2026-04-14T02:15:08Zhttps://recercat.cat/oai/requestoai:recercat.cat:2445/2160042025-12-17T12:20:06Zcom_2072_1057col_2072_478778col_2072_478917
RECERCAT
author
Monràs-Riera, Pere
author
Ávila Escartín, Conxita
author
Ballesté Pau, Elisenda
2024-10-24T12:49:31Z2024-10-24T12:49:31Z2024-112024-10-24T12:49:31Z
Microplastics are present even in remote regions like the Southern Ocean. Once in the water, they are rapidly colonised by marine microorganisms, forming the plastisphere. To address this issue in Antarctic waters, we conducted a microcosm experiment by incubating polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene microplastic pellets, and quartz for 33 days on Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. We analysed plastic colonisation and plastisphere dynamics using scanning electron microscopy, flow cytometry, bacterial cultivation, qPCR, and 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding. Our results show rapid and consistent colonisation, although biomass formation was slightly slower than in other oceans, indicating unique environmental constraints. Time was the main factor influencing biofilm communities, while plastic polymer types had little effect. We observed a transition in microbial communities from early- to late-biofilm stages between days 12 and 19. Additionally, we described the bacterial plastisphere composition in this Antarctic environment, including the presence of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria.
cc-by-nc-nd (c) Monràs-Riera, Pere et al., 2024 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
Biofilms
Contaminació del mar
Microplàstics
Antàrtic, Oceà
Biofilms
Marine pollution
Microplastics
Antarctic Ocean
Plastisphere in an Antarctic environment: A microcosm approach
info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion