The scientific understanding regarding sources, occurrence, and effects of microplastics in the aquatic environment has advanced rapidly, leaving some meaningful knowledge gaps virtually untouched. One of them is the interactions of microplastics and biofilms, microbial communities ubiquitous in aquatic ecosystems and fundamental for a range of ecosystem-level processes. It is evident that biofilms can quickly develop on the microplastic surface and consequently change particle properties and, as such, its fate and ecotoxicity. Moreover, microplastics interact with ubiquitous biofilms that are developed on any surfaces in aquatic ecosystems. Although the knowledge about these interactions is at best limited, it is expected that microplastics attach to the water–biofilm interface or penetrate the biofilm matrix. Microplastics can accumulate and ab- or adsorb to those biofilms where they are subjected to transformation processes such as fragmentation. Thus, biofilms may function as a sink. Changes in environmental conditions may, however, stress biofilms initiating their dieback and microplastic release, which could turn biofilms into a source of microplastics. We argue that the accumulation and release dynamics are a largely overlooked but potentially important piece to the puzzle that is a comprehensive understanding of microplastic fate in the environment and thus under the influence of multiple interacting factors. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;41:838–843. © 2021 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.

中文翻译：

---

水生生物膜——微塑料的汇还是源？对当前知识的批判性反思

关于微塑料在水生环境中的来源、发生和影响的科学认识迅速发展，一些有意义的知识空白几乎没有被触及。其中之一是微塑料和生物膜的相互作用，微生物群落在水生生态系统中无处不在，是一系列生态系统水平过程的基础。很明显，生物膜可以在微塑料表面迅速形成，从而改变颗粒特性，从而改变其命运和生态毒性。此外，微塑料与水生生态系统任何表面上普遍存在的生物膜相互作用。尽管关于这些相互作用的知识充其量是有限的，但预计微塑料会附着在水-生物膜界面或穿透生物膜基质。微塑料可以积累并吸收或吸附到那些生物膜上，在那里它们会经历诸如碎裂等转化过程。因此，生物膜可以起到汇的作用。然而，环境条件的变化可能会使生物膜开始枯萎和微塑料释放，这可能会将生物膜变成微塑料的来源。我们认为，积​​累和释放动力学是一个在很大程度上被忽视但可能重要的难题，即全面了解环境中的微塑料命运，因此受到多种相互作用因素的影响。压力生物膜开始它们的枯死和微塑料释放，这可能将生物膜变成微塑料的来源。我们认为，积​​累和释放动力学是一个在很大程度上被忽视但可能重要的难题，即全面了解环境中的微塑料命运，因此受到多种相互作用因素的影响。压力生物膜开始它们的枯死和微塑料释放，这可能将生物膜变成微塑料的来源。我们认为，积​​累和释放动力学是一个在很大程度上被忽视但可能重要的难题，即全面了解环境中的微塑料命运，因此受到多种相互作用因素的影响。环境毒物化学2022；41：838–843。© 2021 作者。Wiley Periodicals LLC 代表 SETAC 出版的Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 。