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Ingested Microplastics Act as Microbial Vectors
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Researchers investigated whether ingested microplastics act as vectors for pathogenic microorganisms by exposing wild fish to 4 mm nylon strips and analysing bacterial communities on strips retrieved after excretion. They found that both ingested strips and water-submerged controls harboured large numbers of pathogens including known pathogenic strains, demonstrating that nylon microplastics can transport and potentially amplify microbial communities including pathogens within fish digestive systems.
Microplastics (plastic particles < 5 mm) are ubiquitous pollutants that pose the ability to carry microbiota, including pathogens. Microbial adhesion is usually a sign of pathogenicity, thus we investigated the adherent strains found on 4 mm nylon strips, which were ingested and excreted by wild fish specimens. Polymer analysis of the excreted samples shown no signs of degradation, nor have their controls, represented by the nylon strips submerged in the same water tanks. Both the ingested samples and controls presented pathogens in large numbers, revealing the fact that nylon microplastics can be physical carriers for pathogens in the aquatic environment.
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