Resources and Civil Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang, 110819 China.
| | - Xiuyan Zhou
- School of Resources and Civil Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang, 110819 China
| | - Hua Yan
- School of Resources and Civil Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang, 110819 China
| | - Xiaoyu Han
- School of Resources and Civil Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang, 110819 China
| | - Mingsong Wu
- School of Resources and Civil Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang, 110819 China
| | - Fang Chen
- School of Resources and Civil Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang, 110819 China
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Wang PY, Zhao ZY, Xiong XB, Wang N, Zhou R, Zhang ZM, Ding F, Hao M, Wang S, Ma Y, Uzamurera AG, Xiao KW, Khan A, Tao XP, Wang WY, Tao HY, Xiong YC. Microplastics affect soil bacterial community assembly more by their shapes rather than the concentrations. Water Res 2023; 245:120581. [PMID: 37703757 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 08/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
Polyethylene film mulching is a key technology for soil water retention in dryland agriculture, but the aging of the films can generate a large number of microplastics with different shapes. There exists a widespread misunderstanding that the concentrations of microplastics might be the determinant affecting the diversity and assembly of soil bacterial communities, rather than their shapes. Here, we examined the variations of soil bacteria community composition and functioning under two-year field incubation by four shapes (ball, fiber, fragment and powder) of microplastics along the concentration gradients (0.01%, 0.1% and 1%). Data showed that specific surface area of microplastics was significantly positively correlated with the variations of bacterial community abundance and diversity (r=0.505, p<0.05). The fragment- and fiber-shape microplastics displayed more pronounced interfacial continuity with soil particles and induced greater soil bacterial α-diversity, relative to the powder- and ball-shape ones. Strikingly, microplastic concentrations were not significantly correlated with bacterial community indices (r=0.079, p>0.05). Based on the variations of the βNTI, bacterial community assembly actually followed both stochastic and deterministic processes, and microplastic shapes significantly modified soil biogeochemical cycle and ecological functions. Therefore, the shapes of microplastics, rather than the concentration, significantly affected soil bacterial community assembly, in association with microplastic-soil-water interfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng-Yang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Ze-Ying Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Xiao-Bin Xiong
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Ning Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Rui Zhou
- School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China
| | - Zhi-Ming Zhang
- School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China
| | - Fan Ding
- College of Land and Environment, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China
| | - Meng Hao
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Song Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Yue Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Aimee Grace Uzamurera
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Kai-Wen Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Aziz Khan
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Xiu-Ping Tao
- Institute of Urban Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu 610095, China
| | - Wen-Ying Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Qinghai Normal University, Xining 810001, China
| | - Hong-Yan Tao
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
| | - You-Cai Xiong
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
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30
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Wang H, Xu K, Wang J, Feng C, Chen Y, Shi J, Ding Y, Deng C, Liu X. Microplastic biofilm: An important microniche that may accelerate the spread of antibiotic resistance genes via natural transformation. J Hazard Mater 2023; 459:132085. [PMID: 37494793 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
Microplastic (MP) biofilms provide a specific microniche for microbial life and are a potential hotspot for the horizontal gene transfer (HGT) of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Nevertheless, the acquisition of ARGs in MP biofilms via natural transformation mediated by extracellular DNA (eDNA) has been rarely explored. This study demonstrated that MP biofilms promoted the natural transformation of extracellular ARGs at the single-cell and multi-species levels, compared to natural substrate (NS) biofilms and bacterioplankton. The transformation frequency on MP biofilms was up to 1000-fold compare to that on NS. The small MPs and aged MPs enhanced the ARG transformation frequencies up to 77.16-fold and 32.05-fold, respectively, compared with the large MPs and pristine MPs. The transformation frequencies on MP biofilms were significantly positively correlated with the bacterial density and extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) content (P < 0.05). Furthermore, MPs significantly increased the expression of the biofilm formation related genes (motA and pgaA) and DNA uptake related genes (pilX and comA) compared to NS and bacterioplankton. The more transformants colonized on MPs contributed to the enhanced transformation frequencies at the community-wide level. Overall, eDNA-mediated transformation in MP biofilms may be an important path of ARG spread, which was promoted by heterogeneous biofilm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huixiang Wang
- School of Biology, Food, and Environment, Hefei University, Hefei 230601, China; School of Environment, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China; School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
| | - Kaiwen Xu
- School of Biology, Food, and Environment, Hefei University, Hefei 230601, China; International (Sino-German) Joint Research Center for Biomass of Anhui Province, Hefei 230601, China
| | - Jing Wang
- School of Biology, Food, and Environment, Hefei University, Hefei 230601, China; School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
| | - Chong Feng
- School of Biology, Food, and Environment, Hefei University, Hefei 230601, China
| | - Yihan Chen
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
| | - Jianghong Shi
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Integrated Surface Water-Groundwater Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yan Ding
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
| | - Chengxun Deng
- School of Biology, Food, and Environment, Hefei University, Hefei 230601, China; International (Sino-German) Joint Research Center for Biomass of Anhui Province, Hefei 230601, China
| | - Xiaowei Liu
- School of Biology, Food, and Environment, Hefei University, Hefei 230601, China; International (Sino-German) Joint Research Center for Biomass of Anhui Province, Hefei 230601, China.
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Shi J, Lv B, Wang B, Xie B. Insight into the responses of antibiotic resistance genes in microplastic biofilms to zinc oxide nanoparticles and zinc ions pressures in landfill leachate. J Hazard Mater 2023; 459:132096. [PMID: 37480611 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 07/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
Microplastic (MP) biofilms are hotspots of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in landfill environment. MP biofilms in landfill leachate coexist with heavy metals and metallic nanoparticles (NPs) that considered to be the selective agents of ARGs. However, the effects of these selective pressures on ARGs in MP biofilms and their differences in MP-surrounding leachate have not been well understood. Herein, the changes of ARG abundances in MP biofilms and corresponding leachate under zinc oxide (ZnO) NPs and zinc ion (Zn2+) pressures were comparatively analyzed. The presence of ZnO NPs and Zn2+ promoted the enrichment of ARGs in MP biofilms, and the enrichment was more pronounced in ZnO NPs groups. ZnO NPs and especially Zn2+ mainly decreased the abundances of ARGs in leachate. The increase of integron abundances and reactive oxygen species production in MP biofilms implied the enhanced potential for horizontal transfer of ARGs under ZnO NPs and Zn2+ pressures. Meanwhile, the co-occurrence pattern between ARGs and bacterial genera in MP biofilms with more diverse potential ARG hosts was more complex than in leachate, and the enrichment of ARG-hosting bacteria in MP biofilms under ZnO NPs and Zn2+ pressures supported the enrichment of ARGs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianhong Shi
- College of Ocean Science and Engineering, Shanghai Maritime University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Baoyi Lv
- College of Ocean Science and Engineering, Shanghai Maritime University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Binghan Wang
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Biotransformation of Organic Solid Waste, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, PR China; Shanghai Key Lab for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, PR China
| | - Bing Xie
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Biotransformation of Organic Solid Waste, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, PR China; Shanghai Key Lab for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, PR China.
