Despite the great benefits of plastics in different aspects of life and due to the increase in plastic production and use, plastic wastes are becoming a major environmental concern. It is well known that inappropriate use and disposal lead to the accumulation of plastic litter in different aquatic environments. Microbial biofilm is able to develop on the surface of plastics (plastisphere) in aquatic environments over time. The aim of this study was to describe the bacterial communities associated with plastics in freshwater. Thus, in our first test, a total of six self-designed plastic colonizers were submerged under the surface of the water in Vácszentlászló lake, located in central Hungary, for a period of 3 months. Two plastic colonizers were cultivated monthly. Associated microbial communities were then analyzed as follows: (a) bacterial communities were studied by amplicon sequencing and (b) culturable bacteria were isolated from plastic surfaces and identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Coinciding with these analyses of plastic colonizing communities, surface water samples from the lake were also taken, and in a second test, other materials (eg. wood, glass) associated bacterial communities were also investigated with the same methods. Amplicon sequencing showed notable differences between the plastic and other materials colonizing, and lake waterborne microbial community composition. Using the LB agar, no novel species were found; however, several known pathogenic species were identified. The self-designed plastic colonizer was successfully used during the winter over a 3-month period, suggesting that it could be an appropriate method of choice to study microplastic-associated microbes for longer periods and in variable environmental conditions.

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-spore-forming, rod-shaped bacterial strain (UP-52T) was isolated from hydrocarbon-polluted groundwater located near an oil refinery in Tiszaujvaros, Hungary. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that the isolate belongs to the genus Dyadobacter in the family Cytophagaceae . Its closely related species are Dyadobacter frigoris (98.00 %), Dyadobacter koreensis (97.64 %), Dyadobacter psychrophilus (97.57 %), Dyadobacter ginsengisoli (97.56 %) and Dyadobacter psychrotolerans (97.20 %). The predominant fatty acids are summed feature 3 (C16 : 1  ω7c and/or C16 : 1  ω7c/C16 : 1  ω6c), C15 : 0 iso, C16 : 1  ω5c and C17 : 0 iso 3OH. The predominant respiratory quinone detected in strain UP-52T is quinone MK-7. The dominant polar lipids are glycolipid, phosphoaminolipid, phospholipid and aminolipid. The DNA G+C content is 40.0 mol%. Flexirubin-type pigment was present. Based on these phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic results, UP-52T represents a novel species of the genus Dyadobacter , for which the name Dyadobacter subterraneus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is UP-52T (=NCAIM B.02653T=CCM 9030T).

A Gram-negative, dark orange-pigmented, aerobic, non-spore-forming, coccoid-shaped bacterium designated as ZS-1/3T was isolated from a floating plastic litter (polypropylene straw) sample, collected from shallow seawater near the public beach of Laganas on Zakynthos island, Greece. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that the isolate is affiliated with the genus Parvularcula in the family Parvularculaceae . Its closest relatives are Parvularcula lutaonensis (98.09  %) and Parvularcula oceanus (95.89  %). The pH and temperature ranges for growth are pH 5–10 and 20–38 °C (optima, pH 7.0 and 28 °C). The predominant fatty acids are C18 : 1  ω7c (56.84  %), C16 : 0 (27.51  %), C18 : 0 (2.25  %) and C12 : 0 (1.42  %). The predominant respiratory quinone detected in strain ZS-1/3T is quinone-10 (Q10); the majority of detected polar lipids are glycolipid. The DNA G+C content is 62.5  mol%. Physiological and chemotaxonomic data further confirmed the distinctiveness of strain ZS-1/3T from other members of the genus Parvularcula . Thus, strain ZS-1/3T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus, for which the name Parvularcula mediterranea. sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is ZS-1/3T (=NCAIM B 02654T=CCM 9032T).