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The nexus of microplastics, food and antimicrobial resistance in the context of aquatic environment: Interdisciplinary linkages of pathways
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This review examines how microplastics in aquatic environments serve as surfaces where bacteria can grow, share antibiotic resistance genes, and then enter the food chain through contaminated seafood. The combination of microplastic pollution and antimicrobial resistance creates a compounding threat, as resistant bacteria riding on plastic particles can survive water treatment and reach humans. The authors call for interdisciplinary research connecting environmental science and public health to address this growing risk.
The exponential rise in plastic production since the mid-20th century has led to the widespread existence of microplastics in various ecosystems, posing significant environmental and health concerns. Microplastics, defined as plastic particles smaller than 5 mm, have infiltrated diverse environments, including oceans, freshwater bodies, and even remote Arctic ice. Their ability to absorb toxic chemicals and serve as vectors for microbial colonization raises concerns about their impacts on aquatic organisms and human health. This review examines the pathways by which microplastics infiltrate the food chain, highlighting their presence in various food items consumed by humans. Furthermore, it explores the nexus between microplastics and antimicrobial resistance (AMR), elucidating how microorganisms inhabiting plastic surfaces facilitate the transmission of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). The review underscores the urgent need for interdisciplinary research integrating environmental science, microbiology, public health, and policy to address the multifaceted challenges posed by microplastics. Standardized protocols for sampling and analysis are essential to enable meaningful comparisons across research and regions. By collectively addressing these challenges, we can strive towards a more sustainable and resilient future for ecosystems and human societies.
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Antibiotic resistant bacteria colonising microplastics in the aquatic environment: An emerging challenge
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Researchers reviewed how microplastics in aquatic environments act as surfaces where antibiotic-resistant bacteria can grow and swap resistance genes with each other, raising concern that contaminated seafood and water could transfer these hard-to-treat bacteria to humans.
Microplastics in fresh- and wastewater are potential contributors to antibiotic resistance - A minireview
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Researchers reviewed the link between microplastic pollution and the spread of antibiotic resistance in freshwater environments, finding that microplastic surfaces host unique bacterial communities enriched in antibiotic-resistant bacteria and the resistance genes they can share with other microbes. The close packing of bacteria in these plastic-surface biofilms may accelerate the spread of drug-resistant pathogens through drinking water sources, though the full health implications remain poorly understood.
Enrichment of Antibiotic Resistance Genes on Plastic Waste in Aquatic Ecosystems, Aquatic Animals, and Fishery Products
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This review examines how plastic waste in water creates surfaces where antibiotic-resistant bacteria thrive and share resistance genes with each other. Microplastics in rivers, oceans, and fish farms were consistently found to harbor more antibiotic resistance genes than natural materials like rocks or sand. Since fish and shellfish can accumulate these microplastic-associated resistant bacteria, there is a risk that drug-resistant infections could reach humans through the seafood supply chain.
Microplastics and antibiotic resistance genes as rising threats: Their interaction represents an urgent environmental concern
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This review examines how microplastics interact with antibiotics and antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the environment, creating a combined pollution threat. Microplastics can absorb antibiotics onto their surface and serve as platforms where bacteria exchange resistance genes. This interaction could accelerate the spread of antibiotic resistance, making infections harder to treat and posing a growing public health risk.
Understanding the Interplay between Antimicrobial Resistance, Microplastics and Xenobiotic Contaminants: A Leap towards One Health?
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This review examines the interplay between antimicrobial resistance, microplastics, and xenobiotic contaminants in the environment, highlighting how microplastics can serve as vectors for antibiotic-resistant bacteria and genes, posing combined threats to ecosystem and human health.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.