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32
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Singleton SL, Davis EW, Arnold HK, Daniels AMY, Brander SM, Parsons RJ, Sharpton TJ, Giovannoni SJ. Identification of rare microbial colonizers of plastic materials incubated in a coral reef environment. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1259014. [PMID: 37869676 PMCID: PMC10585116 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1259014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Plastic waste accumulation in marine environments has complex, unintended impacts on ecology that cross levels of community organization. To measure succession in polyolefin-colonizing marine bacterial communities, an in situ time-series experiment was conducted in the oligotrophic coastal waters of the Bermuda Platform. Our goals were to identify polyolefin colonizing taxa and isolate bacterial cultures for future studies of the biochemistry of microbe-plastic interactions. HDPE, LDPE, PP, and glass coupons were incubated in surface seawater for 11 weeks and sampled at two-week intervals. 16S rDNA sequencing and ATR-FTIR/HIM were used to assess biofilm community structure and chemical changes in polymer surfaces. The dominant colonizing taxa were previously reported cosmopolitan colonizers of surfaces in marine environments, which were highly similar among the different plastic types. However, significant differences in rare community composition were observed between plastic types, potentially indicating specific interactions based on surface chemistry. Unexpectedly, a major transition in community composition occurred in all material treatments between days 42 and 56 (p < 0.01). Before the transition, Alteromonadaceae, Marinomonadaceae, Saccharospirillaceae, Vibrionaceae, Thalassospiraceae, and Flavobacteriaceae were the dominant colonizers. Following the transition, the relative abundance of these taxa declined, while Hyphomonadaceae, Rhodobacteraceae and Saprospiraceae increased. Over the course of the incubation, 8,641 colonizing taxa were observed, of which 25 were significantly enriched on specific polyolefins. Seven enriched taxa from families known to include hydrocarbon degraders (Hyphomonadaceae, Parvularculaceae and Rhodobacteraceae) and one n-alkane degrader (Ketobacter sp.). The ASVs that exhibited associations with specific polyolefins are targets of ongoing investigations aimed at retrieving plastic-degrading microbes in culture.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Edward W. Davis
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | - Holly K. Arnold
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
| | | | - Susanne M. Brander
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences, Coastal Oregon Marine Experiment Station, Oregon State University, Newport, OR, United States
| | | | - Thomas J. Sharpton
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
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Hajji S, Ben-Haddad M, Rida Abelouah M, De-la-Torre GE, Ait Alla A. Sludge drying and dewatering processes influence the abundance and characteristics of microplastics in wastewater treatment plants. Chemosphere 2023; 339:139743. [PMID: 37567259 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.139743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have been identified as high-load receptors of microplastics (MPs) from different sources. However, the influence of specific treatment stanges requires further research. The main objective of this research was to evaluate the abundance and chemical characteristics of MPs in the sludge of two major wastewater treatment plants in the Agadir metropolis (Central Atlantic of Morocco). The Aourir plant receives urban influents and the inputs of the M'zar facility were urban and industrial. Samples were collected from the sludge matrices after primary settling, clarifying, dewatering, and drying systems. In addition, the effect of seasonality on MP load was assessed. The results showed that a higher abundance was noticed in raw sludge than in dewatered one in Aourir WWTP, while in M'zar WWTP, a very low decrease is noticed in dried sludge compared to raw sludge. The concentration of MPs in the summer season was significantly higher compared to other seasons for Aourir WWTP, while the winter season was higher for M'zar WWTP. Moreover, the most abundant shapes were fibers and the fraction 100-500 μm was the most preponderant. Eleven polymers were identified by ATR-FTIR, being polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene the most abundant ones. Scanning Electron Microscopy coupled with Energy Dispersive X-ray revealed the visible degradation and fragmentation of MPs from sewage sludge and their ability to adsorb inorganic elements. It was estimated that between 2.2 × 107 and 7.4 × 108 MPs were evacuated with the sludge per day. The obtained findings confirmed that WWTP sludge acts as a vector of MPs with a high level of hazard to various matrices, such as landfills, agricultural soils, and groundwater. Overall, consideration must be given to the regulatory system managing the fate of sewage sludge to mitigate the collateral effects and provide solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Hajji
- Laboratory of Aquatic Systems: Marine and Continental Environments (AQUAMAR), Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, Morocco.
| | - Mohamed Ben-Haddad
- Laboratory of Aquatic Systems: Marine and Continental Environments (AQUAMAR), Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, Morocco.
| | - Mohamed Rida Abelouah
- Laboratory of Aquatic Systems: Marine and Continental Environments (AQUAMAR), Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, Morocco.
| | | | - Aicha Ait Alla
- Laboratory of Aquatic Systems: Marine and Continental Environments (AQUAMAR), Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, Morocco.
