Microbial communities on microplastics from seawater and mussels : insights from the northern Adriatic Sea

Kolenc, Živa (author), Kovač Viršek, Manca (author), Klančnik, Anja (author), Janecko, Nicol (author)

Microplastics, synthetic solid particles of different sizes (< 5 mm), pose a major challenge to marine ecosystems. Introducing microplastics into the marine environment leads to the formation of complex microbial communities, a topic of growing interest in environmental research. For this study, we selected an area in the northern Adriatic Sea, less affected by human activities, to understand how pristine environmental conditions influence microbial colonization of microplastics. Samples of coastal seawater and Mediterranean mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) were collected in a mussel farm near Debeli rtič of the Slovenian coast. Microplastics were isolated, visually and chemically analyzed and DNA was extracted for metagenomics. In the marine water column, 12.7 microplastics per m$^3$ water column and 0.58 microplastics per individual mussel were found. Sufficient DNA was available to analyze six particles, five originating from seawater, and one from a mussel. This was the first-ever sequenced microplastic particle from a mussel. Genera of Pseudomonas and Serratia were identified in all samples. In one of the samples, the most abundant was a marine genus Pseudoalteromonas, while in another sample Campylobacter was present with >30 % abundance. The microbiomes of the mussel- and seawater-isolated particles were similar, suggesting a common microbial colonization pattern, which may have implications for the transfer of microplastic-associated microbes, including potential pathogens, through the food web to the consumers. Microplastic pollution is a complex issue requiring further research, especially regarding microbial biofilms, pathogen colonization and the potential of pathogen transmission via microplastic particles. Our findings enhance the understanding of microplastic pollution in the Adriatic Sea and stress the necessity for comprehensive strategies to mitigate the impact on marine ecosystems.

• Language: English
• Keywords: microplastics, marine ecosystems, Pseudomonas, Serratia, Campylobacter, microbial diversity
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2024
• Number of pages: 7 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 949, art. 175130
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-160100
• UDC: 504.5:678.5/.7:579.6
• ISSN on article: 0048-9697
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175130
• COBISS.SI-ID: 204455171
• Publication date in RUL: 20.08.2024

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Science of the total environment
• Shortened title: Sci. total environ.
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 0048-9697
• COBISS.SI-ID: 26369024

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: mikrobne združbe, mikroplastika, morski ekosistem, mediteranske školjke, klapavice, Jadransko morje