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Biofilm enhances the interactive effects of microplastics and oxytetracycline on zebrafish intestine
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Researchers found that microplastics coated with bacterial biofilms (natural microbial layers that form in water) caused more intestinal damage to zebrafish than clean microplastics. The biofilm-coated particles increased pathogenic bacteria in the gut by several times and significantly boosted antibiotic resistance genes. This matters because microplastics in real-world water are almost always coated with biofilms, meaning the actual health risks from waterborne microplastics may be greater than lab studies using clean particles suggest.
The enhanced adsorption of pollutants on biofilm-developed microplastics has been proved in many studies, but the ecotoxicological effects of biofilm-developed microplastics on organisms are still unclear. In this study, adult zebrafish were exposed to original microplastics, biofilm-developed microplastics, original microplastics absorbed with oxytetracycline (OTC), and biofilm-developed microplastics absorbed with OTC for 30 days. The intestinal histological damage, intestinal biomarker response, gut microbiome and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) profile of zebrafish were measured to explore the roles of biofilm in the effects of microplastics. The results showed that biofilm-developed microplastics significantly increased the number of goblet cells in intestinal epithelium compared with the control group. The biofilm-developed microplastics also induced the oxidative response in the zebrafish intestines, and biofilm changed the response mode in the combined treatment with OTC. Additionally, the biofilm-developed microplastics caused intestinal microbiome dysbiosis, and induced the abundance of some pathogenic genera increasing by several times compared with the control group and the original microplastics treatments, regardless of OTC adsorption. Furthermore, the abundance of ARGs in biofilm-developed microplastics increased significantly compared with the control and the original microplastic treatments. This study emphasized the significant influence and unique role of biofilm in microplastic studies.
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Toward ecological realism in microplastic toxicology: Intestinal responses to biofilm-colonized microplastics from distinct environmental compartments in fish
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Microplastics that spend time in rivers develop a coating of bacteria and gunk, and this "biofilm" makes them build up more in fish guts and disrupt digestion, gut bacteria, and metabolism, with effects depending on whether the plastic sat in the water or in river sediment. Since fish are a major food source, this suggests real-world, weathered microplastics may pose different health risks than the clean plastics typically tested in labs.
Combined effects of micro-/nano-plastics and oxytetracycline on the intestinal histopathology and microbiome in zebrafish (Danio rerio)
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Researchers studied the combined effects of micro- and nano-sized plastics with the antibiotic oxytetracycline on zebrafish intestines over 30 days. Nano-sized plastics caused more intestinal damage than micro-sized ones, and combined exposures altered gut bacterial communities and increased antibiotic resistance genes. The findings suggest that the co-occurrence of plastic particles and antibiotics in aquatic environments may have compounding negative effects on fish gut health.
The game changer of biofilm in microplastic pollution and potential environmental risks: Unveiling the pivotal roles on surface modification, metal adsorption, and biological uptake
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Tiny plastic particles floating in water don't stay "clean" for long — they quickly get coated with a slimy layer of bacteria and algae called biofilm. This study found that biofilm-covered microplastics soak up nearly twice as much toxic heavy metal (like cadmium) compared to bare plastic, and when zebrafish were exposed to these coated particles, the metal buildup in their guts nearly doubled. This matters because it suggests real-world microplastics — which are almost always covered in biofilm — could be carrying more harmful metals into our food chain and bodies than lab tests on "clean" plastic have sh
Microplastics as vectors for microbial pollutants: Biofilm-associated transfer of pathogens and antibiotic resistance genes in zebrafish intestine
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Scientists found that microplastics coated in bacterial "biofilms" can act like tiny rafts, ferrying harmful germs and antibiotic-resistance genes into the gut, and surprisingly, "biodegradable" plastic (PLA) transferred more of these risky microbes than regular plastic (PP). This matters because it suggests eco-friendly plastics aren't necessarily safer for our health, and swallowing microplastics (through food, water, etc.) could potentially disrupt gut bacteria and contribute to the spread of antibiotic resistance, though this study was done in fish, not humans.
Bioaccessibility of Microplastic-Associated Antibiotics in Freshwater Organisms: Highlighting the Impacts of Biofilm Colonization via an In Vitro Protocol
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Researchers found that biofilm colonization on microplastics significantly alters the bioaccessibility of associated antibiotics in freshwater organisms, with biofilms acting as reactive coatings that change how pollutants are released and taken up by aquatic life.
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