Influence of microbial diversity and biofilm formation on degradation mechanisms of microplastic particles in the environment
Collaborative Research Centre 1357 Microplastics: C04
From 01/2019 to 08/2025Principal Investigator: Gerhard Rambold, Marcus A. Horn, Martin Obst
Staff: Gerasimos Gkoutselis
During the first funding phase of the Collaborative Research Center CRC 1357 "Microplastics", subproject C04 focused on the role of microorganisms – including bacteria and fungi – in the degradation of microplastics (MP) in the environment. These microbes possessed immense, yet largely unexplored, genetic and enzymatic potential for breaking down plastic particles. The project aimed to identify novel MP-degrading microorganisms, elucidate their metabolic pathways, and characterize the genes encoding key plastic-degrading enzymes. By applying stable isotope labeling, metagenomic analysis, and advanced molecular biology techniques, researchers were able to trace the degradation of ^13C-labeled microplastics directly in environmental samples. Additionally, the team investigated how microbial biofilms influence UV-induced plastic oxidation and how microbial colonization affects the mechanical stability and surface properties of plastics. Accelerated evolution techniques were also employed to obtain highly efficient MP-degrading strains. These findings laid a critical foundation for understanding the environmental fate of microplastics, identifying microbial "hot spots" of MP degradation, and developing more sustainable plastics and degradation-enhancing additives.
Homepage: https://www.sfb-mikroplastik.uni-bayreuth.de/de/index.html
List of publications of this Project
| Gkoutselis, GM; Rohrbach, S; Harjes, J; Obst, M; Brachmann, A; Horn, M; Rambold, G: Microplastics accumulate fungal pathogens in terrestrial ecosystems, Scientific Reports (2021), doi:10.1038/s41598-021-92405-7 -- Details |