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Updated: Sep 26, 2025
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Unraveling the Unseen Players in the Ocean - A Field Guide to Water Chemistry and Marine Microbiology
Published on: November 5, 2014
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From rivers to marine environments: A constantly evolving microbial community within the plastisphere
Alice Delacuvellerie1, Tosca Ballerini2, Laura Frère2
1Proteomics and Microbiology department, University of Mons, 20 place du parc, 7000 Mons, Belgium.
Marine Pollution Bulletin
|April 23, 2022
Summary
Plastic pollution in the Mediterranean Sea creates a microbial habitat called the plastisphere. Microbial communities on plastic debris are influenced by location and plastic type, with some bacteria showing potential for plastic degradation.
Area of Science:
- Environmental microbiology
- Marine pollution
- Polymer science
Background:
- The Mediterranean Sea suffers significant plastic pollution, leading to the formation of microbial communities on plastic surfaces, termed the plastisphere.
- Understanding the factors influencing plastisphere composition is crucial for assessing its ecological impact.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the parameters affecting microbial biofilm composition on plastic debris in various aquatic ecosystems.
- To identify plastic-degrading bacteria within the plastisphere of the Mediterranean Sea.
Main Methods:
- Collected 107 plastic samples from 22 sites across river, estuary, harbor, and inshore environments in Southern France.
- Performed 48 enrichment cultures to isolate plastic-degrading bacteria.
- Analyzed microbial community structure and pathogenic genus distribution.
Main Results:
- Sampling site and polymer chemical composition were the primary drivers of microbial community structure.
- Only 11% of plastic samples showed higher proportions of the pathogenic genus Vibrio compared to natural environments.
- Enrichment cultures selected for hydrocarbon-degrading microorganisms, indicating potential plastic degradation capabilities.
Conclusions:
- Microbial communities on plastic in the Mediterranean are shaped by environmental context and plastic material.
- The risk of pathogenic bacteria like Vibrio on plastics appears limited in the studied areas.
- Specific microorganisms within the plastisphere show potential for degrading plastic waste.
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