Enumeration of Aerobic Heterotrophic Bacteria in Early-Stage of Biofilm Formed on Different Plastic Types

In this study, the total number of aerobic hetetotrophic bacteria (AHB) in early-stage of biofilm formed on different plastic types commonly used in daily life, namely polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS) was investigated in a water recirculating test system. The Golden Horn Estuary’s water was used as a system water. The test system was operated continuously for 504 h and natural biofilm formation was ensured. The physicochemical properties of system water were measured each sampling time. Bacterial attachment was observed on all plastic surfaces even within the first hours. Also, macroscopic images proved that the biofilm layer formed and flourished on all plastic surfaces over time. After 504 h, the levels of AHB on the plastic coupons were detected as 1.4×105, 1.2×105 and 1.8×105 cells cm−2 for PE, PP and PS, respectively. To investigate the number of bacterial cells in early-stage of biofilm formation on plastic surfaces will create an important basis for future research in terms of evaluating the effects of microplastics on the environment and human health.

Keywords:

Aerobic hetetrophic bacteria (AHB), Biofilm, Polyethylene Polystyrene, Polypropylene,

PDF

___

Almaguer-Flores A, Silva-Bermudez P, Galicia R, Rodil SE. (2015). Bacterial adhesion on amorphous and crystalline metal oxide coatings. Material Science and Engineering C, Materials for Biological Applications 57:88-99.
APHA-AWWA-WPCF Standard methods for the analysis of water and wastewater American Public Health Association, Washington, DC (1985).
Bonnineau C, Artigas J, Chaumet B, Dabrin A, Faburé J, Ferrari BJD, Lebrun JD, Margoum C, Mazzella N, Miège C, Morin S, Uher E, Babut M, Pesce S. (2021). Role of Biofilms in Contaminant Bioaccumulation and Trophic Transfer in Aquatic Ecosystems: Current State of Knowledge and Future Challenges. Reviews of Environment Contamination and Toxicology 253:115-153.
Carson, H. S., Nerheim, M. S., Carroll, K. A., Eriksen, M. (2013).The plastic-associated microorganisms of the North Pacific Gyre, Marine Pollution Bulletin, 75(1-2), 126-132.
Cholewińska, P.; Moniuszko, H.; Wojnarowski, K.; Pokorny, P.; Szeligowska, N.; Dobicki, W.; Polechoński, R.; Górniak, W. (2022). The Occurrence of Microplastics and the Formation of Biofilms by Pathogenic and Opportunistic Bacteria as Threats in Aquaculture. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 19, 8137.
Costa, O.Y.A., Raaijmakers, J.M., Kuramae, E.E. (2018). Microbial Extracellular Polymeric Substances: Ecological Function and Impact on Soil Aggregation. Front Microbiol. 23; 9:1636.
Ebewele O. (2000). "Polymer science and technology", CRC press.
Ersan, M. S., Balkis, N., Muftuoglu, E., Aksu, A., Burak, S., (2011). Metal Pollution in Surface Sediments of the Golden Horn Estuary (Marmara Sea, Turkey) after the Remedial Actions. Asian Journal of Chemistry, 23, 8, 3320-3324.
Fabra, M., Williams, L., Watts, J. E., Hale, M. S., Couceiro, F., Preston, J. (2021). The plastic Trojan horse: Biofilms increase microplastic uptake in marine filter feeders impacting microbial transfer and organism health. Science of the Total Environment, 797, 149217.
Fried J. R. (2014). "Polymer science and technology". 3 rd ed., Prentice hall.
He S, Jia M, Xiang Y, Song B, Xiong W, Cao J, Peng H, Yang Y, Wang W, Yang Z, Zeng G. (2022). Biofilm on microplastics in aqueous environment: Physicochemical properties and environmental implications. J Hazard Mater.
Kaiser, D., Kowalski, N., Waniek, J. J. (2017). Effects of biofouling on the sinking behavior of microplastics. Environmental Research Letters, 12(12), 1-10.
Lambert S. Christian S. Wagner M. (2017). Ecotoxicity testing of microplastics: considering the heterogeneity of physico-chemical properties. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management. 13 (3). 470-475. Lobelle, D., Cunliffe, M. (2011). Early microbial biofilm formation on marine plastic debris. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 62(1), 197-200.
McGivney E, Cederholm L, Barth A, Hakkarainen M, Hamacher-Barth E, Ogonowski M, Gorokhova E. (2020). Rapid physicochemical changes in microplastic induced by biofilm formation. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology 20;8:205.
Muhammad, M.H., Idris, A.L., Fan, X., Guo, Y., Yu, Y., Jin, X., Qiu, J., Guan, X., Huang, T. (2020). Beyond Risk: Bacterial Biofilms and Their Regulating Approaches. Frontiers in Microbiology, 11, 928.
Reisser, J.; Shaw, J.; Hallegraeff, G.; Proietti, M.; Barnes, D.K.; Thums, M.; Wilcox, C.; Hardesty, B.D.; Pattiaratchi, C. (2014). Millimeter-sized marine plastics: A new pelagic habitat for microorganisms and invertebrates. PLoS ONE 9, e100289.
Ruz, V.H., Gutow, L., Thompson, R. C. and Thiel M. (2012). Microplastics in the Marine Environment: A Review of the Methods Used for Identification and Quantification Environmental Science and Technology, 46 (6),3060-3075.
Tas, S., Dursun, F., Aksu, A., Balkis, N., (2016). Presence of the diatom genus Pseudo-nitzschia and particulate domoic acid in the Golden Horn Estuary (Sea of Marmara, Turkey). Diatom Research, 31, 4, 339-349.
Thompson, R. C., Moore, C. J., vom Saal, F. S., Swan, S. H. (2009). Plastics, the environment and human health: current consensus and future trends. Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences, 364(1526), 2153–2166.
Unsal, T., Cansever, N. Ilhan-Sungur, E. (2019). Impact of biofilm in the maturation process on the corrosion behavior of galvanized steel: long-term evaluation by EIS. World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology, 35, 22.
Unsal, T., Cansever, N., Ilhan-Sungur, E. (2023). The influence of Ag-Cu ions on natural biofilms of variable ages: Evaluation of MIC, Bioelectrochemistry, 146, 108143.
Vu, B., Chen, M., Crawford, R.J., Ivanova, E.P. (2009). Bacterial extracellular polysaccharides involved in biofilm formation. Molecules.13;14(7):2535-54.
Winkler, L.W., 1888. The determinationof dissolved oxygen in water. BerlinDeutschen Chemischen Gesellschaft, 21:2843-2855.
Yuan Z, Nag R, Cummins E. (2022) Human health concerns regarding microplastics in the aquatic environment - From marine to food systems. Science of The Total Environment, 1;823:153730.
Zheng S, Bawazir M, Dhall A, Kim H-E, He L, Heo J, et al. (2021). Implication of surface properties, bacterial motility, and hydrodynamic conditions on bacterial surface sensing and their initial adhesion, Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology. 9: 643722.