Marine Bacteria Associated with Colonization and Alteration of Plastic Polymers
The aim of this work was molecular identification of bacteria associated with marine sand at the drift line, where most plastic debris is deposited, and evaluation of the alteration of plastic polymers by them. Bacterial communities growing on plastic polymer surfaces may differentially cause surfac...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-11-01
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| Series: | Applied Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/21/11093 |
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| author | Marina Carrasco-Acosta Marta Santos-Garcia Pilar Garcia-Jimenez |
| author_facet | Marina Carrasco-Acosta Marta Santos-Garcia Pilar Garcia-Jimenez |
| author_sort | Marina Carrasco-Acosta |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The aim of this work was molecular identification of bacteria associated with marine sand at the drift line, where most plastic debris is deposited, and evaluation of the alteration of plastic polymers by them. Bacterial communities growing on plastic polymer surfaces may differentially cause surface alteration through exopolysaccharide production. This alteration can be analyzed by changes in spectra regions of colonized polymers compared to uncolonized polymers using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). In this study, bacteria located in sand at the drift line above sea water, where microplastics are most abundant, were isolated and identified through 16S rRNA. Six of the identified species produced exopolysaccharides, namely <i>Bacillus thuringiensis</i>, <i>B. cereus</i>, <i>Bacillus</i> sp. <i>Proteus penneri</i>, <i>Alcaligenes faecalis</i> and <i>Myroides gitamensis</i>. These bacteria species were inoculated into plates, each containing two frequently reported types of polymers at the drift line. Specifically, the two types of plastic polymers used were polypropylene and polystyrene spheres in whole and mechanically crushed states. Differences in bacterial growth were reported as inferred from weight increase of polypropylene and polystyrene spheres after 1-year long culture. Results also showed that <i>Alcaligenes faecalis</i>, <i>Bacillus cereus</i> and <i>Proteus penneri</i> colonized polypropylene spheres and modified spectra regions of FTIR. It is concluded that bacteria located in sand can be considered plastic-altering bacteria as changes in FTIR-spectra of polymers can be related to bioalteration. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T19:17:36Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-eaddb52407774928a3c5436ca8b6667e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T19:17:36Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-eaddb52407774928a3c5436ca8b6667e2023-11-24T03:37:56ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172022-11-0112211109310.3390/app122111093Marine Bacteria Associated with Colonization and Alteration of Plastic PolymersMarina Carrasco-Acosta0Marta Santos-Garcia1Pilar Garcia-Jimenez2Department of Biology, Faculty of Marine Sciences, Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Estudios Ambientales y Recursos Naturales i-UNAT, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35017 Las Palmas, SpainDepartment of Biology, Faculty of Marine Sciences, Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Estudios Ambientales y Recursos Naturales i-UNAT, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35017 Las Palmas, SpainDepartment of Biology, Faculty of Marine Sciences, Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Estudios Ambientales y Recursos Naturales i-UNAT, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35017 Las Palmas, SpainThe aim of this work was molecular identification of bacteria associated with marine sand at the drift line, where most plastic debris is deposited, and evaluation of the alteration of plastic polymers by them. Bacterial communities growing on plastic polymer surfaces may differentially cause surface alteration through exopolysaccharide production. This alteration can be analyzed by changes in spectra regions of colonized polymers compared to uncolonized polymers using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). In this study, bacteria located in sand at the drift line above sea water, where microplastics are most abundant, were isolated and identified through 16S rRNA. Six of the identified species produced exopolysaccharides, namely <i>Bacillus thuringiensis</i>, <i>B. cereus</i>, <i>Bacillus</i> sp. <i>Proteus penneri</i>, <i>Alcaligenes faecalis</i> and <i>Myroides gitamensis</i>. These bacteria species were inoculated into plates, each containing two frequently reported types of polymers at the drift line. Specifically, the two types of plastic polymers used were polypropylene and polystyrene spheres in whole and mechanically crushed states. Differences in bacterial growth were reported as inferred from weight increase of polypropylene and polystyrene spheres after 1-year long culture. Results also showed that <i>Alcaligenes faecalis</i>, <i>Bacillus cereus</i> and <i>Proteus penneri</i> colonized polypropylene spheres and modified spectra regions of FTIR. It is concluded that bacteria located in sand can be considered plastic-altering bacteria as changes in FTIR-spectra of polymers can be related to bioalteration.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/21/11093bacteriaEPSFTIRin vitro colonizationplastic polymer |
| spellingShingle | Marina Carrasco-Acosta Marta Santos-Garcia Pilar Garcia-Jimenez Marine Bacteria Associated with Colonization and Alteration of Plastic Polymers Applied Sciences bacteria EPS FTIR in vitro colonization plastic polymer |
| title | Marine Bacteria Associated with Colonization and Alteration of Plastic Polymers |
| title_full | Marine Bacteria Associated with Colonization and Alteration of Plastic Polymers |
| title_fullStr | Marine Bacteria Associated with Colonization and Alteration of Plastic Polymers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Marine Bacteria Associated with Colonization and Alteration of Plastic Polymers |
| title_short | Marine Bacteria Associated with Colonization and Alteration of Plastic Polymers |
| title_sort | marine bacteria associated with colonization and alteration of plastic polymers |
| topic | bacteria EPS FTIR in vitro colonization plastic polymer |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/21/11093 |
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