Plastics, (bio)polymers and their apparent biogeochemical cycle: An infrared spectroscopy study on foraminifera

Birarda, Giovanni; Buosi, Carla; Caridi, Francesca; Casu, Maria Antonietta; Giudici, Giovanni; Bella, Letizia Di; Medas, Daniela; Meneghini, Carlo; Pierdomenico, Martina; Sabbatini, Anna; Surowka, Artur Dawid; Vaccari, Lisa

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2021.116912

Cited by 21 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 66 publications

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“…(4) similar to point (ii) above, will any impacts be amplified by combined effects caused by other environmental stressors, such as global warming or ocean acidification 27,286,319,321 ?…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…3) and largely understudied. This topic is beginning to gain more attention, with a number of studies published so far in 2021, including original research articles (e.g., 319,320 ) as well as reviews and other works that either focused solely on biogeochemical effects of marine microbe-plastic interactions 321 or included it as one of several topics (e.g., 219,322,323 ).…”

Section: Effects Of Plastic Pollution On Biogeochemical Cycling In the Oceansmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The plastisphere has also been found to contribute to greenhouse gas (CO2 and N2O) fluxes in the eastern South Pacific Ocean, albeit the contribution was rather small (less than 1% of the overall ocean contribution 147 ). Experimental evidence also indicates that exposure to plastics and related leachates can negatively affect biocalcification by marine forams, resulting in possible impacts on oceanic carbon storage and consequently climate regulation 319 .…”

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confidence: 99%

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<em> </em>Current Research on Microbe-Plastic Interactions in the Marine Environment

Latva¹,

Zadjelovic²,

Wright³

2021

Preprint

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The microbial colonisers of plastics – the ‘plastisphere’ – can affect all interactions that plastics have with their surrounding environments. While only specifically characterised within the last 10 years, at the beginning of 2021 there were 140 primary research and 65 review articles that investigate at least one aspect of the plastisphere. We gathered information on the locations and methodologies used by each of the primary research articles, highlighting several aspects of plastisphere research that remain understudied: (i) the non-bacterial plastisphere constituents; (ii) the mechanisms used to degrade plastics by marine isolates or communities; (iii) the capacity for plastisphere members to be pathogenic or carry antimicrobial resistance genes; and (iv) meta-OMIC characterisations of the plastisphere. We have also summarised the topics covered by the existing plastisphere review articles, identifying areas that have received less attention to date – most of which are in line with the areas that have fewer primary research articles. Therefore, in addition to providing an overview of some fundamental topics such as biodegradation and community assembly, we discuss the importance of eukaryotes in shaping the plastisphere, potential pathogens carried by plastics and the impact of the plastisphere on plastic transport and biogeochemical cycling. Finally, we summarise the future directions suggested by the reviews that we have evaluated and suggest other key research questions.

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“…(4) similar to point (ii) above, will any impacts be amplified by combined effects caused by other environmental stressors, such as global warming or ocean acidification 27,286,319,321 ?…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Effects Of Plastic Pollution On Biogeochemical Cycling In the Oceansmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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<em> </em>Current Research on Microbe-Plastic Interactions in the Marine Environment

Latva¹,

Zadjelovic²,

Wright³

2021

Preprint

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“…Previous studies on plastic impacts on foraminifera have shown the ingestion of plastic particles in varied size ranges (0.5 μm to 6 μm in diameter) with species-specific selectivity towards certain sizes 22 , 23 , and an active feeding preference of biofilm-coated microplastics was observed in the LBF Amphistegina gibbosa 24 . Stress reactions (i.e., accumulation of neutral lipids and enhanced reactive oxygen species production) were observed in Ammonia parkinsonia by the uptake of nanoplastic particles 25 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Nanoplastic incorporation into an organismal skeleton

Joppien

Westphal

Chandra

et al. 2022

Sci Rep

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Studies on the effects of global marine plastic pollution have largely focused on physiological responses of few organism groups (e.g., corals, fishes). Here, we report the first observation of polymer nanoparticles being incorporated into the calcite skeleton of a large benthic foraminifera (LBF), a significant contributor to global carbonate production. While previous work on LBF has documented selectivity in feeding behaviour and a high degree of specialization regarding skeletal formation, in this study, abundant cases of nanoplastic encrustation into the calcite tests were observed. Nanoplastic incorporation was associated with formation of new chambers, in conjunction with rapid nanoplastic ingestion and subsequent incomplete egestion. Microalgae presence in nanoplastic treatments significantly increased the initial feeding response after 1 day, but regardless of microalgae presence, nanoplastic ingestion was similar after 6 weeks of chronic exposure. While ~ 40% of ingesting LBF expelled all nanoplastics from their cytoplasm, nanoplastics were still attached to the test surface and subsequently encrusted by calcite. These findings highlight the need for further investigation regarding plastic pollution impacts on calcifying organisms, e.g., the function of LBF as potential plastic sinks and alterations in structural integrity of LBF tests that will likely have larger ecosystem-level impacts on sediment production.

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“…3 Plastics waste degradation is accelerated by irradiation from the UV component of sunlight and by some mechanical wearing, with the continuous production of smaller and smaller debris, maintaining a substantial chemical integrity. [11][12][13][14][15][16][17] Energy recovery as heat, steam, or electricity by burning plastics wastes, that in 2016 represented the fate of as much as 40% of plastics waste, 3 is strongly discouraged because of the production of greenhouse gases and pollutants. [1][2][3]13 As it will be better detailed below, different strategies have been proposed for reusing and recycling plastics waste, 18 but its large fraction that accumulates in landfills and, what is much more dismaying, in surface waters and oceans, is generally not adequately considered.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Can Non-Recyclable Plastic Waste Be Made Environmentally Sustainable?

Campanella¹,

Suffritti

2021

Substantia

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After death the fraction of living matter which is not biodegraded (shells, bones, corals, carbonaceous deposits) becomes environmentally sustainable. This is not the case for plastics so that these wastes should be either recycled or made environmentally inert and stored in secure repositories as a resource for future generations. Chemistry has offered different solutions to this problem, and each brings about advantages and disadvantages when compared to other options. One further possible route could consist in the enrichment of the plastics waste in carbon content (“carbonization”), in analogy with the production of charcoal from wood, but we hope to stimulate a debate about all the other possible routes among scientists and engineers in the involved fields.

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Plastics, (bio)polymers and their apparent biogeochemical cycle: An infrared spectroscopy study on foraminifera

Cited by 21 publications

References 66 publications

<em> </em>Current Research on Microbe-Plastic Interactions in the Marine Environment

<em> </em>Current Research on Microbe-Plastic Interactions in the Marine Environment

Nanoplastic incorporation into an organismal skeleton

Can Non-Recyclable Plastic Waste Be Made Environmentally Sustainable?

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