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      Microbial colonization and degradation of polyethylene and biodegradable plastic bags in temperate fine-grained organic-rich marine sediments.

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          Abstract

          To date, the longevity of plastic litter at the sea floor is poorly constrained. The present study compares colonization and biodegradation of plastic bags by aerobic and anaerobic benthic microbes in temperate fine-grained organic-rich marine sediments. Samples of polyethylene and biodegradable plastic carrier bags were incubated in natural oxic and anoxic sediments from Eckernförde Bay (Western Baltic Sea) for 98 days. Analyses included (1) microbial colonization rates on the bags, (2) examination of the surface structure, wettability, and chemistry, and (3) mass loss of the samples during incubation. On average, biodegradable plastic bags were colonized five times higher by aerobic and eight times higher by anaerobic microbes than polyethylene bags. Both types of bags showed no sign of biodegradation during this study. Therefore, marine sediment in temperate coastal zones may represent a long-term sink for plastic litter and also supposedly compostable material.

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          Author and article information

          Journal
          Mar. Pollut. Bull.
          Marine pollution bulletin
          Elsevier BV
          1879-3363
          0025-326X
          Feb 15 2016
          : 103
          : 1-2
          Affiliations
          [1 ] Department of Marine Biogeochemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (GEOMAR), 24148 Kiel, Germany. Electronic address: anauendorf@geomar.de.
          [2 ] Department of Marine Biogeochemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (GEOMAR), 24148 Kiel, Germany.
          [3 ] Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Zoological Institute, Kiel University, 24098 Kiel, Germany.
          [4 ] Department of Benthic Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (GEOMAR), 24148 Kiel, Germany.
          [5 ] Department of Marine Biogeochemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (GEOMAR), 24148 Kiel, Germany. Electronic address: ttreude@g.ucla.edu.
          Article
          S0025-326X(15)30227-7
          10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.12.024
          26790603
          7c13a657-7f5d-4af2-bd40-c285d66180a3
          History

          Eckernförde Bay,Biodegradation,Biofilm,Carrier bag,Compostable,Microorganisms

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