WP 3.2 Impact of Emerging Pollutants on Microbiomes across Systems

project description

Chemical pollution can have profound effects on microbial communities, and thus on biodiversity, ecosystem, and human health. Due to human activities, there is no place on Earth free of pollutants. Yet, pollutants have been largely neglected as a global change factor. As a prominent example, microplastics are detected in human, animal, and plant tissues, in soils and aquatic ecosystems, and even at the most remote locations on the planet. Chemical pollutants undeniably pose risks for planetary health that are far from understood. With an estimated global average emission of ~1 kg per year and per capita, tire wear particles (TWP) are a substantial, but still underestimated source of microplastics and contain a multitude of toxic additives. For example, the antiozonant and -oxidant 6-PPD additive established a link between terrestrial pollution and severe adverse effects on aquatic life. Being largely unregulated with no easy technical solutions for mitigation, TWP emissions are particularly concerning as emerging pollutants. For a holistic understanding of how TWP are affecting humans and the environment, it is crucial to investigate a set of representative systems and associated microbiomes, to understand how the physicochemical and microbial environment will influence pollutant dynamics and toxicity. Here, we will investigate systems that are coupled through exposure pathways, from inhalation and oral uptake to terrestrial and marine habitats.

This WP aims to understand how TWP and their additives affect microbiome composition and functions. We address the research questions, (i) How is the microbiome composition affected by chronic exposure to TWP in a broad range of habitats including soils, sediments, plants, marine animals, and the microbiome of the human lung and gut? (ii) Does exposure to TWP induce similar effects in these very diverse microbiomes, including a focus question of comparing effects in host-associated vs. environmental microbiomes? (iii) Do these chemical perturbations affect species interactions beyond simple additive effects? (v) Do compositional changes drive functional changes across systems?

The sublethal effect of pollutants on microbiomes has rarely been investigated across systems coupled through emission transport and transformation pathways. We will analyze metabolic activities of environmental and host-associated microbiomes (synthetic and natural microbial communities) upon controlled exposure to TWP and assess the resulting community functions using a multi-omics approach coupled with ultra-trace target and non-target pollutant analytics and isotope-based pool dilution assays for key processes in C-, N- and S-cycling. The experimental scale will range from laboratory micro- and mesocosms to field studies (soil/plant and coastal field stations). Single and multiple additives will be applied at realistic concentrations and tire wear particles will be tested against suitable inert controls. This project will provide the first comprehensive cross-system understanding of the impacts of emerging pollutants on human and environmental health. Revealing the effects of chemical pollution on microbiome diversity and functioning will provide an essential knowledge base for designing interventions and setting targets to prevent further planetary harm by chemical pollution.

Our holistic focus across domains – i.e., bacteria, viruses/phages, fungi – will offer unprecedented insights into gut microbiome interactions during infection. We will mechanistically dissect these interactions and integrate them with infection-induced host responses. Together, this project will provide fundamental new insights into interdomain crosstalk, impacting mammalian homeostasis and disease.

work package leader

thilo hofmann

University of Vienna

Professor at and Vice Head of the Department of Environmental Geosciences (CeMESS)

Director of the Environmental Research Network

CoE Key Researcher

Thilo’s Uni Vienna Profile