Dissolved Organic Carbon Leaching from Plastics Stimulates Microbial Activity in the Ocean

Overview

Journal Nat Commun

Specialty Biology

Date 2018 Apr 14

PMID 29651045

Citations 59

Authors

Cristina Romera-Castillo

Maria Pinto

Teresa M Langer

Xose Anton Alvarez-Salgado

Gerhard J Herndl

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Approximately 5.25 trillion plastic pieces are floating at the sea surface. The impact of plastic pollution on the lowest trophic levels of the food web, however, remains unknown. Here we show that plastics release dissolved organic carbon (DOC) into the ambient seawater stimulating the activity of heterotrophic microbes. Our estimates indicate that globally up to 23,600 metric tons of DOC are leaching from marine plastics annually. About 60% of it is available to microbial utilization in less than 5 days. If exposed to solar radiation, however, this DOC becomes less labile. Thus, plastic pollution of marine surface waters likely alters the composition and activity of the base of the marine food webs. It is predicted that plastic waste entering the ocean will increase by a factor of ten within the next decade, resulting in an increase in plastic-derived DOC that might have unaccounted consequences for marine microbes and for the ocean system.

Citing Articles

Environmental Health and Safety Implications of the Interplay Between Microplastics and the Residing Biofilm.

Wu X, He F, Xu X, Wu L, Rong J, Lin S Environ Health (Wash). 2025; 3(2):118-132.

PMID: 40012871 PMC: 11851218. DOI: 10.1021/envhealth.4c00148.

Microplastics Generate Less Mineral Protection of Soil Carbon and More CO Emissions.

Shi J, Tanentzap A, Sun Y, Wang J, Xing B, Rillig M Adv Sci (Weinh). 2024; 12(7):e2409585.

PMID: 39739674 PMC: 11831443. DOI: 10.1002/advs.202409585.

Increased methane production associated with community shifts towards Methanocella in paddy soils with the presence of nanoplastics.

He Z, Hou Y, Li Y, Bei Q, Li X, Zhu Y Microbiome. 2024; 12(1):259.

PMID: 39707478 PMC: 11660960. DOI: 10.1186/s40168-024-01974-y.

Microplastics in aquatic systems: A comprehensive review of its distribution, environmental interactions, and health risks.

Pal D, Prabhakar R, Barua V, Zekker I, Burlakovs J, Krauklis A Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2024; 32(1):56-88.

PMID: 39668270 PMC: 11717821. DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-35741-1.

Microplastics alter the functioning of marine microbial ecosystems.

Montoya D, Rastelli E, Casotti R, Manna V, Trano A, Balestra C Ecol Evol. 2024; 14(11):e70041.

PMID: 39554881 PMC: 11564128. DOI: 10.1002/ece3.70041.

References

Auta H, Emenike C, Fauziah S . Distribution and importance of microplastics in the marine environment: A review of the sources, fate, effects, and potential solutions. Environ Int. 2017; 102:165-176. DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2017.02.013. View

Browne M, Crump P, Niven S, Teuten E, Tonkin A, Galloway T . Accumulation of microplastic on shorelines woldwide: sources and sinks. Environ Sci Technol. 2011; 45(21):9175-9. DOI: 10.1021/es201811s. View

Jambeck J, Geyer R, Wilcox C, Siegler T, Perryman M, Andrady A . Marine pollution. Plastic waste inputs from land into the ocean. Science. 2015; 347(6223):768-71. DOI: 10.1126/science.1260352. View

Fendall L, Sewell M . Contributing to marine pollution by washing your face: microplastics in facial cleansers. Mar Pollut Bull. 2009; 58(8):1225-1228. DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2009.04.025. View

Gewert B, Plassmann M, MacLeod M . Pathways for degradation of plastic polymers floating in the marine environment. Environ Sci Process Impacts. 2015; 17(9):1513-21. DOI: 10.1039/c5em00207a. View

Suhrhoff T, Scholz-Bottcher B . Qualitative impact of salinity, UV radiation and turbulence on leaching of organic plastic additives from four common plastics - A lab experiment. Mar Pollut Bull. 2015; 102(1):84-94. DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.11.054. View

Romera-Castillo C, Letscher R, Hansell D . New nutrients exert fundamental control on dissolved organic carbon accumulation in the surface Atlantic Ocean. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2016; 113(38):10497-502. PMC: 5035860. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1605344113. View

Lambert S, Wagner M . Characterisation of nanoplastics during the degradation of polystyrene. Chemosphere. 2015; 145:265-8. PMC: 5250697. DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2015.11.078. View

Cozar A, Echevarria F, Gonzalez-Gordillo J, Irigoien X, Ubeda B, Hernandez-Leon S . Plastic debris in the open ocean. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2014; 111(28):10239-44. PMC: 4104848. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1314705111. View

10.

Karapanagioti H, Klontza I . Testing phenanthrene distribution properties of virgin plastic pellets and plastic eroded pellets found on Lesvos island beaches (Greece). Mar Environ Res. 2008; 65(4):283-90. DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2007.11.005. View

11.

Savoca M, Wohlfeil M, Ebeler S, Nevitt G . Marine plastic debris emits a keystone infochemical for olfactory foraging seabirds. Sci Adv. 2017; 2(11):e1600395. PMC: 5569953. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1600395. View

12.

Anesio A, Graneli W, Aiken G, Kieber D, Mopper K . Effect of humic substance photodegradation on bacterial growth and respiration in lake water. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2005; 71(10):6267-75. PMC: 1266016. DOI: 10.1128/AEM.71.10.6267-6275.2005. View

13.

Eriksen M, Lebreton L, Carson H, Thiel M, Moore C, Borerro J . Plastic Pollution in the World's Oceans: More than 5 Trillion Plastic Pieces Weighing over 250,000 Tons Afloat at Sea. PLoS One. 2014; 9(12):e111913. PMC: 4262196. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0111913. View

14.

Andrady A . Microplastics in the marine environment. Mar Pollut Bull. 2011; 62(8):1596-605. DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2011.05.030. View

15.

Suaria G, Avio C, Mineo A, Lattin G, Magaldi M, Belmonte G . The Mediterranean Plastic Soup: synthetic polymers in Mediterranean surface waters. Sci Rep. 2016; 6:37551. PMC: 5120331. DOI: 10.1038/srep37551. View