The United Nations Environment Assembly recently adopted a resolution to develop an international legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution. Without sufficient management, plastic waste can be further fragmented into micro-(nano-)plastics (MNPs) under the weathering effects. These small particles may be capable of accessing the organs, crossing cell membranes and also blood-brain barriers, then inducing a series of detrimental effects of biotics through physical (particle), chemical (Trojan horse effects), and biological effects. In addition to the physical toxicity caused by MNPs has been widely reported, more attention began to transfer to the interactions among MNPs, new related contaminants (e.g., PPD-Q, PFAS, etc.), and the microbial species colonized on the MNPs (so-called plastisphere).
In this Research Topic, we would like to discuss the interactions between MNPs, new pollutants (e.g., PPD-Q, PFAS, etc.), and the microbial species that colonize the MNPs. The biodiversity, composition, and role of the biofilm in the plastisphere are also important to investigate, including species (e.g., bacteria, fungus, and autotrophs), formation processes and mechanisms, and potential effects on the aging or degradation of MNPs or plastics. The interactions of MNPs with novel pollutants, as well as interactions between MNPs and microbial species on biotics such as plants and animals, are emerging and welcome in the research topic. Finally, we hope that this topic will help researchers understand the negative impacts of MNPs and related substances.
To update our current understanding and knowledge gaps in this research area, the journal opens a Research Topic focusing on the following topics:
• Occurrence, fate, and ecotoxicity of MNPs, other new related contaminants, and microbial communities on plastics in environmental and biological samples;
• The species, formation processes, and mechanisms of biofilm on plastics or MNPs;
• Relationships between MNPs and new contaminants in environmental compartments;
• Relationships between MNPs and microbial species in environmental compartments;
• Impact and risk of MNPs, new contaminants, and microbial communities in plant or biological samples.
Keywords:
Microplastic, Nanoplastic, Microbial Communities, Potential Ecotoxicity, Fate, Impact
Important Note:
All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
The United Nations Environment Assembly recently adopted a resolution to develop an international legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution. Without sufficient management, plastic waste can be further fragmented into micro-(nano-)plastics (MNPs) under the weathering effects. These small particles may be capable of accessing the organs, crossing cell membranes and also blood-brain barriers, then inducing a series of detrimental effects of biotics through physical (particle), chemical (Trojan horse effects), and biological effects. In addition to the physical toxicity caused by MNPs has been widely reported, more attention began to transfer to the interactions among MNPs, new related contaminants (e.g., PPD-Q, PFAS, etc.), and the microbial species colonized on the MNPs (so-called plastisphere).
In this Research Topic, we would like to discuss the interactions between MNPs, new pollutants (e.g., PPD-Q, PFAS, etc.), and the microbial species that colonize the MNPs. The biodiversity, composition, and role of the biofilm in the plastisphere are also important to investigate, including species (e.g., bacteria, fungus, and autotrophs), formation processes and mechanisms, and potential effects on the aging or degradation of MNPs or plastics. The interactions of MNPs with novel pollutants, as well as interactions between MNPs and microbial species on biotics such as plants and animals, are emerging and welcome in the research topic. Finally, we hope that this topic will help researchers understand the negative impacts of MNPs and related substances.
To update our current understanding and knowledge gaps in this research area, the journal opens a Research Topic focusing on the following topics:
• Occurrence, fate, and ecotoxicity of MNPs, other new related contaminants, and microbial communities on plastics in environmental and biological samples;
• The species, formation processes, and mechanisms of biofilm on plastics or MNPs;
• Relationships between MNPs and new contaminants in environmental compartments;
• Relationships between MNPs and microbial species in environmental compartments;
• Impact and risk of MNPs, new contaminants, and microbial communities in plant or biological samples.
Keywords:
Microplastic, Nanoplastic, Microbial Communities, Potential Ecotoxicity, Fate, Impact
Important Note:
All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.