Plastic pollution fosters more microbial growth in lakes than natural organic matter

Eleanor A. Sheridan; Jérémy A. Fonvielle; Samuel Cottingham; Yi Zhang; Thorsten Dittmar; David C. Aldridge; Andrew J. Tanentzap

doi:10.1038/s41467-022-31691-9

Nature Communications (Jul 2022)

Plastic pollution fosters more microbial growth in lakes than natural organic matter

Eleanor A. Sheridan,
Jérémy A. Fonvielle,
Samuel Cottingham,
Yi Zhang,
Thorsten Dittmar,
David C. Aldridge,
Andrew J. Tanentzap

Affiliations

Eleanor A. Sheridan: Ecosystems and Global Change Group, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge
Jérémy A. Fonvielle: Ecosystems and Global Change Group, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge
Samuel Cottingham: Ecosystems and Global Change Group, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge
Yi Zhang: Ecosystems and Global Change Group, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge
Thorsten Dittmar: Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), University of Oldenburg
David C. Aldridge: Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge
Andrew J. Tanentzap: Ecosystems and Global Change Group, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-31691-9
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 13, no. 1
pp. 1 – 9

Abstract

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Ultra-high resolution mass spectrometry revealed that plastic bags leach labile compounds. Bioassays performed in Scandinavian lakes indicated that these compounds are incorporated into biomass faster and more efficiently than natural organic matter.

Published in Nature Communications

ISSN: 2041-1723 (Online)
Publisher: Nature Portfolio
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science
Website: https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

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