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Environmental Microbiology Reports Jun 2024Plastic debris in the ocean releases chemical compounds that can be toxic to marine fauna. It was recently found that some marine bacteria can degrade such leachates,...
Plastic debris in the ocean releases chemical compounds that can be toxic to marine fauna. It was recently found that some marine bacteria can degrade such leachates, but information on the diversity of these bacteria is mostly lacking. In this study, we analysed the bacterial diversity growing on leachates from new low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and a mix of naturally weathered plastic, collected from beach sand. We used a combination of Catalysed Reporter Deposition-Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (CARD-FISH), BioOrthogonal Non-Canonical Amino acid Tagging (BONCAT), and 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing to analyse bacterioplankton-groups specific activity responses and the identity of the responsive taxa to plastic leachates produced under irradiated and non-irradiated conditions. We found that some generalist taxa responded to all leachates, most of them belonging to the Alteromonadales, Oceanospirillales, Nitrosococcales, Rhodobacterales, and Sphingomonadales orders. However, there were also non-generalist taxa responding to specific irradiated and non-irradiated leachates. Our results provide information about bacterial taxa that could be potentially used to degrade the chemicals released during plastic degradation into seawater contributing to its bioremediation.
Topics: Bacteria; Plastics; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Biodegradation, Environmental; Seawater; Phylogeny; Biodiversity; Water Pollutants, Chemical; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence
PubMed: 38923399
DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.13305 -
Toxics Jun 2024This study investigates the occurrence and characteristics of macroplastic and polymer microparticles in the Urias coastal lagoon's beach sediments, in northwest Mexico....
This study investigates the occurrence and characteristics of macroplastic and polymer microparticles in the Urias coastal lagoon's beach sediments, in northwest Mexico. Coastal lagoons, productive and vulnerable ecosystems, are impacted significantly by anthropogenic activities, leadings to their pollution by various contaminants, including plastics. Our research involved sampling sediments from four sites within the lagoon that were influenced by different human activities such as fishing, aquaculture, thermoelectric power plant operations, industrial operations, and domestic wastewater discharge. Our methodology included collecting macroplastics and beach sediment samples, followed by laboratory analyses to identify the plastic debris' size, shape, color, and chemical composition. The results indicated a notable presence of macroplastic items (144), predominantly bags, styrofoam, and caps made of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The polymer microparticles were mainly fibers, with cotton and polyester as the most common polymers, suggesting a significant contribution from clothing-related waste. The dominant colors of the microparticles were blue and transparent. High densities were observed in areas with slower water exchange. Our findings highlight the urgent need for better waste management practices to mitigate plastic pollution in coastal lagoons, preserving their ecological and economic functions.
PubMed: 38922119
DOI: 10.3390/toxics12060439 -
Toxics Jun 2024Microplastic pollution poses an escalating concern, particularly in coastal lagoons rich in biodiversity. This study delved into the occurrence of microplastics (MPs) in...
Microplastic pollution poses an escalating concern, particularly in coastal lagoons rich in biodiversity. This study delved into the occurrence of microplastics (MPs) in (formerly ) from the Orbetello and Varano coastal lagoons (Italy), also investigating the response of these filter-feeding organisms to various colors (P = pink; B = blue; W = white) of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) MP fragments. Oysters were exposed for 7 days under controlled conditions. Subsequently, the oysters underwent analysis for both MP presence and biochemical markers of oxidative stress. Diverse ingestion rates of HDPE were noted among oysters from the two lagoons, eliciting antioxidant responses and modifying baseline activity. The two-way ANOVA revealed the significant effects of treatment (control; HDPE_B; HDPE_P; HDPE_W), site, and the interaction between treatment and site on all biomarkers. Non-metric multidimensional scaling showed a divergent effect of HDPE color on biomarkers. Further investigation is warranted to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the influence of MP color, dose-dependent effects, and the long-term impacts of exposure. Comprehending these intricacies is imperative for devising effective strategies to mitigate plastic pollution and safeguard marine health.
PubMed: 38922109
DOI: 10.3390/toxics12060429 -
Toxics Jun 2024Microplastic pollution is a pervasive global issue affecting various ecosystems. Despite the escalating production and well-documented contamination in both aquatic and...
