SEM micrographs

Micrographs of microbial growth (four monocultures and their co-culture) in LDPE and EPS plastic substrates after a 60-day static incubation experiment. Imaging was conducted by first creating a low-resolution map of each sample at 400 nm per pixel. The working distance between the objective and the sample was adjusted as needed, typically maintained between 7 and 8 mm, although it varied slightly due to the uneven surface of the samples. This initial sample overview was followed by high-resolution imaging of selected regions of interest. Five additional images were taken at 150 nm per pixel for detailed imaging, evenly spaced across the plastic samples. From these images, further high-resolution images were captured at resolutions ranging from 50 to 7 nm per pixel to achieve the desired detail in the areas of interest.