Journal of Forensic Medicine

Beyond Ingestion: Adhesion of Microplastics to Aquatic Organisms

Abstract

Gabriela Kalkov

The interactions between microplastics and aquatic organisms have predominantly been explored through studies involving various animal species, with dietary ingestion identified as the primary pathway of uptake. Nevertheless, recent investigations have illuminated an additional mode of interaction: bioadhesion between microplastics and biota. This phenomenon has been extensively examined in laboratory settings using aquatic macrophytes, revealing the attachment of microplastics to their biomass. Importantly, field studies have corroborated these findings, demonstrating that microplastic bioadhesion is not confined to specific species or environments. Microplastics have also been observed adhering to microorganisms and becoming ensnared within pervasive biofilms in aquatic habitats. These biofilms, which naturally form on substrates like sediment and rocks, also play a role in augmenting the adhesion of microplastics to other biological surfaces, such as those of plants.