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Wu J, Liu C, Wang R, Yan S, Chen B, Zhu X. Enhanced bacterial adhesion force by rifampicin resistance promotes microbial colonization on PE plastic compared to non-resistant biofilm formation. Water Res 2023; 242:120319. [PMID: 37441870 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
The microbial biofilm formed on plastics, is ubiquitous in the environment. However, the effects of antibiotic resistance on the development of the biofilm on plastics, especially with regard to initial cell attachment, remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the initial bacterial adhesion and subsequent biofilm growth of a rifampin (Rif) resistant E. coli (RRE) and a normal gram-positive B. subtilis on a typical plastic (polyethylene, PE). The experiments were conducted in different antibiotic solutions, including Rif, sulfamethoxazole (SMX), and kanamycin (KM), with concentrations ranging from 1 to 1000 μg/L to simulate different aquatic environments. The AFM-based single-cell adhesion force determination revealed that Rif resistance strengthened the adhesion force of RRE to PE in the environment rich in Rif rather than SMX and KM. The enhanced adhesion force may be due to the higher secretion of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), particularly proteins, by RRE in the presence of Rif compared to the other two antibiotics. In addition, the higher ATP level of RRE would facilitate the initial adhesion and subsequent biofilm growth. Transcriptome analysis of RRE separately cultured in Rif and SMX environments demonstrated a clear correlation between the expression of Rif resistance and the augmented bacterial adhesion and cellular activity. Biofilm biomass analysis confirmed the promotion effect of Rif resistance on biofilm growth when compared to non-resistant biofilms, establishing a novel association with the augmentation of microbial adhesion force. Our study highlights concerns related to the dissemination of antibiotic resistance during microbial colonization on plastic that may arise from antibiotic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayi Wu
- Department of Environmental Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Congcong Liu
- Department of Environmental Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Rui Wang
- Department of Environmental Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Saitao Yan
- Department of Environmental Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Baoliang Chen
- Department of Environmental Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Xiaoying Zhu
- Department of Environmental Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China.
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Ormsby MJ, Akinbobola A, Quilliam RS. Plastic pollution and fungal, protozoan, and helminth pathogens - A neglected environmental and public health issue? Sci Total Environ 2023; 882:163093. [PMID: 36996975 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Plastic waste is ubiquitous in the environment and can become colonised by distinct microbial biofilm communities, known collectively as the 'plastisphere.' The plastisphere can facilitate the increased survival and dissemination of human pathogenic prokaryotes (e.g., bacteria); however, our understanding of the potential for plastics to harbour and disseminate eukaryotic pathogens is lacking. Eukaryotic microorganisms are abundant in natural environments and represent some of the most important disease-causing agents, collectively responsible for tens of millions of infections, and millions of deaths worldwide. While prokaryotic plastisphere communities in terrestrial, freshwater, and marine environments are relatively well characterised, such biofilms will also contain eukaryotic species. Here, we critically review the potential for fungal, protozoan, and helminth pathogens to associate with the plastisphere, and consider the regulation and mechanisms of this interaction. As the volume of plastics in the environment continues to rise there is an urgent need to understand the role of the plastisphere for the survival, virulence, dissemination, and transfer of eukaryotic pathogens, and the effect this can have on environmental and human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Ormsby
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, UK.
| | - Ayorinde Akinbobola
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, UK
| | - Richard S Quilliam
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, UK
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36
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Vaksmaa A, Polerecky L, Dombrowski N, Kienhuis MVM, Posthuma I, Gerritse J, Boekhout T, Niemann H. Polyethylene degradation and assimilation by the marine yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa. ISME Commun 2023; 3:68. [PMID: 37423910 PMCID: PMC10330194 DOI: 10.1038/s43705-023-00267-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Ocean plastic pollution is a severe environmental problem but most of the plastic that has been released to the ocean since the 1950s is unaccounted for. Although fungal degradation of marine plastics has been suggested as a potential sink mechanism, unambiguous proof of plastic degradation by marine fungi, or other microbes, is scarce. Here we applied stable isotope tracing assays with 13C-labeled polyethylene to measure biodegradation rates and to trace the incorporation of plastic-derived carbon into individual cells of the yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, which we isolated from the marine environment. 13C accumulation in the CO2 pool during 5-day incubation experiments with R. mucilaginosa and UV-irradiated 13C-labeled polyethylene as a sole energy and carbon source translated to degradation rates of 3.8% yr-1 of the initially added substrate. Furthermore, nanoSIMS measurements revealed substantial incorporation of polyethylene-derived carbon into fungal biomass. Our results demonstrate the potential of R. mucilaginosa to mineralize and assimilate carbon from plastics and suggest that fungal plastic degradation may be an important sink for polyethylene litter in the marine environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annika Vaksmaa
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Texel, The Netherlands.
| | - Lubos Polerecky
- Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Nina Dombrowski
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Texel, The Netherlands
| | - Michiel V M Kienhuis
- Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Ilsa Posthuma
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Texel, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Gerritse
- Deltares, Unit Subsurface and Groundwater Systems, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Teun Boekhout
- Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Helge Niemann
- Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Texel, The Netherlands
- Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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37
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Wang T, Yang C, Wang C, Liao Y, Mkuye R, Deng Y. Bacterial community profiling associated with pearl culture facilities of Liusha Bay, the largest marine pearl culture base on the western Guangdong coast, South China. Mar Environ Res 2023; 189:106063. [PMID: 37385086 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2023.106063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
A large number of aquaculture facilities produced during the farming process are made of plastics. These plastics can be a distinct habitat for bacteria due to their unique materials. Therefore, this paper focuses on plastic aquaculture facilities and investigates the impact of bacterial accumulation on plastic surfaces. In this study, the high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA was conducted to investigate bacterial community profiling associated with the pearl culture facilities (cultured net cages and foam buoys) and surrounding water of Liusha Bay. Alpha diversity analysis showed that the richness and diversity indexes of bacterial communities in pearl culture facilities were higher than those in the aquatic environment. The richness and diversity indexes of bacterial communities were different between cultured net cages and foam buoys. Spatially influenced bacterial communities attached to pearl culture facilities varied between aquaculture areas. Thus, plastic has become a habitat for bacteria, floating in the marine environment and providing a favorable living environment for marine microorganisms and specific preferences for different substrate types. The relative abundance of certain functions on the attached bacterial community of the culture facility was high, which suggested that plastics did not only alter community structure but also influenced bacterial function. In addition, we detected small amounts of pathogenic bacteria, such as Vibrio and Bruegeria, in pearl culture facilities and surrounding seawater, suggesting that plastics can act as vectors for potentially pathogenic bacteria that may have an impact on the development of aquaculture. Our understanding of plastic ecology has been enriched by the discovery of the various microbial assemblages that can occur in aquaculture facilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Wang
- Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524088, China
| | - Chuangye Yang
- Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524088, China.
