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Microplastics and antibiotic resistance genes as rising threats: Their interaction represents an urgent environmental concern
Summary
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.
Microplastics (MPs) have been reported to be emerging contaminant of different environmental niches like air, soil, and water. When exposed to these environments, MPs interact with already existing antibiotics to create combined pollution that can harm organisms. MPs have garnered significant attention in academic circles due to their ability to adsorb antibiotics. This review article explores different dimensions of MPs, antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), and the interplay between MPs, antibiotics, and antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB), emphasizing their interconnection with soil and water pollution. It also summarizes the mechanisms behind the interaction between antibiotics and MPs, detailing various physical and chemical interactions. Additionally, it outlines the pathways through which MPs and ARGs complexes spread, offering insights for future research and solutions to tackle compound pollution. The article concludes by providing targeted strategies to mitigate the environmental and public health risks posed by MP-associated ARG transmission, highlighting the need for integrated pollution control, advanced monitoring techniques, and stricter regulatory policies.