Long-term monitoring of biofilm succession unveils differences between biodegradable and conventional plastic materials

Abstract

A vast amount of plastic waste enters the ocean every year and the Mediterranean Sea is particularly affected by this issue. Biodegradable polymers like poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV), may help mitigate this problem. We investigated bacterial biofilm development and succession on these polymers over one year in the Western Mediterranean Sea. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal laser scanning were used to examine microbial colonization and surface erosion, while bacterial community abundance and composition were assessed through culture plate counting and 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. SEM revealed significant surface erosion on PHBV, indicative of microbial degradation, while PLA exhibited minor and irregular erosion. Culture-based quantification showed higher bacterial colonization on PHBV compared to PLA, suggesting that PHBV provides a more favourable surface for bacterial attachment Amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene revealed high bacterial diversity, with 17,781 operational taxonomic units across all samples. Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota, and Planctomycetota were the dominant phyla, with the Shannon index consistently exceeding 8, corroborating the bacterial diversity across all materials. Temporal shifts in bacterial community composition were significant, with exposure time explaining 29.8 % of the variation, suggesting biofilm succession as a key factor shaping microbial assemblages. While polymer type had a limited impact on bacterial composition, PHBV biofilms exhibited greater bacterial abundance and diversity compared to PLA. This study highlights PHBV's role in shaping biofilms and its relevance in assessing biodegradable plastics in marine environments. Understanding microbial interactions with bioplastics is crucial for evaluating their environmental impact and degradation dynamics.