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Plastic Polymers and Antibiotic Resistance in an Antarctic Environment (Ross Sea): Are We Revealing the Tip of an Iceberg?
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This Antarctic colonization experiment explored whether plastic polymers (PVC and polyethylene panels) submerged in the Ross Sea harbor antibiotic-resistant bacteria, examining biofilm formation and antibiotic susceptibility profiles. Multidrug resistance was widespread in both plastic-associated and surrounding water bacteria, suggesting that antibiotic resistance is a generalized phenomenon in this remote environment rather than specifically enriched by plastic substrates.
Microbial colonization of plastic polymers in Antarctic environments is an under-investigated issue. While several studies are documenting the spread of plastic pollution in the Ross Sea, whether the formation of a plastisphere (namely the complex microbial assemblage colonizing plastics) may favor the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) in this marine environment is unknown yet. A colonization experiment was performed in this ecosystem, aiming at exploring the potential role of plastic polymers as a reservoir of antibiotic resistance. To this end, the biofilm-producing activity and the antibiotic susceptibility profiles of bacterial strains isolated from biofilms colonizing submerged polyvinylchloride and polyethylene panels were screened. The colonization experiment was carried out at two different sites of the Ross Sea, namely Road Bay and Tethys Bay. Most of bacterial isolates were able to produce biofilm; several multidrug resistances were detected in the bacterial members of biofilms associated to PVC and PE (also named as the plastisphere), as well as in the bacterial strains isolated from the surrounding water. The lowest percentage of ARB was found in the PE-associated plastisphere from the not-impacted (control) Punta Stocchino station, whereas the highest one was detected in the PVC-associated plastisphere from the Tethys Bay station. However, no selective enrichment of ARB in relation to the study sites or to either type of plastic material was observed, suggesting that resistance to antibiotics was a generalized widespread phenomenon. Resistance against to all the three classes of antibiotics assayed in this study (i.e., cell wall antibiotics, nucleic acids, and protein synthesis inhibitors) was observed. The high percentage of bacterial isolates showing resistance in remote environments like Antarctic ones, suffering increasing anthropic pressure, points out an emerging threat with a potential pathogenic risk that needs further deepening studies.
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Researchers analyzed plastic debris collected from Antarctic lakes, soils, and a protected area and found that plastisphere communities harbor significantly more antibiotic resistance genes and mobile genetic elements than surrounding environments, with antibiotic-resistant bacteria surviving prolonged freezing — raising concerns about plastic as a vector for resistance dissemination even in remote ecosystems.
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Researchers investigated how microplastic surfaces in coastal environments develop biofilm communities, known as the plastisphere, and whether these biofilms enrich antibiotic resistance genes. The study found that incubation time, habitat type, and microplastic aging state all significantly influenced biofilm composition, and that aged microplastics accumulated more antibiotic resistance genes than new ones, suggesting microplastics may serve as vectors for spreading resistant bacteria.
Breaking the Ice: From Antarctic Biofouling Colonization to Plastisphere-Mediated Ecological Risks
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This review summarizes research on how marine life and microbes colonize surfaces in Antarctic waters, including ships and plastic debris. It describes slow-growing fouling communities dominated by bryozoans and worms, and highlights how microbial communities living on plastic debris may serve as reservoirs for antibiotic-resistant bacteria, raising concerns about ecosystem health.
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Researchers placed four types of common microplastics in a marine environment for over 100 days and found that bacterial communities and antibiotic resistance genes accumulated on the plastic surfaces over time. PVC microplastics were particularly effective at concentrating resistance genes, and a key gene-transfer element was found on all plastic types. These results show that microplastics floating in the ocean act as hotspots for antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which could eventually reach humans through seafood or water.
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