Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1021/acs.est.0c07875
Licence creative commons licence
Title (Primary) Conditioning film and early biofilm succession on plastic surfaces
Author Rummel, C.D.; Lechtenfeld, O.J. ORCID logo ; Kallies, R.; Benke, A.; Herzsprung, P.; Rynek, R.; Wagner, S.; Potthoff, A.; Jahnke, A. ORCID logo ; Schmitt-Jansen, M.
Source Titel Environmental Science & Technology
Year 2021
Department OEC; BIOTOX; SEEFO; UMB; ANA
Volume 55
Issue 16
Page From 11006
Page To 11018
Language englisch
Topic T9 Healthy Planet
T5 Future Landscapes
T7 Bioeconomy
Supplements https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.0c07875?goto=supporting-info
Keywords plastic pollution; microplastic; dissolved organic matter (DOM); conditioning film; eco-corona; surface properties; microorganisms; microbiome; FT-ICR MS
UFZ wide themes ProVIS;
Abstract In the context of environmental plastic pollution, it is still under debate if and how the “plastisphere”, a plastic-specific microbial community, emerges. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the first conditioning film of dissolved organic matter (DOM) sorbs selectively to polymer substrates and that microbial attachment is governed in a substrate-dependent manner. We investigated the adsorption of stream water-derived DOM to polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polystyrene (PS), and glass (as control) including UV-weathered surfaces by Fourier-transform ion cyclotron mass spectrometry. Generally, the saturated, high-molecular mass and thus more hydrophobic fraction of the original stream water DOM preferentially adsorbed to the substrates. The UV-weathered polymers adsorbed more polar, hydrophilic OM as compared to the dark controls. The amplicon sequencing data of the initial microbial colonization process revealed a tendency of substrate specificity for biofilm attachment after 24 h and a clear convergence of the communities after 72 h of incubation. Conclusively, the adsorbed OM layer developed depending on the materials’ surface properties and increased the water contact angles, indicating higher surface hydrophobicity as compared to pristine surfaces. This study improves our understanding of molecular and biological interactions at the polymer/water interface that are relevant to understand the ecological impact of plastic pollution on a community level.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=24948
Rummel, C.D., Lechtenfeld, O.J., Kallies, R., Benke, A., Herzsprung, P., Rynek, R., Wagner, S., Potthoff, A., Jahnke, A., Schmitt-Jansen, M. (2021):
Conditioning film and early biofilm succession on plastic surfaces
Environ. Sci. Technol. 55 (16), 11006 - 11018 10.1021/acs.est.0c07875