Plastic pollution has gained widespread attention over the years due to its negative effects on both living systems and the environment. Among other ills, plastics contribute to changes in the climate from the time they are produced to their eventual disposal, and have even been found in human placentas. But for certain lake-dwelling bacteria, at least, the rise in plastic pollution appears to be welcome. In a study published today (July 26) in Nature Communications, researchers at the University of Cambridge in the UK show that plastic-infused water can supercharge the growth of these bugs.
The researchers simulated plastic leachate—a mixture of chemicals that washes off plastics—in the lab by cutting up plastic shopping bags made of low-density polyethylene and incubating them in distilled water for seven days. They shook it continually to mimic natural forces in the environment. They then filtered out the solid particles, leaving organic molecules, some ...
