influence of environmental factors
Barbara Klun (Author), Mark Starin (Author), Janja Novak (Author), Ula Rozman (Author), Nataša Čelan Korošin (Author), Gilberto Binda (Author), Gabriela Kalčíková (Author)

Abstract

To overcome the environmental challenges posed by conventional plastics, new alternative plastic materials are being developed and increasingly used. However, their fate in the natural environment is still poorly understood. This study compared biofilm formation on polyethylene (PE) and polylactic acid (PLA) microplastics (MPs) under different conditions i.e. water regimes (static and moving conditions), nutrient levels (excess of nitrogen and phosphorus), light exposure (light and dark), and pollution levels (presence and absence of wastewater). Although PE and PLA differ in their composition and physico-chemical properties, the processes of aging and biofilm formation on both materials exhibited many similarities. Light availability had the strongest influence, as the formation of biofilm on both PE and PLA was suppressed in the dark, as shown by reduced biomass, chlorophyll a content, and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). The availability of nutrients influenced the composition of the biofilm. High N:P ratios favoured photosynthetic microorganisms with increased chlorophyll a and EPS content, while phosphorus enrichment reduced their presence. Pollution, simulated by adding sterilized municipal wastewater, slightly reduced total biofilm mass but supported the growth of photosynthetic microorganisms. Static condition led to the formation of elongated microbial structures. Biofilm growth altered the density of MPs (increasing for PE, decreasing for PLA), reaching ∼1.1 g/cm³ for both, suggesting biofilm-induced sedimentation. Crystallinity of both PE and PLA decreased by 9–30 % due to the presence of biofilm, which has amorphous structure. The multivariate analysis confirmed environmental factors as primary drivers of biofilm development over polymer type.

Keywords

mikroplastika;okoljski pogoji;biofilm;površinske vode;microplastics;environmental conditions;freshwater;

Data

Language: English
Year of publishing:
Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
Organization: UL FKKT - Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology
UDC: 502.51:504.5:678
COBISS: 247024131 Link will open in a new window
ISSN: 2213-3437
Views: 27
Downloads: 24
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Other data

Secondary language: Slovenian
Secondary keywords: mikroplastika;okoljski pogoji;biofilm;površinske vode;
Type (COBISS): Article
Pages: str. 1-11
Volume: ǂVol. ǂ13
Issue: ǂiss. ǂ5, [article no.] 118689
Chronology: Oct. 2025
DOI: 10.1016/j.jece.2025.118689
ID: 27270809