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UBC Theses and Dissertations
Charting microbial community assembly patterns on microplastic particles and fibers in British Columbian coastal waters McCall, Bretta
Abstract
Global plastic production has increased exponentially since the 1950s, ushering in an era of cheap synthetic polymers that have revolutionized human manufacturing and promoted socioeconomic development. However, the benefits of this plastics revolution are contrasted with human and environmental health problems resulting from its disposal. Not only has plastic waste contributed to burgeoning accumulation in landfills and the ocean, but additives and leachates from plastic polymers have been linked to negative health effects including endocrine disruption and cancer. Less well understood is the potential impact of microplastic particles and fibers (MPs) between 0.3mm and 5mm on human and environmental health. MPs frequently enter coastal marine waters through wastewater treatment where they are rapidly colonized by microbes. The drivers of community assembly on MPs remain unconstrained with implications for carbon cycling, antimicrobial resistance and mobilization of additives and leachates through marine food webs. Here, I investigated microbial community assembly on marine plastic fibers and the impact of MP pollution on planktonic microbial community composition. A time-resolved mesocosm experiment using different concentrations of MP fibers indicated that increased fiber concentrations did not have a significant effect on planktonic microbial community composition or chemical concentrations but did induce finer-scale taxonomic changes. A related in-situ textile degradation experiment indicated rapid microbial colonization coalescing into relatively stable community structures after one month. Plastic-attached communities varied significantly by polymer type but not by chemical additive or color. These results demonstrate that marine microbial community assembly varies by plastic type, but MP pollution may not significantly affect the surrounding planktonic microbial community.
Item Metadata
| Title |
Charting microbial community assembly patterns on microplastic particles and fibers in British Columbian coastal waters
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| Creator | |
| Supervisor | |
| Publisher |
University of British Columbia
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| Date Issued |
2023
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| Description |
Global plastic production has increased exponentially since the 1950s, ushering in an era of cheap synthetic polymers that have revolutionized human manufacturing and promoted socioeconomic development. However, the benefits of this plastics revolution are contrasted with human and environmental health problems resulting from its disposal. Not only has plastic waste contributed to burgeoning accumulation in landfills and the ocean, but additives and leachates from plastic polymers have been linked to negative health effects including endocrine disruption and cancer. Less well understood is the potential impact of microplastic particles and fibers (MPs) between 0.3mm and 5mm on human and environmental health. MPs frequently enter coastal marine waters through wastewater treatment where they are rapidly colonized by microbes. The drivers of community assembly on MPs remain unconstrained with implications for carbon cycling, antimicrobial resistance and mobilization of additives and leachates through marine food webs. Here, I investigated microbial community assembly on marine plastic fibers and the impact of MP pollution on planktonic microbial community composition. A time-resolved mesocosm experiment using different concentrations of MP fibers indicated that increased fiber concentrations did not have a significant effect on planktonic microbial community composition or chemical concentrations but did induce finer-scale taxonomic changes. A related in-situ textile degradation experiment indicated rapid microbial colonization coalescing into relatively stable community structures after one month. Plastic-attached communities varied significantly by polymer type but not by chemical additive or color. These results demonstrate that marine microbial community assembly varies by plastic type, but MP pollution may not significantly affect the surrounding planktonic microbial community.
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| Genre | |
| Type | |
| Language |
eng
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| Date Available |
2023-08-31
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| Provider |
Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
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| Rights |
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
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| DOI |
10.14288/1.0435711
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| URI | |
| Degree | |
| Program | |
| Affiliation | |
| Degree Grantor |
University of British Columbia
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| Graduation Date |
2023-11
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| Campus | |
| Scholarly Level |
Graduate
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| Rights URI | |
| Aggregated Source Repository |
DSpace
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Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International