Microplastic pollution is a pervasive global issue affecting various ecosystems. Despite the escalating production and well-documented contamination in both aquatic and terrestrial environments, the research focused on airborne microplastics and their interaction with terrestrial birds remains limited. In this study, we collected fecal sacs from Common swifts () to investigate their diet and to evaluate the potential ingestion of microplastics by both adults and nestlings. The diet was mainly composed of Hymenoptera and Coleoptera and did not differ among sexes and age classes. The 33% of nestlings' and 52% of adults' fecal sacs contained anthropogenic items, the totality of which was in the shape form of fibers. The 19.4% of the anthropogenic items were chemically characterized as microplastics, either polyethylene terephthalate (PET; two microfibers) or cellophane (four microfibers). Airborne anthropogenic items, including microplastic, might be passively ingested during the Common swift aerial feeding. In addition, our findings suggest that these ingested microparticles have the potential to be transferred to the offspring through food. While further research is essential to elucidate the pathways of microplastic ingestion, our results reinforce the evidence of the transfer of anthropogenic items from the atmosphere to the biota.
PubMed: 38922088
DOI: 10.3390/toxics12060408 -
Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024This study presents a comprehensive characterization of microplastics (MPs) and adsorbed/dissolved polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the Arakawa River, the...
This study presents a comprehensive characterization of microplastics (MPs) and adsorbed/dissolved polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the Arakawa River, the largest river system in Saitama and Tokyo, Japan. The MPs were sampled at various points along the river, revealing an average number density of 2.21 ± 1.48 pieces/m, with a predominant size range of 0.5-1 mm. Polymer analysis indicated that polyethylene (PE) comprised the highest proportion of MPs (55.9%), followed by polypropylene (PP) (22.4%) and polystyrene (PS) (21.7%). Seasonal fluctuations in MPs concentration were observed, with the highest values in winter and the lowest in summer. An analysis of adsorbed PAHs revealed a median partition coefficient (Kd) value of 3.58 × 10 L/kg for MPs, indicating their affinity for PAHs. Further PAHs analysis revealed that the PAHs with the highest mean values were bicyclic naphthalene, pyrene, and fluoranthene. A comparison with coastal MPs showed differences in PAH composition, with higher proportions of high-ring PAHs observed in coastal samples. The study also investigated the distribution of PAHs in the dissolved and suspended states in the river, finding that similar PAHs were distributed in both states, with the PAHs present in MPs being about 1/10,000 of those in the dissolved and suspended states. The study underscores the importance of the continued monitoring and management of MPs and associated pollutants in river ecosystems.
PubMed: 38921906
DOI: 10.3390/nano14121030 -
Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024Enteric infections due to viral pathogens are a major public health concern. Detecting the risk areas requires a strong surveillance system for pathogenic viruses in...
Enteric infections due to viral pathogens are a major public health concern. Detecting the risk areas requires a strong surveillance system for pathogenic viruses in sources such as wastewater. Towards building an environmental surveillance system in Zambia, we aimed to identify group A rotavirus (RVA) and human adenovirus (HAdV) in wastewater. Convenient sampling was conducted at four study sites every Tuesday for five consecutive weeks. The research team focused on three different methods of viral concentration to determine the suitability in terms of cost and applicability for a regular surveillance system: the bag-mediated filtration system (BMFS), polyethylene glycol-based (PEG) precipitation, and skimmed milk (SM) flocculation. We screened 20 wastewater samples for HAdV and RVA using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and conventional polymerase chain reaction (cPCR). Of the 20 samples tested using qPCR, 18/20 (90%) tested positive for HAdV and 14/20 (70%) tested positive for RVA. For the genetic sequencing, qPCR positives were subjected to cPCR, of which 12 positives were successfully amplified. The human adenovirus was identified with a nucleotide identity range of 98.48% to 99.53% compared with the reference genome from GenBank. The BMFS and SM flocculation were the most consistent viral concentration methods for HAdV and RVA, respectively. A statistical analysis of the positives showed that viral positivity differed by site ( < 0.001). SM and PEG may be the most appropriate options in resource-limited settings such as Zambia due to the lower costs associated with these concentration methods. The demonstration of HAdV and RVA detection in wastewater suggests the presence of the pathogens in the communities under study and the need to establish a routine wastewater surveillance system for the identification of pathogens.
PubMed: 38921784
DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13060486 -
Journal of Xenobiotics Jun 2024Microplastic contamination in agricultural soil is an emerging problem worldwide as it contaminates the food chain. Therefore, this research investigated the...
Microplastic contamination in agricultural soil is an emerging problem worldwide as it contaminates the food chain. Therefore, this research investigated the distribution of microplastics (MPs) in agricultural soils without mulch at various depths (0-5, 5-10, and 10-15 cm) across different zones: rural, local market, industrial, coastal, and research areas. The detection of MP types and morphology was conducted using FTIR and fluorescence microscopy, respectively. Eight types of MPs were identified, including high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyvinyl fluoride (PVF), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), with concentrations ranging from 0.6 ± 0.21 to 3.71 ± 2.36 MPs/g of soil. The study found no significant trends in MP concentration, with ranges of 0-2.1 ± 0.38, 0-2.87 ± 0.55, and 0-2.0 ± 0.34 MPs/g of soil at depths of 0-5 cm, 5-10 cm, and 10-15 cm, respectively. The highest MP quantity was recorded at 8.67 in coastal area, while the lowest was 6.44 in the local market area. Various MP shapes, e.g., fiber, film, pellet, fragment, and irregular, were observed across all layers. PCA suggested irrigation and organic manure as potential sources of MPs. The estimated concentrations of MPs possessed low non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks to the farming community of Bangladesh.
