Degradation and habitat-dependent colonization of plastics in Caribbean coastal waters and sediments by bacterial communities
Goudriaan, M.; Ndhlovu, R.T.; Brouwer, M.; Vreugdenhil, S.; van der Meer, M.T.J.; Niemann, H. (2025). Degradation and habitat-dependent colonization of plastics in Caribbean coastal waters and sediments by bacterial communities. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 214: 117787. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2025.117787
This study investigates microbial colonization of plastics in Caribbean coastal waters. We deployed five polymer types, on set with a mild UV-pretreatment and one set without UV-pretreatment, for 4.5 months in the water column and sediment at two locations, and analyzed the epiplastic biofilms with 16S rRNA gene sequencing. While a significant influence of location and habitat was apparent, we could not detect notable effects related to polymer type or UV-pretreatment on microbial community composition. Nevertheless, potential plastic and hydrocarbon degraders constituted up to 43 % of sequences from epiplastic biofilms, suggesting an affinity for plastic. Indeed, utilizing 13C-labeled PE and PP, we determined incorporation of plastic-derived carbon into microbial biomass. We measured isotopically labeled fatty acids in incubations with 13C labeled plastics in both water column and sediments, whether virgin or pre-weathered with UV light. The apparent biodegradation of plastic in benthic habitats challenges the perception of marine sediments as a final sink for polyolefins.
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