| | - Cheng Wang
- Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524088, China
| | - Yongshan Liao
- Guangdong Science and Innovation Center for Pearl Culture, Zhanjiang, 524088, China; Pearl Breeding and Processing Engineering Technology Research Centre of Guangdong Province, Zhanjiang, 524088, China
| | - Robert Mkuye
- Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524088, China
| | - Yuewen Deng
- Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524088, China; Guangdong Science and Innovation Center for Pearl Culture, Zhanjiang, 524088, China; Pearl Breeding and Processing Engineering Technology Research Centre of Guangdong Province, Zhanjiang, 524088, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Disease Control and Healthy Culture, Zhanjiang, 524088, China; Guangdong Marine Ecology Early Warning and Monitoring Laboratory, Zhanjiang, 524088, China
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38
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Ma J, Chen F, Chen CC, Zhang Z, Zhong Z, Jiang H, Pu J, Li Y, Pan K. Comparison between discarded facemask and common plastic waste on microbial colonization and physiochemical properties during aging in seawater. J Hazard Mater 2023; 455:131583. [PMID: 37201275 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Facemasks are indispensable for preventing the spread of COVID-19. However, improper disposal of discarded facemasks has led to their contamination in the marine environment. To understand the environmental risk of this emerging plastic pollution, it's important to clarify the features that distinguish discarded facemasks from common plastic waste during aging. This study compared the microbial colonization, degradation-related enzymes, and physicochemical properties among surgical masks, polystyrene cups, polycarbonate bottles, and polyethylene terephthalate bottles in their aging processes in natural seawater. Compared to the other plastic wastes, surgical masks were colonized by the most diverse microorganisms, reaching 1521 unique prokaryotic OTUs after 21-day exposure in seawater. Moreover, the activity of eukaryotic enzymes associated with plastic degradation was 80-fold higher than that in seawater, indicating that the colonized eukaryotes would be the major microorganisms degrading the surgical masks. Meanwhile, the nano-sized defects (depth between 8 and 61 nm) would evolve into cracks of bigger sizes and result in the breakage of the microfibers and releasing microplastics into the ocean. Overall, our study demonstrated a distinctive plastisphere occurred in surgical masks from both microbial and physiochemical aspects. This work provides new insights for assessing the potential risk of plastic pollution caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Ma
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, Guangdong, China
| | - Fengyuan Chen
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, Guangdong, China
| | - Ciara Chun Chen
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shantou University, Shantou 515063, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhen Zhang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, Guangdong, China; Department of Ocean Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China
| | - Zihan Zhong
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, Guangdong, China
| | - Hao Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430074, Hubei, China
| | - Junbao Pu
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430074, Hubei, China
| | - Yanping Li
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, Guangdong, China
| | - Ke Pan
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Microbiome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, Guangdong, China.
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Marques J, Ares A, Costa J, Marques MPM, de Carvalho LAEB, Bessa F. Plastisphere assemblages differ from the surrounding bacterial communities in transitional coastal environments. Sci Total Environ 2023; 869:161703. [PMID: 36708826 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.161703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Marine plastic contamination is currently considered ubiquitous in aquatic environments. These particles present a resistant and hydrophobic substrate known to promote microbial colonisation and biofilm formation in aquatic ecosystems, the so-called "Plastisphere", raising concerns about its potential ecological risks. The novelty of this topic translates into a relatively low number of studies, including for transitional coastal ecosystems, such as sandy beaches or estuarine habitats. Therefore, a sampling campaign was conducted in two transitional coastal ecosystems - the Mondego estuary (Portugal) - and adjacent sandy beaches (winter 2020). After visual sorting and filtering of suspected particles under sterile conditions DNA extraction and 16S rRNA amplicon high throughput sequencing was used to profile the bacterial communities on the surface of plastic particles and from those found on the water and sediments from the sampled transitional coastal ecosystems. All particles were characterised according to type, colour and size, and the chemical nature of the particles was determined by FTIR-ATR or μ-FTIR spectroscopy after DNA extraction. All samples contained plastics in several sizes (micro and mesoplastics), shapes (higher abundances of fragments on beaches and fibres in the estuarine waters), colours and polymers. Although no significant differences were detected in the α-diversity indexes of the bacterial communities between plastics and their surrounding environments, data showed the occurrence of unique key bacterial groups on plastics from both environments, such as pathogens (e.g., Lactococcus, Staphylococcus and Streptococcus) and groups commonly associated with wastewater treatment plants (e.g., members of the phylum Firmicutes). This highlights the concerns for plastics to act as vectors of transmission and spread of these bacterial groups in transitional coastal ecosystems. Furthermore, it raises the possibility that (micro)plastics entering the estuary from the sea play a substantial contribution to overall dynamics of (micro)plastics and their microbial assemblages in the estuarine system.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Marques
- University of Coimbra, MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre/ARNET - Aquatic Research Network, Department of Life Sciences, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Aitana Ares
- University of Coimbra, Centre for Functional Ecology - Science for People & the Planet, TERRA Associate Laboratory, Department of Life Sciences, Calçada Martim de Freitas, Coimbra 3000-456, Portugal
| | - Joana Costa
- University of Coimbra, Centre for Functional Ecology - Science for People & the Planet, TERRA Associate Laboratory, Department of Life Sciences, Calçada Martim de Freitas, Coimbra 3000-456, Portugal
| | - M P M Marques
- University of Coimbra, Molecular Physical-Chemistry R&D Unit, Department of Chemistry, Rua Larga, 3004-535 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - L A E Batista de Carvalho
- University of Coimbra, Molecular Physical-Chemistry R&D Unit, Department of Chemistry, Rua Larga, 3004-535 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Filipa Bessa
- University of Coimbra, MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre/ARNET - Aquatic Research Network, Department of Life Sciences, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal.
