Spatial and seasonal variations in biofilm formation on microplastics in coastal waters

Zhang, Bin; Yang, Xin; Liu, Lingchen; Chen, Liang; Jiang, Teng; Zhu, Xiaopeng; Zhao, Jianmin; Wang, Qing

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145303

Cited by 107 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 74 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…A previous study of biofilm formation on plastics in seawater revealed a higher relative contribution of photoautotrophic organisms to the biofilm under light versus dark conditions in the laboratory . Additionally, multiple studies have reported enhanced biofilm development during brighter, warmer seasons in comparison to those during darker, colder seasons. ,, …”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…Microscopy-based methods in combination with molecular dyes have been used to evaluate physical structures of biofilms, − and a staining protocol using crystal violet has been adopted to quantify relative bulk biofilm extents on plastic samples . This technique has been widely used to relate biofilm formation rates and extents with changes to physical properties of marine plastics, such as hydrophobicity, , and compare biofilm formation between different seasons, water depths, , or environments (e.g., coastal versus offshore waters) . We propose that this technique could be used to track biofilm extents on plastic surfaces alongside an analysis of the optical properties of the combined plastic-biofilm sample over time.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Product Formulation Controls the Impact of Biofouling on Consumer Plastic Photochemical Fate in the Ocean

Nelson

Reddy

Ward

2021

Environ. Sci. Technol.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The photodegradation rates of floating marine plastics govern their environmental lifetimes, but the controls on this process remain poorly understood. Photodegradation of these materials has so far been studied under ideal conditions in the absence of environmental factors such as biofouling, which may slow photochemical transformation rates through light screening.To investigate this interaction, we incubated different plastics in continuous flow seawater mesocosms to follow (i) the extent of biofilm growth on the samples and (ii) decreases in light transmittance through the samples over time. We used consumer products with high relevance (e.g., shopping bags, water bottles, and packaging materials) and with different formulations, referring to primary polymers (polyethylene (PE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET)) and inorganic additives (titanium dioxide (TiO 2 )). The behavior of consumer-relevant formulations was compared to those of pure PE and PET films, revealing that the relative effects of UV-and, to a lesser extent, visible-light screening differ based on the formulation of the product. Pure PE showed greater relative UV-transmittance decreases (Δ = −34% through the entire sample, accounting for biofilm on both sides of the plastic film) than PET (Δ = −20%) and PE products with TiO 2 (Δ = < −10%). Our results demonstrate that even with biofouling, photodegradation remains a highly relevant process for the fate of marine plastics. However, we expect photodegradation rates of plastics in the ocean to be slower than those measured in laboratory studies, due to light screening by biofilms, and the specific formulation of plastic products is a key determinant of the extent of this effect.

show abstract

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 94%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Product Formulation Controls the Impact of Biofouling on Consumer Plastic Photochemical Fate in the Ocean

Nelson

Reddy

Ward

2021

Environ. Sci. Technol.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Previous report suggested that environmental conditions were closely reported to the formation and architecture of biofilm (Campoccia et al, 2013;Zhang et al, 2021). In this section, effects of environmental conditions including salt concentration, ethanol concentration, pH, sugar addition, temperature, and support materials on biofilm formation were investigated.…”

Section: Across Diverse Conditionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Formation of Biofilm by Tetragenococcus halophilus Benefited Stress Tolerance and Anti-biofilm Activity Against S. aureus and S. Typhimurium

et al. 2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Tetragenococcus halophilus, a halophilic lactic acid bacterium (LAB), plays an important role in the production of high-salt fermented foods. Generally, formation of biofilm benefits the fitness of cells when faced with competitive and increasingly hostile fermented environments. In this work, the biofilm-forming capacity of T. halophilus was investigated. The results showed that the optimal conditions for biofilm formation by T. halophilus were at 3–9% salt content, 0–6% ethanol content, pH 7.0, 30°C, and on the surface of stainless steel. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) analysis presented a dense and flat biofilm with a thickness of about 24 μm, and higher amounts of live cells were located near the surface of biofilm and more dead cells located at the bottom. Proteins, polysaccharides, extracellular-DNA (eDNA), and humic-like substances were all proved to take part in biofilm formation. Higher basic surface charge, greater hydrophilicity, and lower intracellular lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activities were detected in T. halophilus grown in biofilms. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging revealed that biofilm cultures of T. halophilus had stronger surface adhesion forces than planktonic cells. Cells in biofilm exhibited higher cell viability under acid stress, ethanol stress, heat stress, and oxidative stress. In addition, T. halophilus biofilms exhibited aggregation activity and anti-biofilm activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella Typhimurium. Results presented in the study may contribute to enhancing stress tolerance of T. halophilus and utilize their antagonistic activities against foodborne pathogens during the production of fermented foods.

show abstract

“…The biofilm itself has begun to be studied. Zhang et al (2021) exposed polypropylene, polyethylene, and polylactic acid pellets, and glass particles for six weeks during different seasons in the Yellow Sea, China [95]. The total amount of biofilm that formed varied among seasons and locations; temperature of seawater was the most important factor.…”

Section: The Role Of Biofilms 631 Aquatic Effectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reality Check: Experimental Studies on Microplastics Lack Realism

Weis

Palmquist

2021

Applied Sciences

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Environmental microplastics are gaining interest due to their ubiquity and the threat they pose to environmental and human health. Critical studies have revealed the abundance of microplastics in nature, while others have tested the impacts of these small plastics on organismal health in the laboratory. Yet, there is often a mismatch between these two areas of research, resulting in major discrepancies and an inability to interpret certain findings. Here, we focus on several main lines of inquiry. First, even though the majority of environmental microplastics are plastic microfibers from textiles, laboratory studies still largely use spherical microbeads. There are also inconsistencies between the measurements of microplastics in the environment as compared to the concentrations that tend to be used in experimental studies. Likewise, the period of exposure occurring in experimental studies and in the environment are vastly different. Lastly, although experimental studies often focus on a particular subset of toxic chemicals present on microplastics, textile microfibers carry other dyes and chemicals that are understudied. They also cause types of physical damage not associated with microspheres. This review will analyze the literature pertaining to these mismatches, focusing on aquatic organisms and model systems, and seek to inform a path forward for this burgeoning area of research.

show abstract

Spatial and seasonal variations in biofilm formation on microplastics in coastal waters

Cited by 107 publications

References 74 publications

Product Formulation Controls the Impact of Biofouling on Consumer Plastic Photochemical Fate in the Ocean

Product Formulation Controls the Impact of Biofouling on Consumer Plastic Photochemical Fate in the Ocean

Formation of Biofilm by Tetragenococcus halophilus Benefited Stress Tolerance and Anti-biofilm Activity Against S. aureus and S. Typhimurium

Reality Check: Experimental Studies on Microplastics Lack Realism

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About