Rapid bacterial colonization of low-density polyethylene microplastics in coastal sediment microcosms.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Synthetic microplastics (≤5-mm fragments) are emerging environmental contaminants that have been found to accumulate within coastal marine sediments worldwide. The ecological impacts and fate of microplastic debris are only beginning to be revealed, with previous research into these topics having primarily focused on higher organisms and/or pelagic environments. Despite recent research into plastic-associated microorganisms in seawater, the microbial colonization of microplastics in benthic habitats has not been studied. Therefore, we employed a 14-day microcosm experiment to investigate bacterial colonization of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) microplastics within three types of coastal marine sediment from Spurn Point, Humber Estuary, U.K.

Results

Bacterial atta

SUBMITTER: Harrison JP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4177575 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature