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Selective colonization of microplastics, wood and glass by antimicrobial-resistant and pathogenic bacteria
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Researchers investigated whether antimicrobial-resistant and pathogenic bacteria selectively colonize microplastics compared to wood and glass surfaces, examining the plastisphere as a potential reservoir for dangerous microbes. Plastic surfaces were found to harbor distinct and enriched communities of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria compared to natural substrates.
The Plastisphere is a novel niche whereby microbial communities attach to plastic debris, including microplastics. These communities can be distinct from those found in the surrounding environment or those attached to natural substrates and may serve as a reservoir of both pathogenic and antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) bacteria. Owing to the frequent omission of appropriate comparator particles (e.g. natural substrates) in previous studies, there is a lack of empirical evidence supporting the unique risks posed by microplastics in terms of enrichment and spread of AMR pathogens. This study investigated selective colonization by a sewage community on environmentally sampled microplastics with three different polymers, sources and morphologies, alongside natural substrate (wood), inert substrate (glass) and free-living/planktonic community controls. Culture and molecular methods (quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR)) were used to ascertain phenotypic and genotypic AMR prevalence, respectively, and multiplex colony PCR was used to identify extra-intestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPECs). From this, polystyrene and wood particles were found to significantly enrich AMR bacteria, whereas sewage-sourced bio-beads significantly enriched ExPECs. Polystyrene and wood were the least smooth particles, and so the importance of particle roughness on AMR prevalence was then directly investigated by comparing the colonization of virgin vs artificially weathered polyethylene particles. Surface weathering did not have a significant effect on the AMR prevalence of colonized particles. Our results suggest that the colonization of plastic and non-plastic particles by AMR and pathogenic bacteria may be enhanced by substrate-specific traits.
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Selective colonization of microplastics, wood and glass by antimicrobial-resistant and pathogenic bacteria (article)
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Researchers investigated whether microplastics selectively enrich antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) and pathogenic bacteria compared to natural substrates such as wood and glass in aquatic environments. By including appropriate natural comparator particles - a step often omitted in prior Plastisphere studies - the study provided empirical evidence on the unique risks microplastics pose as reservoirs for AMR pathogens.
Evidence for selective bacterial community structuring on microplastics
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Plastic substrates incubated in Baltic Sea water developed distinct bacterial communities that differed significantly from those on glass surfaces and from the surrounding water, with some plastic-colonizing taxa selected for regardless of polymer type. The study provides experimental evidence that plastic surfaces act as selective filters for microbial community assembly, contributing to the concept of a unique plastisphere.
Plastisphere as a Vector for Pathogenic Microbes and Antibiotic Resistance
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This review examines how the plastisphere, the microbial community that colonizes plastic surfaces, serves as a vector for pathogenic bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes. Researchers found that microplastics can adsorb antibiotics and facilitate higher rates of plasmid transfer among bacteria, with potentially pathogenic species carrying multi-drug resistance genes identified on plastic surfaces.
Selective enrichment of bacterial pathogens by microplastic biofilm
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Researchers incubated biofilms on microplastics and natural substrates in freshwater and found that microplastic surfaces selectively enriched bacterial pathogens and antibiotic resistance genes compared to rock and leaf surfaces. The study suggests that microplastics in waterways may serve as hotspots for harmful bacteria and contribute to the spread of antibiotic resistance in the environment.
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