The plastic Trojan horse: Biofilms increase microplastic uptake in marine filter feeders impacting microbial transfer and organism health

Fabra, Monica; Williams, L.; Watts, Joy E. M.; Hale, Michelle S.; Couceiro, Fay; Preston, Joanne

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149217

Cited by 91 publications

(35 citation statements)

References 56 publications

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“…Orchestia gammarellus was revealed to ingest and subsequently shred a four-fold greater amount of plastic with biofilm than clean plastic, with the plastic type playing no role [139,140]. Fabra et al [141] proved that plastic particles uptake by European native oysters (Ostrea edulis) was significantly higher when particles were covered by bacterial biofilms. According to Wang et al [98], the biofilm-covered plastics emit olfactory signals promoting ingestion.…”

Section: Other Aspects Of Microplastic Influence On Animal Healthmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Occurrence of Microplastics and the Formation of Biofilms by Pathogenic and Opportunistic Bacteria as Threats in Aquaculture

Cholewińska

Moniuszko

Wojnarowski

et al. 2022

IJERPH

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Aquaculture is the most rapidly growing branch of animal production. The efficiency and quality of the produced food depends on sustainable management, water quality, feed prices and the incidence of diseases. Micro- (MP < 5 mm) and nanoplastic (NP < 1000 nm) particles are among the current factors causing serious water pollution. This substance comes solely from products manufactured by humans. MP particles migrate from the terrestrial to the aquatic environment and adversely affect, especially, the health of animals and humans by being a favorable habitat and vector for microbial pathogens and opportunists. More than 30 taxa of pathogens of humans, aquacutural animals and plants, along with opportunistic bacteria, have been detected in plastic-covering biofilm to date. The mobility and durability of the substance, combined with the relatively closed conditions in aquacultural habitats and pathogens’ affinity to the material, make plastic particles a microbiological medium threatening the industry of aquaculture. For this reason, in addition to the fact of plastic accumulation in living organisms, urgent measures should be taken to reduce its influx into the environment. The phenomenon and its implications are related to the concept of one health, wherein the environment, animals and humans affect each other’s fitness.

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Section: Other Aspects Of Microplastic Influence On Animal Healthmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Occurrence of Microplastics and the Formation of Biofilms by Pathogenic and Opportunistic Bacteria as Threats in Aquaculture

Cholewińska

Moniuszko

Wojnarowski

et al. 2022

IJERPH

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“…Considering that it was recently demonstrated the higher preference of some marine filter-feeders to eat microplastics coated with microbial biofilms instead of virgin microplastics, we can speculate the possible trophic preference of B. leachii for microplastics covered by cyanobacteria or other microbial biofilms. Anyway, this important ecological aspect is to date poorly known since most of the studies investigating the impacts of microplastics ingestion by aquatic organisms have currently used virgin plastic particles, which, however, do not reflect the real conditions of the sea 121 as the results here reported have also demonstrated. Another consideration can be made regarding the fact that plastic was found in all the specimens analysed independently if they had a lot of food in the digestive apparatus or not.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 77%

“…Investigating the variability among plastic materials is essential to fill the gap of knowledge still existing to date, avoiding misidentifications and errors in quantification of microplastic in the environments or into living organisms 91 – 96 , 121 . This last point is crucial and constitutes one of the main limits of the recent studies.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We cannot exclude, therefore, that the microplastics were deposited on the surface of the prey ingested by the sea slugs. Anyway, it is interesting to note that once in the marine environment, microplastics are colonised by the ‘plastisphere’ as are collectively called the wide variety of microbial communities coating plastic debris and forming biofilms 121 , 122 . Considering that it was recently demonstrated the higher preference of some marine filter-feeders to eat microplastics coated with microbial biofilms instead of virgin microplastics, we can speculate the possible trophic preference of B. leachii for microplastics covered by cyanobacteria or other microbial biofilms.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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SEM/EDX analysis of stomach contents of a sea slug snacking on a polluted seafloor reveal microplastics as a component of its diet

Furfaro

D’Elia

Mariano

et al. 2022

Sci Rep

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Understanding the impacts of microplastics on living organisms in aquatic habitats is one of the hottest research topics worldwide. Despite increased attention, investigating microplastics in underwater environments remains a problematic task, due to the ubiquitous occurrence of microplastic, its multiple modes of interactions with the biota, and to the diversity of the synthetic organic polymers composing microplastics in the field. Several studies on microplastics focused on marine invertebrates, but to date, the benthic sea slugs (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Heterobranchia) were not yet investigated. Sea slugs are known to live on the organisms on which they feed on or to snack while gliding over the sea floor, but also as users of exogenous molecules or materials not only for nutrition. Therefore, they may represent a potential biological model to explore new modes of transformation and/or management of plastic, so far considered to be a non-biodegradable polymer. In this study we analysed the stomachal content of Bursatella leachii, an aplysiid heterobranch living in the Mar Piccolo, a highly polluted coastal basin near Taranto, in the northern part of the Ionian Sea. Microplastics were found in the stomachs of all the six sampled specimens, and SEM/EDX analyses were carried out to characterize the plastic debris. The SEM images and EDX spectra gathered here should be regarded as a baseline reference database for future investigations on marine Heterobranchia and their interactions with microplastics.

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“…356 These can transport bacteria such as E. coli and cholera from sewage outfalls and agricultural runoff. 357 So while there is mounting evidence that plastics can be harmful to human health, that evidence does not show that the harm is particularly direct or fatal. Unlike mercury poisoning or skin cancer the harm does not present as immediate and urgent.…”

Section: (D) Threat To Human Healthmentioning

confidence: 99%

Solving the Plastics Crisis in New Zealand: The need for domestic regulation as well as a global treaty

Jamieson¹

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<p>Plastic pollution has reached crisis point. It is damaging ecosystems and threatening human health. This paper looks at how the problem can be successfully regulated. It argues that the solution lies in regulating to create and maintain a circular economy for plastics – a holistic approach that addresses the entire lifecycle of plastics. This is a complex task, but it is possible through application of the right regulatory tools, and with measures directed upstream at plastic production and product design as well as downstream at recycling and biodegradation. What is needed is sound policy and robust legislation. An analysis of New Zealand law finds that it is not up to the task, and the current proposed legislative changes do not appear sufficient. A review of international law finds that it is not up to the task either. There is a strong case for an international treaty on plastics. So much about the plastic problem is transboundary that in order for individual states to transition to a circular economy they need to align with other states. States need overall governance to streamline all elements of the plastics lifecycle, including source feedstock, polymer types, additives, biodegradation, recycling and labelling so that they are all moving together towards the same goal. A treaty is therefore not just desirable, but necessary. New Zealand should implement robust domestic regulation, and also support the negotiation of a binding treaty on the lifecycle of plastics at the United Nations Environment Assembly.</p>

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The plastic Trojan horse: Biofilms increase microplastic uptake in marine filter feeders impacting microbial transfer and organism health

Cited by 91 publications

References 56 publications

The Occurrence of Microplastics and the Formation of Biofilms by Pathogenic and Opportunistic Bacteria as Threats in Aquaculture

The Occurrence of Microplastics and the Formation of Biofilms by Pathogenic and Opportunistic Bacteria as Threats in Aquaculture

SEM/EDX analysis of stomach contents of a sea slug snacking on a polluted seafloor reveal microplastics as a component of its diet

Solving the Plastics Crisis in New Zealand: The need for domestic regulation as well as a global treaty

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