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Yu Y, Miao L, Adyel TM, Waldschläger K, Wu J, Hou J. Aquatic plastisphere: Interactions between plastics and biofilms. Environ Pollut 2023; 322:121196. [PMID: 36736560 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 01/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Because of the high production rates, low recycling rates, and poor waste management of plastics, an increasing amount of plastic is entering the aquatic environment, where it can provide new ecological niches for microbial communities and form a so-called plastisphere. Recent studies have focused on the one-way impact of plastic substrata or biofilm communities. However, our understanding of the two-way interactions between plastics and biofilms is still limited. This review first summarizes the formation process and the co-occurrence network analysis of the aquatic plastisphere to comprehensively illustrate the succession pattern of biofilm communities and the potential consistency between keystone taxa and specific environmental behavior of the plastisphere. Furthermore, this review sheds light on mutual interactions between plastics and biofilms. Plastic properties, environmental conditions, and colonization time affect biofilm development. Meanwhile, the biofilm communities, in turn, influence the environmental behaviors of plastics, including transport, contaminant accumulation, and especially the fragmentation and degradation of plastics. Based on a systematic literature review and cross-referencing from these disciplines, the current research focus, and future challenges in exploring aquatic plastisphere development and biofilm-plastic interactions are proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Yu
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resources Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, 210098, Nanjing, People's Republic of China; Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, ETH Zürich, Zurich, 8093, Switzerland
| | - Lingzhan Miao
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resources Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, 210098, Nanjing, People's Republic of China.
| | - Tanveer M Adyel
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Melbourne, VIC, 3125, Australia
| | - Kryss Waldschläger
- Hydrology and Quantitative Water Management Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Jun Wu
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resources Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, 210098, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Jun Hou
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resources Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, 210098, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
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Li W, Miao L, Adyel TM, Wu J, Yu Y, Hou J. Characterization of dynamic plastisphere and their underlying effects on the aging of biodegradable and traditional plastics in freshwater ecosystems. J Hazard Mater 2023; 446:130714. [PMID: 36599276 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Recently, biodegradable plastics (BPs) are emerging as a sustainable alternative to traditional plastics. When released into an aquatic environment, the biodegradable performance of BPs is influenced by biochemical processes, especially the developed plastisphere. However, studies addressing the biodegrading capacity of BPs and traditional plastics within the plastisphere are still limited. Here, we investigated plastisphere community variations and their capacity to biodegrade polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and starch-based plastics (SBP) for four time periods (15, 30, 45, and 80 days) in three freshwaters. Unexpectedly, there is no significant difference in the microbial communities and network structure of the plastisphere between SBP and PET. Moreover, SBP tended to age rapidly at the early stage (0-15 days), while the aging degree of SBP and PET did not display an obvious difference at 80 days. Partial least squares path modeling suggested that plastic aging was mainly dominated by keystone taxa of network and aquatic environmental factors. These results suggest that the aging rate of commercial BPs may not be as fast as we imagine in freshwaters (SBP ≈ PET), and the environmental behaviors of BPs in the aquatic environment should be paid more attention to.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanyi Li
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resources Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, People's Republic of China
| | - Lingzhan Miao
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resources Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, People's Republic of China.
| | - Tanveer M Adyel
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Melbourne, VIC 3125, Australia
| | - Jun Wu
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resources Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, People's Republic of China
| | - Yue Yu
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geomatic Engineering, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Jun Hou
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resources Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, People's Republic of China
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Sun XL, Xiang H, Xiong HQ, Fang YC, Wang Y. Bioremediation of microplastics in freshwater environments: A systematic review of biofilm culture, degradation mechanisms, and analytical methods. Sci Total Environ 2023; 863:160953. [PMID: 36543072 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics, defined as particles <5 mm in diameter, are emerging environmental pollutants that pose a threat to ecosystems and human health. Biofilm degradation of microplastics may be an ecologically friendly approach. This review systematically summarises the factors affecting biofilm degradation of microplastics and proposes feasible methods to improve the efficiency of microplastic biofilm degradation. Environmentally insensitive microorganisms were screened, optimized, and commercially cultured to facilitate the practical application of this technology. For strain screening, technology should focus on microorganisms/strains that can modify the hydrophobicity of microplastics, degrade the crystalline zone of microplastics, and metabolise additives in microplastics. The biodegradation mechanism is also described; microorganisms secreting extracellular oxidases and hydrolases are key factors for degradation. Measuring the changes in molecular weight distribution (MWD) enables better analysis of the biodegradation behaviour of microplastics. Biofilm degradation of microplastics has relatively few applications because of its low efficiency; however, enrichment of microplastics in freshwater environments and wastewater treatment plant tailwater is currently the most effective method for treating microplastics with biofilms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Long Sun
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Plateau Wetland Conservation, Restoration and Ecological Services, College of Wetlands, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China; National Plateau Wetlands Research Center, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China; National Wetland Ecosystem Fixed Research Station of Yunnan Dianchi, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China.
| | - Hong Xiang
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Plateau Wetland Conservation, Restoration and Ecological Services, College of Wetlands, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China; National Plateau Wetlands Research Center, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China; National Wetland Ecosystem Fixed Research Station of Yunnan Dianchi, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China
| | - Hao-Qin Xiong
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Plateau Wetland Conservation, Restoration and Ecological Services, College of Wetlands, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China; National Plateau Wetlands Research Center, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China; National Wetland Ecosystem Fixed Research Station of Yunnan Dianchi, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China
| | - Yi-Chuan Fang
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Plateau Wetland Conservation, Restoration and Ecological Services, College of Wetlands, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China; National Plateau Wetlands Research Center, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China; National Wetland Ecosystem Fixed Research Station of Yunnan Dianchi, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China
| | - Yuan Wang
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Plateau Wetland Conservation, Restoration and Ecological Services, College of Wetlands, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China; National Plateau Wetlands Research Center, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China; National Wetland Ecosystem Fixed Research Station of Yunnan Dianchi, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China
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Deng H, Zhang Y, Li D, Fu Q, He J, Zhao Y, Feng D, Yu H, Ge C. Mangrove degradation retarded microplastics weathering and affected metabolic activities of microplastics-associated microbes. J Hazard Mater 2023; 445:130535. [PMID: 36476943 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Currently, information on microplastics (MPs) weathering characteristics and ecological functions driven by MPs-associated microbes in mangrove ecosystems remains unclear, especially in the degraded areas. Herein, we compared the weathering characteristics of MPs in both undegraded and degraded mangrove sediments, and then explored the potential interactions between their weathering characteristics and microbially-driven functions. After 70 days of incubation, different MPs (including polyethylene PE, polystyrene PS, and polylactic acid PLA) were strongly weathered in mangrove sediments, with significant erosion features. Interestingly, more obvious weathering characteristics were found for MPs in the undegraded mangrove sediments. O/C ratio value of MPs in the undegraded sediments was 2.3-3.0 times greater than that in the degraded ones. Besides, mangrove degradation reduced network complexity among MPs-associated microorganisms and affected their metabolic activities. Bacteria involved in carbon cycle process enriched on nondegradable MPs, whereas abundant bacteria responsible for sulphur cycle were observed on PLA-MPs. Moreover, these relevant bacteria were more abundant on MPs in the undegraded mangrove sediments. Mangrove degradation could directly and indirectly affect MPs weathering process and microbially-driven functions through regulating sediment properties and MPs-associated microbes. During weathering, contact angle and roughness of MPs were key factors influencing the colonisation of hydrocarbon degradation bacteria on MPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Deng
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Forestry Environmental Processes and Ecological Regulation of Hainan Province (Hainan University), Haikou 570228, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology (Hainan University), Haikou 570228, China.
