Shruti V C, Kutralam-Muniasamy Gurusamy, Pérez-Guevara Fermín
Department of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, Mexico.
Department of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, Mexico.
Sci Total Environ. 2023 Dec 10;903:166561. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166561. Epub 2023 Aug 24.
Microbial decomposers (bacteria and fungi) are likely to interact with plastic particles introduced into natural systems, particularly micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs), exposing them to a variety of risks. In vitro testing has proven to be an accessible and viable method for gaining insights into how microbial decomposers behave individually and systemically toward MNPs. Recent advances have enhanced our understanding of MNP interactions with organisms, revealing the molecular foundations of adaptive responses as well as the biological impact and potential risks to MNPs. Despite widespread attention, this topic has not yet been reviewed. Here, we conducted a systematic review of the available research to critically assess and highlight the most recent advances in two major areas: (1) methods for in vitro evaluation of environmentally relevant microbial decomposers to MNPs; and (2) current understanding of the underlying toxicity mechanisms gained from in vitro assessments. We also addressed the key considerations throughout and proposed available opportunities in the field. Our analysis revealed that MNPs' toxicity has been studied in vitro either alone or in combination with other contaminants (e.g., antibiotics and metallic nanoparticles), with Escherichia coli and polystyrene particles receiving the most attention. Moreover, there were methodological differences in terms of MNP size, shape, polymer, surface characteristics, exposure period, and concentrations. A combination of methods, including growth-viability tests, biochemical assays, and omics profiling (metabolomics and transcriptomics), were employed to detect the effects of MNP exposure and explain its toxicity mechanism. The current literature suggests that the impacts of MNPs on microbial decomposers include alterations in the antioxidative system, gene expression levels and cell-membrane permeability and oxidative damage, all of which can be further influenced by MNPs interaction with other contaminants. This review will thus provide critical insights and up-to-date knowledge to assist novices and experts in promoting advancements and research.
微生物分解者（细菌和真菌）可能会与引入自然系统中的塑料颗粒相互作用，尤其是微塑料和纳米塑料，使它们面临各种风险。体外测试已被证明是一种可行的方法，有助于深入了解微生物分解者对微塑料和纳米塑料的个体及整体反应。最近的进展加深了我们对微塑料与生物体相互作用的理解，揭示了适应性反应的分子基础以及微塑料的生物学影响和潜在风险。尽管受到广泛关注，但该主题尚未得到综述。在此，我们对现有研究进行了系统综述，以批判性地评估和突出两个主要领域的最新进展：（1）体外评估环境相关微生物分解者对微塑料的方法；（2）从体外评估中获得的对潜在毒性机制的当前理解。我们还阐述了贯穿始终的关键考虑因素，并提出了该领域的现有机会。我们的分析表明，已在体外研究了微塑料单独或与其他污染物（如抗生素和金属纳米颗粒）组合的毒性，其中大肠杆菌和聚苯乙烯颗粒受到的关注最多。此外，在微塑料的尺寸、形状、聚合物、表面特性、暴露时间和浓度方面存在方法学差异。采用了包括生长活力测试、生化分析和组学分析（代谢组学和转录组学）在内的多种方法来检测微塑料暴露的影响并解释其毒性机制。当前文献表明，微塑料对微生物分解者的影响包括抗氧化系统、基因表达水平和细胞膜通透性的改变以及氧化损伤，所有这些都可能受到微塑料与其他污染物相互作用的进一步影响。因此，本综述将提供关键见解和最新知识，以帮助新手和专家推动该领域的进展和研究。
