Biofilm influenced metal accumulation onto plastic debris in different freshwaters. (15th September 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Liu, Zhilin; Adyel, Tanveer M.; Miao, Lingzhan; You, Guoxiang; Liu, Songqi; Hou, Jun
• Is Part Of: Environmental pollution. Volume 285(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-09-15
• Subjects: Biofilms -- Heavy metal -- Plastic debris -- Freshwater; AFDW Ash-free dry weight -- ANOVA Analysis of variance -- As Arsenic -- AW Ash weight -- Ba Barium -- CA Contact angle -- Sa surface roughness -- Cd Cadmium -- Cr Chromium -- Cu Copper -- DO Dissolved oxygen -- DW Dry weight -- Fe Iron -- Hg Mercury -- Mn Manganese -- Mo Molybdenum -- Ni Nickel -- ORP Oxidation-reduction potential -- Pb Lead -- PE Polyethylene -- PERMANOVA Permutational multivariate analysis of variance -- PET Polyethylene terephthalate -- PP Polypropylene -- PVC Polyvinyl chloride -- RDA Redundancy analysis -- SEM Scanning Electron Microscopy -- TN Total nitrogen -- TP Total phosphorus -- VPA Variance partitioning canonical correspondence analysis -- Zn Zinc; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Environmental Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Effets physiologiques -- Périodiques; Pollution; Pollution -- Environmental aspects; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 363.73
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117646
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0269-7491

Abstract

Abstract: Microbial biofilms can rapidly colonize plastic debris in aquatic environments and subsequently, accumulate chemical pollutants from the surrounding water. Here, we studied the microbial colonization of different plastics, including polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polyethylene (PE) exposed in three freshwater systems (the Qinhuai River, the Niushoushan River, and Donghu Lake) for 44 days. We also assessed the biofilm mass and associated metals attached to plastics. The plastics debris characteristics, such as contact angle and surface roughness, greatly affected the increased biofilm biomass. All types of metal accumulation onto the plastic substrate abundances significantly higher than the concentrations of heavy metal in the water column, such as Ba (267.75 μg/g vs. 42.12 μg/L, Donhu Lake), Zn (254 μg/g vs. 0.023 μg/L the Qinhuai River), and Cr (93.75 μg/g vs. 0.039 μg/L, the Niushoushan River). Compared with other metals, the heavy metal Ba, Cr and Zn accumulated easily on the plastic debris (PET, PP, PVC, and PE) at all incubation sites. Aquatic environmental factors (total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and suspended solids concentrations) largely shaped metal accumulation onto plastic debris compared with plastic debris properties. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: The heavy metal accumulation onto biofilm covered plastic debris were studied. Distinct biomasses of biofilms were found on various plastic debris. Ba, Cr and Zn showed highest accumulation on the plastic debris. Aquatic environmental factors largely shaped metal accumulation on plastic debris. Abstract : Aquatic environmental factors (i.e., TN, TP and SS) largely shaped metal accumulation on plastic debris.