Microbial Transformation of Polyethylene Terephthalate Microplastics by Wetland-Derived Microbial Communities: Implications for Coastal Sediment Systems

Dong, Jing; Li, Guo; Ran, Jiao; Li, Zhe; Xue, Shanyuan; Zhou, Dan; Zhang, Weizhen; Zheng, Zheng

doi:10.3390/land15030495

Open AccessArticle

Microbial Transformation of Polyethylene Terephthalate Microplastics by Wetland-Derived Microbial Communities: Implications for Coastal Sediment Systems

by

Jing Dong

¹,

Guo Li

^1,2,

Jiao Ran

¹,

Zhe Li

¹,

Shanyuan Xue

¹,

Dan Zhou

³,

Weizhen Zhang

^4,*

and

Zheng Zheng

^1,*

¹

Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China

²

MOE Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China

³

Yancheng Tiaozini Wetland Research Institute Co., Ltd., Yancheng 224237, China

⁴

School of Ecological Environment, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059, China

^*

Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Land 2026, 15(3), 495; https://doi.org/10.3390/land15030495

Submission received: 9 February 2026 / Revised: 13 March 2026 / Accepted: 17 March 2026 / Published: 19 March 2026

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies for Climate-Resilient Soil–Water Systems)

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Abstract

Microplastics are persistent contaminants in coastal wetlands, yet the mechanisms of their microbial transformation remain poorly understood. This study examined the interactions between a wetland sediment-derived microbial consortium and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibers over a 60-day incubation. After 60 days, the consortium caused a PET weight loss of 13.7 ± 0.9%, whereas the abiotic control showed a less than 2% loss. The water contact angle decreased from 77.5 ± 1.2° to 75.8 ± 0.4°, suggesting enhanced surface hydrophilicity. Multi-scale surface analyses (SEM, WCA, and FTIR) confirmed progressive microbial colonization, increased surface roughness, and enhanced hydrophilicity through microbially mediated modification. High-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing unveiled a distinct community succession; PET exerted selective pressure that reduced alpha-diversity while enriching specific functional taxa such as Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas. Moreover, isolation and co-culture assays confirmed the importance of synergistic microbial interactions in PET transformation, with co-culture of four representative isolates causing 9.2 ± 0.1% PET weight loss, compared with only 1.7–3.2% in monocultures. These findings underscore the intrinsic natural attenuation potential of wetland ecosystems and provide a critical scientific basis for developing nature-based management strategies. By identifying key functional taxa and PET-associated transformation pathways, this work supports the establishment of early-warning mechanisms to safeguard the ecological integrity and soil health of coastal World Natural Heritage sites like the Tiaozini Wetland.

Keywords: community succession; microbe–plastic interactions; polyethylene terephthalate (PET); wetland sediments; land system resilience

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MDPI and ACS Style

Dong, J.; Li, G.; Ran, J.; Li, Z.; Xue, S.; Zhou, D.; Zhang, W.; Zheng, Z. Microbial Transformation of Polyethylene Terephthalate Microplastics by Wetland-Derived Microbial Communities: Implications for Coastal Sediment Systems. Land 2026, 15, 495. https://doi.org/10.3390/land15030495

AMA Style

Dong J, Li G, Ran J, Li Z, Xue S, Zhou D, Zhang W, Zheng Z. Microbial Transformation of Polyethylene Terephthalate Microplastics by Wetland-Derived Microbial Communities: Implications for Coastal Sediment Systems. Land. 2026; 15(3):495. https://doi.org/10.3390/land15030495

Chicago/Turabian Style

Dong, Jing, Guo Li, Jiao Ran, Zhe Li, Shanyuan Xue, Dan Zhou, Weizhen Zhang, and Zheng Zheng. 2026. "Microbial Transformation of Polyethylene Terephthalate Microplastics by Wetland-Derived Microbial Communities: Implications for Coastal Sediment Systems" Land 15, no. 3: 495. https://doi.org/10.3390/land15030495

APA Style

Dong, J., Li, G., Ran, J., Li, Z., Xue, S., Zhou, D., Zhang, W., & Zheng, Z. (2026). Microbial Transformation of Polyethylene Terephthalate Microplastics by Wetland-Derived Microbial Communities: Implications for Coastal Sediment Systems. Land, 15(3), 495. https://doi.org/10.3390/land15030495

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Microbial Transformation of Polyethylene Terephthalate Microplastics by Wetland-Derived Microbial Communities: Implications for Coastal Sediment Systems

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