| | - Yuqing Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Forestry Environmental Processes and Ecological Regulation of Hainan Province (Hainan University), Haikou 570228, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology (Hainan University), Haikou 570228, China.
| | - Dazhen Li
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Forestry Environmental Processes and Ecological Regulation of Hainan Province (Hainan University), Haikou 570228, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology (Hainan University), Haikou 570228, China.
| | - Qianqian Fu
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Forestry Environmental Processes and Ecological Regulation of Hainan Province (Hainan University), Haikou 570228, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology (Hainan University), Haikou 570228, China.
| | - Jianxiong He
- Hainan Holdings Special Glass Technology Co. Ltd., State Key Laboratory of Special Glass, Chengmai 571924, China.
| | - Yuanyuan Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Forestry Environmental Processes and Ecological Regulation of Hainan Province (Hainan University), Haikou 570228, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology (Hainan University), Haikou 570228, China.
| | - Dan Feng
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Forestry Environmental Processes and Ecological Regulation of Hainan Province (Hainan University), Haikou 570228, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology (Hainan University), Haikou 570228, China.
| | - Huamei Yu
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Forestry Environmental Processes and Ecological Regulation of Hainan Province (Hainan University), Haikou 570228, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology (Hainan University), Haikou 570228, China.
| | - Chengjun Ge
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Forestry Environmental Processes and Ecological Regulation of Hainan Province (Hainan University), Haikou 570228, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology (Hainan University), Haikou 570228, China.
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Jin Y, Li M, Chen F, Wang L, Zhang L, Yang Z, Wang N, Fu J, Yu Y, Cheng X, Wu D. Secondary pollution of microplastic hetero-aggregates after chlorination: Released contaminants rarely re-adsorbed by the second-formed hetero-aggregates. J Hazard Mater 2023; 445:130523. [PMID: 36473258 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
In urban waters, microplastics (MPs) usually form hetero-aggregates through adsorption of organics and microbes. However, the effects of hetero-aggregates on water quality are rarely reported. In this study we found that the hetero-aggregates, which accumulated contaminants, were like a "time bomb". Chlorination was able to trigger the "time bomb" through destruction of hetero-aggregates, lysis of microbial cells and elevation of the concentration of low-molecular-mass organics. Thereupon previously adhered organics desorbed from MPs, intracellular metabolites were released from lysed cells, and re-formation of hetero-aggregates was limited. This process rapidly increased the concentration of organics but prevented the re-adsorption of organics, which leads to secondary pollution. Thus, to alleviate the risks of secondary pollution caused by hetero-aggregates, the choice of oxidant species and dose should be optimized based on the characteristics of existent hetero-aggregates when purifying urban waters containing MPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Jin
- School of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan 250101, PR China; Resources and Environmental Innovation Institute, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan 250101, PR China
| | - Minghui Li
- School of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan 250101, PR China
| | - Feiyong Chen
- Resources and Environmental Innovation Institute, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan 250101, PR China
| | - Lin Wang
- School of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan 250101, PR China; Resources and Environmental Innovation Institute, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan 250101, PR China
| | - Lijie Zhang
- School of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan 250101, PR China; Resources and Environmental Innovation Institute, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan 250101, PR China
| | - Zhigang Yang
- Resources and Environmental Innovation Institute, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan 250101, PR China
| | - Ning Wang
- School of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan 250101, PR China
| | - Jie Fu
- School of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan 250101, PR China
| | - Yang Yu
- School of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan 250101, PR China
| | - Xiaoxiang Cheng
- School of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan 250101, PR China; Resources and Environmental Innovation Institute, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan 250101, PR China.
| | - Daoji Wu
- School of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan 250101, PR China; Resources and Environmental Innovation Institute, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan 250101, PR China.
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Tarchi M, Zaaboub N, Alsubih M, Brik B, Martins MVA, Aleya L, Trabelsi L. Microalgae colonization and trace element accumulation on the plastisphere of marine plastic debris in Monastir Bay (Eastern Tunisia). Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2023; 30:32427-32451. [PMID: 36460886 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-23930-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we examined the toxicity potential of the epiplastic microalgal community that developed on low-density polyethylene (LD-PE) plastic debris found in two distinct regions of the Monastir Bay (Tunisia): the coast exposed to anthropogenic discharges and the open sea in front of the Kuriat Islands. Concentrations of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) accumulated in sediments and plastisphere were compared in order to determine their toxicity potential to biological life. The collected plastispheres were predominantly composed of cyanobacteria, chlorophytes, and diatoms. Diatoms display a relatively high diversity (25 species). At all stations, potentially harmful microalgae (PHM) were more abundant in the plastisphere than in seawater and the coastal zone seems to harbour increased number of potentially harmful cyanobacteria within the plastisphere. At the offshore station S1, the PHM community was dominated by the potentially harmful diatoms belonging to the genus Pseudo-nitzschia. Phormidium sp. was the main potentially harmful cyanobacterium identified in the plastisphere of S1. PTEs concentration in the plastisphere was higher than in sediment and ranking with very high contamination factors at all sites according to the sequence Pb > Cu > Cd > Ni > Zn. The highest accumulation of PTEs in the plastisphere was recorded near harbors and industrial zones with important human interference. This work shows that plastisphere can be a threat to vulnerable species not only because it can contain PHM but also because it can accumulate PTEs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mondher Tarchi
- Marine Biodiversity Laboratory, National Institute of Marine Sciences and Technology (INSTM), 2025 Salammbo, University of Carthage, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Noureddine Zaaboub
- Marine Environment Laboratory, National Institute of Marine Sciences and Technology (INSTM), University of Carthage, 2025 Salammbo, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Majed Alsubih
- Department of Civil Engineering, King Khalid University, Guraiger, Abha, 62529, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Bochra Brik
- Marine Biodiversity Laboratory, National Institute of Marine Sciences and Technology (INSTM), 2025 Salammbo, University of Carthage, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Maria Virgínia Alves Martins
- Faculdade de Geologia, Universidade Do Estado Do Rio de Janeiro, UERJ, Av. Sao Francisco Xavier, 24, Sala 2020A, Maracana, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 20550‑013, Brazil
- GeoBioTec, Departamento de Geociencias, Campus de Santiago, Universidade de Aveiro, 3810‑193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Lotfi Aleya
- Laboratoire de Chrono-Environnement, UMR CNRS 6249, Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, La Bouloie, 25030, Besançon Cedex, France
| | - Lamia Trabelsi
- Marine Biodiversity Laboratory, National Institute of Marine Sciences and Technology (INSTM), 2025 Salammbo, University of Carthage, Tunis, Tunisia.
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Hajji S, Ben-Haddad M, Abelouah MR, De-la-Torre GE, Alla AA. Occurrence, characteristics, and removal of microplastics in wastewater treatment plants located on the Moroccan Atlantic: The case of Agadir metropolis. Sci Total Environ 2023; 862:160815. [PMID: 36502989 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are some of the main sources of microplastics (MPs) in the environment. However, studies on the occurrence and removal efficiency of MPs in WWTPs are still scarce, especially in African countries. Thus, the aim of this work was to study the abundance of MPs in the influent and effluent of two WWTPs (Aourir and M'zar) from the Agadir metropolis (Moroccan Atlantic). The two WWTPs receive different wastewater inputs (domestic and industrial). In addition, the impacts of seasonality on the fate and removal efficiency were investigated. The results showed that the MPs abundance in the wastewater decreased from 188 MPs/L in the influent to 50 MPs/L in the effluent for Aourir WWTP (domestic inputs); while the abundance was greater in the M'zar WWTP (urban and industrial inputs) recording a mean value of 519 MPs/L and 86 MPs/L in the influent and effluent, respectively. MPs collected in the Aourir WWTP ranged from 290 to 3200 μm, while MPs from the M'zar WWTP, ranged from 330 to 4200 μm. Overall, the size range of 100-500 μm was the most abundant for both WWTPs. Fibers were the highest MPs morphotype found, followed by fragments. MP colors were mainly red, black, blue, and transparent for both treatment plants. Additionally, FTIR spectroscopy showed the presence of eight different polymers, mainly polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS). Seasonal variation analysis showed that MPs abundance in summer was significantly higher compared to other seasons. However, the comparison of the removal efficiency (RE) between the different seasons indicated that the winter season (74 %) recorded the highest RE for Aourir WWTP. Conversely, spring (87 %) recorded the highest RE for M'zar WWTP. SEM/EDX micrographs showed different degrees of weathering and chemical elements adhering to the surface of the MPs. The findings of the current study will serve as a baseline for future considerations about management strategies, wastewater reuse, as well as the understanding of the occurrence of microplastic pollution along the marine ecosystems of Morocco.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Hajji
- Laboratory of Aquatic Systems: Marine and Continental Environments (AQUAMAR), Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, Morocco..
| | - Mohamed Ben-Haddad
- Laboratory of Aquatic Systems: Marine and Continental Environments (AQUAMAR), Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, Morocco..
| | - Mohamed Rida Abelouah
- Laboratory of Aquatic Systems: Marine and Continental Environments (AQUAMAR), Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, Morocco..
| | | | - Aicha Ait Alla
- Laboratory of Aquatic Systems: Marine and Continental Environments (AQUAMAR), Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, Morocco..
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Parsaeimehr A, Miller CM, Ozbay G. Microplastics and their interactions with microbiota. Heliyon 2023; 9:e15104. [PMID: 37089279 PMCID: PMC10113872 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e15104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
As a new pollutant, Microplastics (MPs) are globally known for their negative impacts on different ecosystems and living organisms. MPs are easily taken up by the ecosystem in a variety of organisms due to their small size, and cause immunological, neurological, and respiratory diseases in the impacted organism. Moreover, in the impacted environments, MPs can release toxic additives and act as a vector and scaffold for colonization and transportation of specific microbes and lead to imbalances in microbiota and the biogeochemical and nutrients dynamic. To address the concerns on controlling the MPs pollution on the microbiota and ecosystem, the microbial biodegradation of MPs can be potentially considered as an effective environment friendly approach. The objectives of the presented paper are to provide information on the toxicological effects of MPs on microbiota, to discuss the negative impacts of microbial colonization of MPs, and to introduce the microbes with biodegradation ability of MPs.
