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Native Aquatic Plastispheres in a River-Wastewater Catchment: Carbapenem-Resistant Bacteria Isolation and Microscopy-Based Structural Analysis.
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Researchers examined plastisphere biofilms from river and wastewater environments for carbapenem-resistant bacteria, finding that resistant organisms — including Aeromonas, Stenotrophomonas, and Pseudomonas — constituted a stable fraction of plastic-surface communities in both settings, with dense bacterial clustering on plastic surfaces suggesting conditions favorable for horizontal gene transfer.
Plastispheres, microbial biofilms formed on plastic surfaces, are increasingly recognised as ecological niches capable of transporting pollutants and antibiotic-resistant microorganisms. However, mechanistic insights into antimicrobial resistance (AMR) dynamics in natural plastispheres remain limited, particularly for priority pathogens such as carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE). Here, we evaluated plastispheres as environmental reservoirs and vectors of carbapenem-resistant bacteria, comparing wastewater (secondary settling tanks, representing the final stage before environmental discharge) and riverine environments. Using a combined SEM-CFM approach, we resolved plastic surface topography and the spatial organisation of biofilm-associated bacteria. Although CRE were not detected, carbapenem-resistant bacteria constituted a stable fraction of heterotrophic communities in both environments and were primarily associated with intrinsic resistance mechanisms. Carbapenem-resistant isolates included Aeromonas spp. (bla), Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (bla), and Pseudomonas putida (efflux-based resistance). Microscopy revealed dense bacterial clusters on plastic surfaces, suggesting microenvironments that may facilitate cell-cell interactions, including horizontal gene transfer. These findings highlight plastispheres not only as vectors of AMR but also as potential evolutionary hotspots shaping resistance persistence and dissemination in aquatic systems. Future integrating metagenomic and genomic data on resistance gene mobility with spatially resolved microbial community structure will provide critical insights into the mechanisms and risks of AMR dissemination in plastisphere environments.
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