Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 19, 2026

Protocol for Microplastics Sampling on the Sea Surface and Sample Analysis
Published on: December 16, 2016
Microbial Dynamics on Different Microplastics in Coastal Urban Aquatic Ecosystems: The Critical Roles of
Cuijie Feng1, Ziyan Liang1, Xin Liao2
1Center for Water Resources and Environment, School of Civil Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, PR China.
None:
Microplastics (MPs) serve as carriers for microbial community colonization, forming unique ecosystems known as plastispheres in urban aquatic ecosystems. However, interactions among microbes, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), and MPs remain poorly understood. This study investigates microbial consortia and their EPS secretion behaviors across various plastispheres at two representative coastal urban water sites. Permutational multivariate analysis of variance revealed that MP type significantly influenced microbial community structures in reservoir environments (R2 = 0.60, p < 0.001), highlighting the pronounced impact of MP types in high-quality urban waters. Specific microbial phyla and genera were identified as key contributors to EPS compositional variations across different plastispheres. Hierarchical partitioning results identified Acidobacteria, Nitrospirae, and Planctomycetes as influential phyla positively affecting EPS composition. Spearman correlation analysis pinpointed Robiginitialea (positive correlation) and Fimbriiglobus (negative correlation) as critical genera influencing EPS dynamics. Moreover, EPS-related gene abundance corresponded closely with observed EPS compositional differences. Dominant genes associated with protein biosynthesis included xapD in reservoirs and glnA in bays, while glmS and eno were predominant for polysaccharide biosynthesis in bays. This research advances our understanding of microbial-EPS-MP interactions in urban water systems, offering critical insights into ecological remediation and risk assessment of MP pollution.
More Related Videos
05:31Sampling, Sorting, and Characterizing Microplastics in Aquatic Environments with High Suspended Sediment Loads and Large Floating Debris
Published on: July 28, 2018
08:21Forming Micro-and Nano-Plastics from Agricultural Plastic Films for Employment in Fundamental Research Studies
Published on: July 27, 2022
Related Concept Videos
Microenvironments
Marine Microbial Ecology
Freshwater Microbial Ecology
Microbial Wastewater Treatment
Bioplastics
Microbial Bioremediation of Plastics