Periodic Reporting for period 1 - BIOMIMIC (BIOphysics of MIcrobe-Microplastic Interactions and Colonization)
Berichtszeitraum: 2020-09-01 bis 2022-08-31
BIOMIMIC studied the impacts of microplastics on marine microorganisms, and this fundamental problem has far-reaching implications due to the pivotal role of marine microorganisms in modulating the marine ecosystem: sitting at the bottom of the food chain, the perturbations to dynamics and well-being of these microorganisms can create cascading effects, and man-made microplastics, given its high surface-to-volume ratio, fits the description of a phenomenon that can cause such cascading effects. To begin our understanding of the impacts of microplastics on marine microorganisms, BIOMIMIC contributes to this burgeoning field by exploring novel in-lab experimental platform and methods, thereby proposing a sustainable method to study such global-scale, marine-based phenomenon within laboratory settings.
Despite prominent impacts of microplastics being already presented in scientific communities and mainstream media, BIOMIMIC strives to create a platform for systematic studies that produces quantitative data that can be reliably analyzed, and doing this within the sustainable research environment of laboratories and current state of technology. The potential data from such lab-based studies, where experimental parameters are well-controlled, allow the audience to better-appreciate the conclusions from such studies without uncertainties due to external factors that arises from real-world studies. Nonetheless, this platform provides room to incorporate and mimic real-world conditions.
Overall, BIOMIMIC strives to develop a platform that can lay the foundation for lab-based platform for studying the impacts of microplastics on microorganisms, and potentially further developing it more closely mimic real world conditions. These results are aimed to be disseminated to the wider communities to provide convincing basis to adopt lifestyles and policies for the betterment of our environment.
Despite prominent impacts of microplastics being already presented in scientific communities and mainstream media, BIOMIMIC strives to create a platform for systematic studies that produces quantitative data that can be reliably analyzed, and doing this within the sustainable research environment of laboratories and current state of technology. The potential data from such lab-based studies, where experimental parameters are well-controlled, allow the audience to better-appreciate the conclusions from such studies without uncertainties due to external factors that arises from real-world studies. Nonetheless, this platform provides room to incorporate and mimic real-world conditions.
Overall, BIOMIMIC strives to develop a platform that can lay the foundation for lab-based platform for studying the impacts of microplastics on microorganisms, and potentially further developing it more closely mimic real world conditions. These results are aimed to be disseminated to the wider communities to provide convincing basis to adopt lifestyles and policies for the betterment of our environment.
Microorganism-microplastic interactions monitored within lab settings provided rich data in the form of dynamic, chemical, and biological characterizations that are intriguing and invaluable for further investigation and exploitation. Already, these data from BIOMIMIC are exploited and valorized through a patent filing and grant commitment for proof-of-concept projects. The impact of microorganism-microplastic interactions were shown to influence biomineralization processes, and this fundamental biochemical reaction has far-reaching impact on ecosystem, given its importance in processes like carbon sequestration.
Therefore, BIOMIMIC provided new perspectives in the setting up of lab-based techniques to monitor microorganisms-microplastic interactions, and BIOMIMIC’s findings could impact and broaden the current perspectives in conceptualizing hypotheses on the impact of microplastics on microorganisms. This is especially true given the unique angle provided in understanding the biomineralization process, in the presence of environmental pollutants, such as microplastics. These implications could also provide further motivation on societal levels to better understand and modulate their consumer habits for environmental benefits.