Investigating the influence of surface chemistry on microplastic binding potential and structure of microbial biofilm

It is estimated that over 12 million tons of plastic enter our oceans annually, which slowly break down creating microplastics less than 5mm in size. In the past decade, the role microbes play in this degradation has been explored as they possess the ability to metabolize plastic, using it as an energy source. In this process, they first colonize the plastic working together to form a biofilm. This formation is important for degradation and is seen to be influenced by the surface chemistry the biofilm adheres to. To investigate these effects, the proposed research will use a flow cell device to mimic the ocean environment, and a plastic-degrading biofilm will be exposed to various types of organic and inorganic surfaces. Biofilm formation and structure will then be characterized while measuring how the biofilm surface affects its ability to uptake surrounding microplastics. The microbial biofilm used in the research originates from Vancouver, worked on by the home lab thus allowing new functions of the community to be known. Combining this with the host institutions’ flow cell technology and expertise will offer novel insights on the most efficient surface for microbial plastic degradation as well as begin international collaborations between labs.

Faculty Supervisor:

Ryan Ziels

Student:

Partner:

University of Copenhagen

Discipline:

Earth science

Sector:

Education

University:

The University of British Columbia

Program: