Microbial transformation of plastics in SE Asian seas: a hazard and a solution
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Portsmouth
Department Name: Sch of Biological Sciences
Abstract
This project aims to reduce the impact of marine plastic pollution in South East Asia by understanding how microorganisms living on plastic surfaces affect the pollution threat and by exploring the potential of these microorganisms to provide a solution to the problem. SE Asian seas receive outputs from five of the top ten global emitters of plastic debris but there is little understanding of the threat to ecosystems and 650 million humans living in the region posed by 'plastispheres', the term used to describe the combination of plastic and the microorganisms that live on it. We need to characterise the microorganisms living on plastics in the sea and explore how they affect the breakdown of plastic. Through this we will understand how microorganisms transform plastic surfaces and determine the ultimate fate of plastic detritus in the marine environment. We need to measure the impact these plastispheres have on marine environments and wildlife in order to accurately characterise the hazard posed by plastispheres, and not just plastics, to the region's ecosystems. We will search for solutions to removing plastics and grow an informed and connected community of regional stakeholders in order to reduce environmental damage by current and future plastic pollution.
This project coordinates the expertise of researchers from Singapore, UK, Indonesia,the Philippines and Vietnam to carry out laboratory and field experiments on microbial colonisation and transformation of plastic. We will analyse the DNA of biofilms and use microscopy to measure plastic degradation to identify the microorganisms living on the plastics and how they affect the plastic breakdown. We will quantify the volume, type and location of plastisphere loads in key habitats and animals to measure the impact plastispheres have on selected coastal ecosystems - mangroves, coral reefs and beaches. We will direct enzymes discovered in biofilms for use in bioengineered recycling, helping the transition towards a circular plastics economy in which waste plastic is intercepted before it enters the sea and is converted into useful products. We will coordinate with regional policy organisations and action groups to grow an informed and connected community of plastic stakeholders. We will conduct workshops to share expertise, disseminate our ideas and engage with stakeholders in order to develop solutions applicable to the SE Asian region. The project will give a novel perspective that shows how the threats from marine plastic are mediated by microorganisms, facilitating innovative solutions and enhancing regional governance of marine plastic pollution.
This project coordinates the expertise of researchers from Singapore, UK, Indonesia,the Philippines and Vietnam to carry out laboratory and field experiments on microbial colonisation and transformation of plastic. We will analyse the DNA of biofilms and use microscopy to measure plastic degradation to identify the microorganisms living on the plastics and how they affect the plastic breakdown. We will quantify the volume, type and location of plastisphere loads in key habitats and animals to measure the impact plastispheres have on selected coastal ecosystems - mangroves, coral reefs and beaches. We will direct enzymes discovered in biofilms for use in bioengineered recycling, helping the transition towards a circular plastics economy in which waste plastic is intercepted before it enters the sea and is converted into useful products. We will coordinate with regional policy organisations and action groups to grow an informed and connected community of plastic stakeholders. We will conduct workshops to share expertise, disseminate our ideas and engage with stakeholders in order to develop solutions applicable to the SE Asian region. The project will give a novel perspective that shows how the threats from marine plastic are mediated by microorganisms, facilitating innovative solutions and enhancing regional governance of marine plastic pollution.
Organisations
- University of Portsmouth (Lead Research Organisation)
- UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH (Collaboration)
- University College London (Collaboration)
- University of Manchester (Collaboration)
- BANGOR UNIVERSITY (Collaboration)
- Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International (Collaboration)
- U.S. Department of Energy (Collaboration)
- IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE (Collaboration)
Publications
Alindayu R
(2023)
Moving towards open data, public access, and information sharing to combat marine plastics pollution in the Philippines and the Southeast Asian region
in Ocean & Coastal Management
Bairoliya S
(2022)
Extracellular DNA in Environmental Samples: Occurrence, Extraction, Quantification, and Impact on Microbial Biodiversity Assessment.
in Applied and environmental microbiology
Barry PJ
(2023)
Modelling of marine debris pathways into UK waters: Example of non-native crustaceans transported across the Atlantic Ocean on floating marine debris.
in Marine pollution bulletin
Bitalac JMS
(2023)
Attachment of potential cultivable primo-colonizing bacteria and its implications on the fate of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) plastics in the marine environment.
in Journal of hazardous materials
Bonita J
(2023)
Assessing the efficiency of microplastics extraction methods for tropical beach sediments and matrix preparation for experimental controls
in Frontiers in Marine Science
Cordova M
(2022)
Seasonal heterogeneity and a link to precipitation in the release of microplastic during COVID-19 outbreak from the Greater Jakarta area to Jakarta Bay, Indonesia
in Marine Pollution Bulletin
Cordova MR
(2023)
Microplastics leaving a trace in mangrove sediments ever since they were first manufactured: A study from Indonesia mangroves.
in Marine pollution bulletin
Fong J
(2023)
Litter traps: A comparison of four marine habitats as sinks for anthropogenic marine macro-litter in Singapore
in Marine Pollution Bulletin
Gomez N
(2022)
Potential of sediment bacterial communities from Manila Bay (Philippines) to degrade low-density polyethylene (LDPE)
in Archives of Microbiology
| Description | The key findings are emerging as the project runs. These include: 1) a broad picture of standing stocks of macroplastic on key coastal environments - beaches, mangroves and coral reefs. Plastic accumulating on beaches is likely to be mobile, whereas mangrove forests and coral reefs are likely to be sinks where plastic is retained in the medium to long term. Already it is clear that plastic accumulation in Jakarta Bay has increased markedly in the last few years. 2) a characterisation of microorganisms in the biofilm on plastic in SE Asian seas, particularly those around Singapore, and a method for detecting microorganisms with potential for use in a circular economy which recycles or revalues plastic waste 3) an appreciation of the potential for using enzymatic recycling to regenerate high quality virgin plastic in SE Asian socio-economic conditions 4) a critical evaluation of the role of local and global governance in the move toward much improved plastic waste management |
| Exploitation Route | Finding 1) above gives as a regional perspective on the environmental loadings of plastic waste and provides a methodology that is now being implemented by orgnanisations outside the project team. This methodology will enable us to measure the efficacy of local and regional policy initiatives. Finding 2) has already given us a detailed picture of the microbes that attach to plastic detritus around the shores of Singapore with information from Vietnam, the Philippines and Indonesia expected over the running of the project. Microbes that exploit plastic as a source of nutrition have been found. Finding 3) will build on finding 2) using a tested pipeline from discovery of enzymes to laboratory then pilot scale evaluation leading to industrial implementation of enzymatic recycling. This process is fostered by exchange visits during the project, but further funding should be sought to support work between the Centre for Enzyme Innovation and SE Asian academic and industrial partners. The region-wide and global perspective of Finding 4) is allowing the sharing of best practice between the project partners who already have well-developed links into local and national bodies with responsibilities in the management of plastic waste. These links will be used to advocate for policy and governance changes. |
| Sectors | Agriculture Food and Drink Communities and Social Services/Policy Energy Environment Government Democracy and Justice |
| Description | Partners in the project all have dedicated channels for disseminating their findings to non-specialist stakeholders. The University of the Philippines team has established a national centre for coordinating research on marine plastic, which has a significant training and dissemination role. The Philippines initiative, through its extensive plastic monitoring efforts, has gathered valuable data that is influencing waste management policies. By creating the comprehensive platform Plasticount, the team in the Philippines has generated first-hand data, offering a detailed assessment of the actual scope of plastic pollution in the coastal and marine ecosystems of the country. These data serve as a crucial resource for researchers, policymakers, and environmentalists. The toolkit developed by the Philippines team for quantifying microplastics in the marine environment provides a valuable resource, aiding in effective plastic pollution mitigation. In Indonesia, the oceanographic team at the national research centre, formerly LIPI and now BRIN, work with the NGOs Divers Clean Action and Burung (Bird Life International in Indonesia). Burung and DCA having well-developed outreach activities aimed at local government and citizen science groups. In Indonesia, the team conducted a One Day Become a Ranger Program, providing an educational platform where children can learn about the impact of plastic on the environment. By understanding the role they can play in protecting nature, children feel motivated to take action, such as reducing their plastic usage, participating in cleanup activities, or encouraging their families and communities to adopt eco-friendly practices. The team in Indonesia team held a focus group with Ministry of Environment and Forestry. The Ministry's participation in the discussion group indicates a growing awareness of the plastic pollution issue at the highest levels. This awareness has the potential to permeate through society, leading to increased an understanding about plastic pollution. This impact can lead to stronger governmental commitment and actions to address plastic pollution through regulations and awareness campaigns. In Vietnam, the team in Ho Chi Min City works with the local government agencies over site access and share information with them. Findings on legal aspects and governance are disseminated through the channels used by the Revolution Plastics Initiative in Portsmouth and the Centre for International Law in the the National University of Singapore. The former has connections with United Nations agencies and has a particular focus on sub-Saharan Africa, while the latter is updating and using a database of over 700 documents related to governance issues in the SE Asian region using a network of in-country contacts. This update will shortly be available. to users in the region. The project has fostered the formation of a nucleus of researchers concerned with microplastics in the environment, initially through multiple Zoom calls, but recently through an in-person workshop where the benefits of formal and informal face-to-face interactions was very evident. The visit from a member of the SCELSE team from Nanyang Technological University fostered the logical links between SCELSE and microbiologists, bioinformaticians and enzymologists at the Centre for Enzyme Innovation in Portsmouth. Links have also been cemented through the recent workshop between the Centre for International Law at NUS and the Portsmouth-based Centre for Blue Governance and Revolution Plastics initiative. The Microplastics Research Group at Portsmouth has provided a workshop on microplastic analysis methods, an area where there is currently a bottleneck for analytical capacity across the project collaborations. This centre provides a bridge for the project to a range of UK and international projects focused on microplastic pollution. ODA questions 1. Details of emerging economic and societal impact on the DAC list countries Economic and societal impacts in Vietnam, the Philippines and Indonesia from the project are emerging thanks to the activities detailed above. These have yet to be quantified, an action embedded in the project plan. Work in the microSEAP project and other projects in which microSEAP partners are active have detailed the huge and growing detritus flow that impacts on coastal ecosystems, which indicates the need for a radical change in plastic waste management strategy. This will be put into context by the studies within the microSEAP project of regional governance of waste. 2. Sustainable Development Goals The activities of the project address a wide range of UN Sustainable Development Goals. It focuses on Life Below Water in its analysis of the ecotoxicological effects of microplastics that is included in Work Package 2.3 and in the effects of biofilm on plastic in the sea (Work package 1.2 and 1.3). Work on a circular economy for plastic waste included in Work package 3.1 conducted by CEI,together with enhanced governance of plastic waster recommended through analyses of Work Package 3.2, will provide means of radically reducing the flow of waste to the SE Asian seas. By focusing on seas adjacent to capitals, including megacities, project ooutcomes guide policies to promote Sustainable Cities and Communities. 3. Impacts related to gender Recruitment to the project teams has been conducted under the equality policies of the five nations contributing to the project. There is an approximately 50:50 gender balance across the project team, with no clear difference at the different stages of career progression. Outreach activities include ones that include groups where uneven gender balance may be expected in either direction. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2022 |
| Sector | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Education,Environment,Government, Democracy and Justice,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology |
| Impact Types | Societal Policy & public services |
| Description | EFRA Committee presentation |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| URL | https://www.port.ac.uk/news-events-and-blogs/news/mps-told-a-joined-up-approach-is-needed-to-solve-t... |
| Description | Preventing Plastic Pollution with Engineering Biology (P3EB) Mission Hub |
| Amount | £11,161,826 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | BB/Y007972/1 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2024 |
| End | 02/2029 |
| Title | Handbook for quantifying plastics in the marine environment |
| Description | The Philippines team created a handbook of protocols for quantifying macro and microplastics in water, sediments and biota samples. |
| Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | So far, the handbook has been distributed to over 100 universities and agencies |
| URL | https://www.plasticount.ph/assets/files/guides/Handbook_for_Microplastics_Quantification-compressed.... |
| Title | PlastiCount |
| Description | A live interface with the growing dataset acquired by using the microSEAP methodology for shores of the Philippines |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | This supports a growing number of researchers trained by Dr Onda in the methodology developed under the microSEAP project for which he is a CoI. |
| URL | https://www.plasticount.ph/index.php/c_home/map |
| Description | BOTTLE Consortium |
| Organisation | U.S. Department of Energy |
| Department | National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | The Centre for Enzyme Innovation (CEI) at Portsmouth brings expertise in the structure of plastic degrading enzymes and shares activities with the US National Renewable Energy Lab related to enzyme engineering and lab assays of enzyme efficacy. CEI contributes to seminars, and are active as co-authors and as partners in funding applications. |
| Collaborator Contribution | CEI was the first non-US entity to be invited to join this consortium. Membership brings frequent high-level expert seminars and annual meetings about latest research on plastic recycling and upcycling. The Consortium links key academic and governmental partners with business and NGOs and facilitates expertise-linking for the Portsmouth team. |
| Impact | Eight shared publications in 2021 to early access 2022. This work involves molecular biologists, structural biologists, enzyme biochemists, organic chemists and process engineers. |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | CABI-CEI |
| Organisation | Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | We have initiated discussions with CABI over compliance with the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing of the Convention on Biological Diversity over microbial enzyme discovery activities in the microSEAP project. We described the sort of biodiversity information that will be generated in the microSEAP project and the sorts of regulatory issues that that have been raised in agreements with our partners in the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia and Singapore. |
| Collaborator Contribution | CABI (cabi.org) visited Portsmouth to follow up on the discoveries about plastic digesting enzymes the Centre for Enzyme Innovation (CEI) in the University of Portsmouth. Through this they became aware of the microSEAP project and realised that they could assist with scientific exchanges between the partner countries, particularly those who participate in CABI activities. The established links between CEI and their specialist in compliance with the Nagoya Protocol. |
| Impact | Established an initial framework for working together and identified the issues that we intend to address together. |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | Preventing Plastic Pollution by Engineering Biology (P3EB) |
| Organisation | Bangor University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The collaboration has just started |
| Collaborator Contribution | The collaboration has just started |
| Impact | No outputs to report as collaboration has just started |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Preventing Plastic Pollution by Engineering Biology (P3EB) |
| Organisation | Imperial College London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The collaboration has just started |
| Collaborator Contribution | The collaboration has just started |
| Impact | No outputs to report as collaboration has just started |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Preventing Plastic Pollution by Engineering Biology (P3EB) |
| Organisation | University College London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The collaboration has just started |
| Collaborator Contribution | The collaboration has just started |
| Impact | No outputs to report as collaboration has just started |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Preventing Plastic Pollution by Engineering Biology (P3EB) |
| Organisation | University of Cambridge |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The collaboration has just started |
| Collaborator Contribution | The collaboration has just started |
| Impact | No outputs to report as collaboration has just started |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Preventing Plastic Pollution by Engineering Biology (P3EB) |
| Organisation | University of Edinburgh |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The collaboration has just started |
| Collaborator Contribution | The collaboration has just started |
| Impact | No outputs to report as collaboration has just started |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Preventing Plastic Pollution by Engineering Biology (P3EB) |
| Organisation | University of Manchester |
| Department | School of Chemistry Manchester |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The collaboration has just started |
| Collaborator Contribution | The collaboration has just started |
| Impact | No outputs to report as collaboration has just started |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | 7IMDC |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Presentatioins by project team members at the 7th International Marine Debris Conference in Busan Korea |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.unep.org/events/unep-event/7th-international-marine-debris-conference-7imdc |
| Description | Become a Ranger Program |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | The Indonesia team held a 'Become a Ranger' program to build awareness of the environmental impact of plastics. Children from local schools gathered for hands-on activities to learn about collecting and identifying plastic, and methods for removing plastic from their local environment. This was a test bed for an activity to be widely disseminated. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | COBSEA Working Group on Marine Litter |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Presentation on the ongoing project to develop a regional research network in the region of East Asian Seas. The event was attended by delegates of COBSEA member states and observers. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://cil.nus.edu.sg/activities/researchers-from-cil-ocean-law-and-policy-programme-spoke-at-the-4... |
| Description | Contribution to special issue on marine pollution of ECO Magazine |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Varied readership of over 20,000. Articles pointed readers towards the activities of the microSEAP project and the governance studies of the team of Steve Fletcher. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | http://digital.ecomagazine.com/view/technology-systems-corporation/eco/eco-si-marine-pollution |
| Description | Earthshot Prize: Repairing Our Planet |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | A segment of Earthshot Series 1:5 Build a Waste-Free World highlights work at University of Portsmouth on plastic recycling after segment on marine plastic pollution. Transmitted on BBC2 in Nov 2021. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Emden Deep |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Deo Onda, a CoI for the microSEAP project was featured on TV broadcasts in the Philippines. This showed him as one of the two people travelling in a submersible to the Emden Deep - the third deepest oceanic trench. Plastic was seen even at these depths as is the case for other ocean trench. This was part of a cruise in which Dr Onda's team sampled for microplastics for the microSEAP project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | International Symposium on ONE HEALTH Epigenomes and Microbiomes: From Soil to People |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Presentation titled: Marine Plastics in Southeast Asia: A Hazard and a Solution to the conference International Symposium on ONE HEALTH Epigenomes and Microbiomes: From Soil to People |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://onehealthday.com/content/%E2%80%98first-international-symposium-one-health-epigenomes-and-mi... |
| Description | Interviews with microSEAP project collaborators including Reza Cordova used in popular article on marine plastic pollution |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Warren Cornwall prepared an article for Science entitled The plastic eaters. This drew upon extensive interviews with UK and SE Asian collaborators in the microSEAP project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.science.org/doi/full/10.1126/science.373.6550.36 |
| Description | Launch of Diamond's Socio-Economic Impact Study |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Presentation by CoI on microSEAP project, John McGeehan, at the Launch event of plastic degrading enzyme discovery and engineering at the University of Portsmouth Centre for Enzyme Innovation assisted by access to Diamond Light Source synchrotron. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Malaysia-Australia Dialogue Series |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Presentation to the event Combating Marine Plastic Pollution 2022 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | http://mima.gov.my/event/malaysia-australia-dialogue-series-on-combating-marine-plastic-pollution-2-... |
| Description | Member of panel for TV show |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Divers Clean Action and Reza Cordova presented and took part in a panel at the Deep and Extreme Summit in Indonesia which was broadcast live. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.jcc.co.id/events/soe_detail/deep-extreme-indonesia-2022 |
| Description | Plastics Research Intensive Methods Training Program (PRIMe-TP) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | The Philippines team ran a training workshop to develop the skills of early-career researchers in the Philippines. Aimed at learning advanced techniques in plastics research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Southampton International Boat Show |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | A talk by a microSEAP project team member in support of a fund raising effort by four rowers to raise awareness of global marine plastic pollution |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | UK-Russia Online Forum |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Participation in a forum promoted and facilitated by the British Embassy in Moscow on tackling climate change: the role of university science in developing practical solutions. The solution highlighted was enzymatic recycling of plastic waste. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |