Research and Development Center for Efficient Utilization of Coastal Bioresources, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai 264003, PR China; Center for Ocean Mega-science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, Shandong 266071, PR China; Muping Coastal Environment Research Station, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai 264003, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China.
Research and Development Center for Efficient Utilization of Coastal Bioresources, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai 264003, PR China; Center for Ocean Mega-science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, Shandong 266071, PR China; Muping Coastal Environment Research Station, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai 264003, PR China.
Sci Total Environ. 2022 Jul 20;831:154769. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154769. Epub 2022 Mar 24.
Microbial colonization and biofilm formation associated with microplastics (MPs) have recently attracted wide attention. However, little is known about the effect of MP aging and different exposed habitats on biofilm formation and associated microbial community characteristics. To obtain a comprehensive understanding, virgin and aged polypropylene MPs were selected as attachment substrates and exposed to different aquatic habitats (marine, estuary, and river). The results showed that the aging process could destroy surface structure and increase oxygen-containing groups of MPs. The total biomass of the biofilms, attached-bacterial OTU numbers, and α diversities increased with exposure time. The biofilms biomass and α diversity of MPs in the river were significantly higher than those in the marine and estuary habitats, and temperature and salinity were primary factors affecting microbial colonization. Bacterial communities in MP-attached biofilms were significantly different from those in surrounding water. Microorganisms tend to adhere to aged MPs, and especially, genes related to human pathogens were significantly expressed on aged MPs, suggesting a potential ecological and health risk of aged MPs in aquatic ecosystems. Our results showed that aged MPs and different habitats have an important influence on microbial colonization, and the weathering process can accelerate biofilm formation on MPs.
微生物定殖和生物膜形成与微塑料（MPs）有关，最近引起了广泛关注。然而，关于 MP 老化和不同暴露生境对生物膜形成和相关微生物群落特征的影响知之甚少。为了全面了解这一现象，选择了原始和老化的聚丙烯 MPs 作为附着基质，并将其暴露于不同的水生栖息地（海洋、河口和河流）中。结果表明，老化过程会破坏 MPs 的表面结构并增加其含氧基团。生物膜的总生物量、附着细菌 OTU 数量和 α 多样性随暴露时间的增加而增加。河流中 MPs 生物膜的生物量和 α 多样性明显高于海洋和河口栖息地，温度和盐度是影响微生物定殖的主要因素。MP 附着生物膜中的细菌群落与周围水体中的细菌群落有显著差异。微生物更容易附着在老化的 MPs 上，特别是与人类病原体相关的基因在老化的 MPs 上有显著表达，这表明老化的 MPs 在水生生态系统中具有潜在的生态和健康风险。我们的研究结果表明，老化的 MPs 和不同的栖息地对微生物定殖有重要影响，风化过程会加速 MPs 上生物膜的形成。