PubMed: 38921655
DOI: 10.3390/jox14020046 -
Journal of Xenobiotics Jun 2024Contamination with plastics of small dimensions (<1 µm) represents a health concern for many terrestrial and aquatic organisms. This study examined the use of...
Contamination with plastics of small dimensions (<1 µm) represents a health concern for many terrestrial and aquatic organisms. This study examined the use of plastic-binding peptides as a coating probe to detect various types of plastic using a plasmon nano-gold sensor. Plastic-binding peptides were selected for polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS) based on the reported literature. Using nAu with each of these peptides to test the target plastics revealed high signal, at 525/630 nm, suggesting that the target plastic limited HCl-induced nAu aggregation. Testing with other plastics revealed some lack of specificity but the signal was always lower than that of the target plastic. This suggests that these peptides, although reacting mainly with their target plastic, show partial reactivity with the other target plastics. By using a multiple regression model, the relative levels of a given plastic could be corrected by the presence of other plastics. This approach was tested in freshwater mussels caged for 3 months at sites suspected to release plastic materials: in rainfall overflow discharges, downstream a largely populated city, and in a municipal effluent dispersion plume. The data revealed that the digestive glands of the mussels contained higher levels of PP, PE, and PET plastic particles at the rainfall overflow and downstream city sites compared to the treated municipal effluent site. This corroborated earlier findings that wastewater treatment could remove nanoparticles, at least in part. A quick and inexpensive screening test for plastic nanoparticles in biological samples with plasmonic nAu-peptides is proposed.
PubMed: 38921649
DOI: 10.3390/jox14020040 -
Membranes Jun 2024Thin-film composite (TFC) membranes containing a metal-polyphenol network (MPN)-based selective layer were fabricated on a porous polyacrylonitrile support. The MPN...
Thin-film composite (TFC) membranes containing a metal-polyphenol network (MPN)-based selective layer were fabricated on a porous polyacrylonitrile support. The MPN layer was formed through coordination-based self-assembly between plant-based tannic acid (TA) and an Fe ion. For the first time, we demonstrate that TFC membranes containing TA-Fe selective layers can separate small organic solutes in aqueous media from equimolar mixtures of solutes. The effect of the assembly time on the characteristics and performance of the fabricated selective layer was investigated. An increase in the assembly time led to the formation of selective layers with smaller effective pore sizes. The tannic acid-Fe selective layer exhibited a low rejection towards neutral solutes riboflavin and poly(ethylene glycol) while high rejections were observed for anionic dyes of orange II and naphthol green B. Permeation selectivities in the range of 2-27 were achieved between neutral and charged dyes in both single- and mixed-solute experiments, indicating the significant role of Donnan exclusion and the charge-selective nature of the membranes. The rejection efficiency improved with an increasing assembly time. Overall, this study demonstrates that the assembly time is a vital casting parameter for controlling the permeance, rejection and selectivity of thin-film composite membranes with a tannic acid-Fe selective layer.
PubMed: 38921500
DOI: 10.3390/membranes14060133 -
Gels (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024In this research, we explore the potential of employing density functional theory (DFT) for the design of biodegradable hydrogels aimed at capturing carbon dioxide (CO)...
In this research, we explore the potential of employing density functional theory (DFT) for the design of biodegradable hydrogels aimed at capturing carbon dioxide (CO) and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. We employed biodegradable hydrogel models, including polyethylene glycol, polyvinylpyrrolidone, chitosan, and poly-2-hydroxymethacrylate. The complexation process between the hydrogel and CO was thoroughly investigated at the ωB97X-D/6-311G(2d,p) theoretical level. Our findings reveal a strong affinity between the hydrogel models and CO, with binding energies ranging from -4.5 to -6.5 kcal/mol, indicative of physisorption processes. The absorption order observed was as follows: chitosan > PVP > HEAC > PEG. Additionally, thermodynamic parameters substantiated this sequence and even suggested that these complexes remain stable up to 160 °C. Consequently, these polymers present a promising avenue for crafting novel materials for CO capture applications. Nonetheless, further research is warranted to optimize the design of these materials and assess their performance across various environmental conditions.
PubMed: 38920932
DOI: 10.3390/gels10060386