Plastic-microbe interaction in the marine environment

Abstract

Plastic pollution is a growing environmental crisis, with a majority of waste accumulating in landfills or natural ecosystems, and projections indicating a quadrupling of oceanic plastic waste by 2050. This has led to severe issues like microplastic pollution and negative impacts on the marine ecosystem. Enhancing plastic biodegradation is key to addressing this challenge and one way is through the understanding and enhancement of biofilms, particularly those formed by microorganisms on plastic surfaces.

This study investigates the interactions between microorganisms and plastics in the marine environment, focusing on two key bacteria: Nitratireductor aquibiodomus and Ideonella sakaiensis. Through a series of characterisations, the interaction of N. aquibiodomus with plastic was evaluated with physical, chemical, and biological analyses. Additionally, the biofilm formation by I. sakaiensis on plastics was explored using transcriptomics to uncover the underlying mechanisms of plastic degradation. Through these analyses, results were obtained and discussed upon for the conclusions drawn and recommendations made for future research in the environmental microbiology field.