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Microbiomes on microplastics versus natural microcarriers: Stability and transformation during aquatic travel from

Lizhou Lin1, Youda Huang1, Weibin Jia1

  • 1Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Culture Collection and Application, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510070, China; Guangdong Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Microbiology and Regional Eco-Safety, Guangzhou 510070, China.

Journal of Hazardous Materials
|July 20, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Microplastics (MPs) do not spread microbes faster than natural materials in aquatic environments. The type of plastic, like PVC, influences microbial communities, but MPs generally do not enhance pathogen propagation compared to sand or bamboo.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental microbiology
  • Aquatic ecology
  • Polymer science

Background:

  • Microplastics (MPs) are increasingly recognized as potential vectors for microbial transport in aquatic ecosystems.
  • The influence of different plastic types on the 'plastisphere' and their microbial propagation capacity compared to natural materials remains poorly understood.
  • Previous hypotheses suggested that MPs might spread microbes more rapidly than natural substrates across diverse water bodies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the microbial communities colonizing various microplastic types (polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride) and natural materials (quartz sand, bamboo).
  • To compare the microbial attachment and propagation on microplastics versus natural carriers during transport between distinct aquatic environments.
  • To determine if specific plastic types enhance the spread of microbes, including potential pathogens.

Main Methods:

  • In-situ incubation of microplastic and natural microcarriers in aquaculture ponds and adjacent freshwater streams.
  • Analysis of microbial communities attached to polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), quartz sand, and bamboo.
  • Comparative assessment of microbial load and community composition across different carrier types and environments.

Main Results:

  • Microbial communities were primarily shaped by environmental conditions, with carrier type also playing a significant role.
  • Tested plastics did not harbor more microbes than natural carriers; PVC showed distinct biofilm composition and lower microbial retention than PE and PP.
  • Bamboo carried a higher load of potential pathogens than all tested plastic polymers and quartz sand.

Conclusions:

  • The composition of the plastisphere is dependent on the specific polymer type.
  • Microplastics do not appear to enhance the propagation of microbes, including pathogens, compared to natural materials across different aquatic environments.
  • Findings challenge the notion of microplastics as superior vectors for microbial dispersal in aquatic systems.
Keywords:
AquacultureMicrobiomeMicroplasticsPathogenPlastisphere

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