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Developing an optimized method for biofilm extraction from microplastic surfaces for high-efficiency analysis of
Hieu Hoai Vo1,2,3, Thao Thanh Le1,4, Tu Van Nguyen1
1Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology Lab, Phenikaa School of Engineering, Phenikaa University, Ha Noi, Vietnam.
Applied and Environmental Microbiology
|April 29, 2026
Summary
A new method efficiently extracts viable microbes from microplastics (MiPs), revealing significantly higher microbial loads than previously thought. This breakthrough aids in assessing public health risks from microplastic pollution.
Area of Science:
- Environmental microbiology
- Microplastic research
- Public health
Background:
- Microplastics (MiPs) harbor complex biofilms that can spread pathogens.
- Existing extraction methods are inadequate for quantifying microbes on weathered MiPs.
- This underestimation poses a significant barrier to environmental risk assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and optimize a standardized protocol for extracting biofilms from environmentally weathered MiPs.
- To accurately quantify viable microbial communities, including pathogens, associated with MiPs.
- To provide a robust method for assessing the public health risks of microplastic pollution.
Main Methods:
- Optimized a two-cycle extraction-disaggregation workflow using phosphate-buffered saline with 0.1% Tween 80.
- Incorporated mechanical disruption via ultrasonication (40 kHz, 10 min) and vortexing with glass beads.
- Applied the protocol to heterogeneous, field-collected MiP mixtures without prior sorting.
Main Results:
- Achieved a 2,950-fold increase in viable cell recovery compared to conventional PBS extraction.
- Demonstrated a 208-fold increase in recovery due to Tween 80-mediated disaggregation of biofilm fragments.
- Obtained sufficient DNA yields for pathogen detection (e.g., *Aeromonas* spp., *Salmonella enterica*), though purification is needed for NGS.
Conclusions:
- The developed protocol significantly enhances the recovery of viable microbes from weathered microplastics.
- This method overcomes limitations of conventional approaches, revealing the true microbial load on MiPs.
- Provides a foundational tool for understanding plastisphere ecology, pathogen transport, and informing risk assessments for microplastic pollution.
