Bacterial Community Composition Associated with Microplastics in Lake Muskegon (MI, USA)

Three different types of microplastics (low density polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyester) were deployed into Lake Muskegon, MI at two different locations (channel and lake), at two different depths (bottom and 2-m), and for two different time periods (1-month and 3-months). We characterized the presence of persistent organic pollutants that accumulated on the plastics and characterized the bacterial community that comprised the microplastic biofilm. The goal of this work was to determine whether microplastics serve as a vector for persistent organic pollution.