Page - 181 - in Freshwater Microplastics - Emerging Environmental Contaminants?

Microplastic-AssociatedBiofilms:A ComparisonofFreshwaterandMarine Environments JesseP.Harrison,TimothyJ.Hoellein,MelanieSapp,AlexanderS.Tagg, YonJu-Nam,andJesu´s J.Ojeda Abstract Microplastics (<5 mm particles) occur within both engineered and natural freshwaterecosystems, includingwastewater treatmentplants, lakes, rivers, and estuaries. While a significant proportion of microplastic pollution is likely sequestered within freshwater environments, these habitats also constitute an important conduit of microscopic polymer particles to oceans worldwide. The quantity of aquatic microplastic waste is predicted to dramatically increase over the next decade, but the fate and biological implications of this pollution are still poorly understood. A growing body of research has aimed to characterize the formation, composition, and spatiotemporaldistributionofmicroplastic-associated (“plastisphere”) microbial biofilms. Plastisphere microorganisms have been suggested to play significant roles in pathogen transfer, modulation of particle buoyancy, andbiodegradationofplastic polymers andco-contaminants, yet inves- tigation of these topics within freshwater environments is at a very early stage. Here, what is known about marine plastisphere assemblages is systematically comparedwith up-to-date findings from freshwater habitats. Through analysis of key differences and likely commonalities between environments, we discuss how J.P.Harrison (*) DivisionofMicrobialEcology,Department ofMicrobiology andEcosystemScience, ResearchNetwork “ChemistryMeetsMicrobiology”,University ofVienna,ViennaA-1090, Austria e-mail: jesse.p.harrison@gmail.com T.J.Hoellein Department ofBiology,LoyolaUniversityChicago,Chicago, IL60660,USA M.Sapp Institute ofPopulationGenetics,HeinrichHeineUniversityDüsseldorf,Düsseldorf 40225, Germany A.S.Tagg,Y. Ju-Nam, and J.J.Ojeda Systems andProcessEngineeringCentre,CollegeofEngineering, SwanseaUniversity, SwanseaSA18EN,UK M.Wagner, S.Lambert (eds.),FreshwaterMicroplastics, HdbEnvChem58,DOI10.1007/978-3-319-61615-5_9, ©TheAuthor(s) 2018 181