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Hernández-Sánchez C, Pestana-Ríos ÁA, Villanova-Solano C, Domínguez-Hernández C, Díaz-Peña FJ, Rodríguez-Álvarez C, Lecuona M, Arias Á. Bacterial Colonization of Microplastics at the Beaches of an Oceanic Island, Tenerife, Canary Islands. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2023; 20:3951. [PMID: 36900968 PMCID: PMC10001659 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20053951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
(1) Isolated systems, such as oceanic islands, are increasingly experiencing important problems related to microplastic debris on their beaches. The formation of microbial biofilm on the surface of microplastics present in marine environments provides potential facilities for microorganisms to survive under the biofilm. Moreover, microplastics act as a vehicle for the dispersion of pathogenic organisms, constituting a new route of exposure for humans. (2) In this study, the microbial content (FIO and Vibrio spp. and Staphylococcus aureus) of microplastics (fragments and pellets) collected from seven beaches of the oceanic island of Tenerife, in the Canary Islands (Spain), was determined. (3) Results showed that Escherichia coli was present in 57.1% of the fragments and 28.5% of the pellets studied. In the case of intestinal Enterococci, 85.7% of the fragments and 57.1% of the pellets tested positive for this parameter. Finally, 100% of the fragments and 42.8% of the pellets analyzed from the different beaches contained Vibrio spp. (4) This study shows that microplastics act as reservoirs of microorganisms that can increase the presence of bacteria indicating faecal and pathogenic contamination in bathing areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cintia Hernández-Sánchez
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Toxicology, Legal and Forensic Medicine and Parasitology, Health Science Faculty, University of La Laguna (ULL), Campus de Ofra s/n, 38071 Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
- Institute of Tropical Diseases and Public Health of the Canary Islands, University of La Laguna (ULL), Avda, Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez, s/n°, 38206 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
| | - Ángel Antonio Pestana-Ríos
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Toxicology, Legal and Forensic Medicine and Parasitology, Health Science Faculty, University of La Laguna (ULL), Campus de Ofra s/n, 38071 Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
| | - Cristina Villanova-Solano
- Institute of Tropical Diseases and Public Health of the Canary Islands, University of La Laguna (ULL), Avda, Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez, s/n°, 38206 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
- Departmental Unit of Analytical Chemistry, Chemistry Department, Science Faculty, University of La Laguna (ULL), Avda Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez, s/n°, 38206 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
| | - Cristopher Domínguez-Hernández
- Institute of Tropical Diseases and Public Health of the Canary Islands, University of La Laguna (ULL), Avda, Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez, s/n°, 38206 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
- Departmental Unit of Analytical Chemistry, Chemistry Department, Science Faculty, University of La Laguna (ULL), Avda Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez, s/n°, 38206 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
| | - Francisco Javier Díaz-Peña
- Department of Animal Biology, Soil Science and Geology, Science Faculty, University of La Laguna (ULL), Avda, Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez, s/n°, 38206 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
| | - Cristobalina Rodríguez-Álvarez
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Toxicology, Legal and Forensic Medicine and Parasitology, Health Science Faculty, University of La Laguna (ULL), Campus de Ofra s/n, 38071 Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
| | - María Lecuona
- Microbiology and Infection Control Service of the University Hospital of the Canary Islands (HUC), 38071 Tenerife, Spain
| | - Ángeles Arias
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Toxicology, Legal and Forensic Medicine and Parasitology, Health Science Faculty, University of La Laguna (ULL), Campus de Ofra s/n, 38071 Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
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Miao L, Li W, Adyel TM, Yao Y, Deng Y, Wu J, Zhou Y, Yu Y, Hou J. Spatio-temporal succession of microbial communities in plastisphere and their potentials for plastic degradation in freshwater ecosystems. Water Res 2023; 229:119406. [PMID: 36462255 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.119406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Plastics in the environment provide a new and unique habitat for microorganisms - known as the plastisphere. The microbial succession within the plastisphere and their potentials for plastic degradation in freshwater ecosystems is still not clear. Here, we investigated variation of microbial communities in plastisphere and their capacity to biodegrade non-biodegradable plastics (non-BPs), i.e., polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE), and biodegradable plastics (BPs), i.e., polylactic acid+polybutylene adipate-co-terephthalate (PLA+PBAT) for four-time periods (15, 30, 45, and 80 days) in three freshwaters. Results showed that the aging degree of plastics increased with succession of plastisphere, with higher degradation rates of BP blends than those of non-BPs. High-throughput sequencing from 112 biofilm samples revealed that bacterial and fungal community structure of the plastisphere were potentially affected by plastic types and gradually converge during biofilm succession. The plastisphere of BPs reached the mature phase more quickly than those of non-BPs and increased co-exclusion to complete for resources. Furthermore, ecological networks involving plastic aging indices, environmental factors and bacterial and fungal operational taxonomic units were established. Ecological networks revealed that BPs may pose the ability to attract and retain key microorganisms (of the orders Bacillales, Myxococcales and Xanthomonadales) that significantly influence community composition such that biodegradative functions were increased in freshwaters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingzhan Miao
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resources Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Wanyi Li
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resources Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Tanveer M Adyel
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Melbourne, VIC 3125, Australia
| | - Yu Yao
- School of Environment, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Ye Deng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Environmental Biotechnology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China.
| | - Jun Wu
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resources Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Yongqiang Zhou
- Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology Chinese academy of Science, Nanjing, China
| | - Yue Yu
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geomatic Engineering, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Jun Hou
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resources Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China.
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50
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Guan S, Zhang X, Ma Y, Niu Z. Field based studies on aging characteristics of pristine and aged plastic debris in a coastal environment, Bohai Bay, China. Environ Sci Process Impacts 2023; 25:110-118. [PMID: 36562469 DOI: 10.1039/d2em00432a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The coastal environment has become a sink of plastic due to the strong impact of plastic waste input from land. Plastics entering a coastal environment usually experience aging on land. However, few previous studies used aged plastics to study plastic aging in seawater, and the aging characteristics of aged plastics in a coastal environment are unclear. In our study, a ten-week investigation of the aging characteristics of pristine and pre-aged polypropylene plastic debris was conducted in Bohai Bay, China. During ten-week field exposure, more biofilms formed on the surfaces of pre-aged plastic debris than pristine plastic debris. However, no significant differences were found in the physicochemical properties (surface chemistry, hydrophobicity, and crystallinity) between pristine and pre-aged plastic debris. In addition, the results of redundancy analysis (RDA) illustrated that temperature was a key factor influencing the aging characteristics of plastic debris. Our research suggests that the aging history can affect the density of plastic debris by affecting the adhesion of the biofilm, which may influence the fate of plastic debris. In a coastal environment, plastic debris at different aging stages with the same initial chemical composition had basically similar changes in physicochemical properties in the short term.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shijia Guan
- School of Marine Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China.
| | - Xiaohan Zhang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Yongzheng Ma
- School of Marine Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China.
| | - Zhiguang Niu
- School of Marine Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China.
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