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Updated: Jan 16, 2026
Sampling, Sorting, and Characterizing Microplastics in Aquatic Environments with High Suspended Sediment Loads and Large Floating Debris
Published on: July 28, 2018
Microplastics selectively enrich potential plastic-degrading bacteria in estuaries
Xuri Dong1, Yanru He2, Changjun Li3
1Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresources and Environment, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang, 222005, China; State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China; Plastic Marine Debris Research Center, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China.
Microplastics (MPs) in estuaries host unique microbial communities, the Plastisphere, with distinct bacterial and eukaryotic diversity. These microbes show enhanced plastic degradation capabilities, driven by direct interaction with microplastics.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Microbiology
- Oceanography
Background:
- Estuaries are key pathways for microplastic (MP) transport to oceans.
- The microbial communities on MPs, known as the Plastisphere, are crucial for MP transformation.
- Understanding seasonal and estuarine variations in the Plastisphere is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the microbial diversity of the Plastisphere across different estuaries and seasons.
- To compare microbial communities on MPs with those in water, sediment, and particulate organic matter.
- To identify functional roles of microbes associated with MPs, particularly plastic degradation.
Main Methods:
- Collected water, sediment, MP, and wood samples from four Southeast China estuaries in spring and autumn.
- Analyzed bacterial and eukaryotic diversity using species classification and functional annotation.
- Compared microbial communities across different matrices and seasons.
Main Results:
- Bacterial species on MPs varied seasonally and by estuary in spring, but not in autumn.
- MP-associated microbial diversity differed from water and sediment but resembled particulate organic matter.
- Bacteria on MPs showed higher xenobiotic biodegradation and metabolism, with enriched potential plastic-degrading species.
Conclusions:
- The Plastisphere composition varies seasonally and geographically.
- Microbial communities on MPs are distinct and functionally specialized for plastic degradation.
- Direct association with plastics drives the enrichment of plastic-degrading bacteria on MPs.
