We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Photoaged microplastics enhanced the antibiotic resistance dissemination in WWTPs by altering the adsorption behavior of antibiotic resistance plasmids
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that microplastics exposed to UV light become significantly better at attracting and holding antibiotic resistance genes, increasing their capacity by 43 to 48 percent compared to unaged particles. This enhanced adsorption was linked to increased surface roughness and chemical changes on the plastic surface. The study suggests that UV-treated wastewater discharge may inadvertently accelerate the spread of antibiotic resistance in the environment through aged microplastics.
Growing concerns have raised about the microplastic eco-coronas in the ultraviolet (UV) disinfection wastewater, which accelerated the pollution of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the aquatic environment. As the hotspot of gene exchange, microplastics (MPs), especially for the UV-aged MPs, could alter the spread of ARGs in the eco-coronas and affect the resistance of the environment through adsorbing antibiotic resistant plasmids (ARPs). However, the relationship between the MP adsorption for ARPs and ARG spreading characteristics in MP eco-corona remain unclear. Herein, this study explored the distribution of ARGs in the MP eco-corona through in situ investigations of the discharged wastewater, and the adsorption behaviors of MPs for ARPs by in vitro adsorption experiments and in silico calculations. Results showed that the adsorption capacity of MPs for ARPs was enhanced by 42.7-48.0 % and the adsorption behavior changed from monolayer to multilayer adsorption after UV-aging. It was related to the increased surface roughness and oxygen-containing functional groups of MPs under UV treatment. Moreover, the abundance of ARGs in MP eco-corona of UV-treated wastewater was 1.33-1.55 folds higher than that without UV treatment, promoting the proliferation of drug resistance. DFT and DLVO theoretical calculations indicated that the MP-ARP interactions were dominated by electrostatic physical adsorption, endowing the aged MPs with low potential oxygen-containing groups to increase the electrostatic interaction with ARPs. Besides, due to the desorption of ARPs on MPs driven by the electrostatic repulsion, the bioavailability of ARGs in the MP eco-coronas was increased with pH and decreased with salinity after the wastewater discharge. Overall, this study advanced the understanding of the adsorption behavior of MPs for ARPs and provided inspirations for the evaluation of the resistance spread in the aquatic environment mediated by MP eco-coronas.
More Papers Like This
UV-aging of microplastics increases proximal ARG donor-recipient adsorption and leaching of chemicals that synergistically enhance antibiotic resistance propagation
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that UV-aged microplastics are significantly better at adsorbing bacteria and genetic material than fresh ones, boosting the transfer of antibiotic resistance genes by up to nearly fivefold. The aging process also caused the plastics to release organic chemicals that made bacteria more permeable and receptive to gene transfer. The study highlights an overlooked way that weathered microplastics in the environment could accelerate the spread of antibiotic resistance.
UV-photoaging of degradable microplastics in atmospheric and wastewater: Surface changes and enhanced antibiotic interaction
AI summary Read the abstract
When biodegradable microplastics spend time in wastewater rather than open air, they age much more aggressively — developing biofilms and oxidized surfaces that dramatically increase their ability to absorb antibiotics. This study found that wastewater-aged polybutylene succinate microplastics adsorbed 2.4 times more tetracycline than fresh plastic, and outperformed air-aged plastic by 40%, driven by biofilm chemistry and increased surface area. The implication is that wastewater treatment systems — rather than solving the microplastic problem — may be transforming biodegradable plastics into potent carriers for antibiotic resistance.
Aging of microplastics weakens chlorination efficiency and enhances persistence of antibiotic resistance determinants
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists found that when microplastics get "weathered" by sun exposure (similar to what happens in the environment), they become rougher and stickier, making it easier for bacteria to cling to them and form protective biofilms. In lab tests, this aging effect made standard chlorine water treatment much less effective—weathered microplastics let 2-25 times more antibiotic-resistant bacteria and their resistance genes survive disinfection compared to fresh plastic. While this was a controlled lab study using higher-than-typical microplastic levels, it raises concerns that aging microplastics in wastewater could help antibiotic-resistant
Effects of polymer type and aging on enrichment of antibiotic resistance genes and pathogens in biofilm on microplastics in biological wastewater treatment
AI summary Read the abstract
Tiny plastic particles in wastewater treatment plants act like magnets for bacteria, and this study found that the type of plastic and how much it's been broken down by sunlight both affect how much antibiotic-resistant bacteria build up on its surface. Plastics that break down more easily (like biodegradable PLA) and plastics that had been "aged" by UV light collected especially high levels of antibiotic resistance genes, meaning these microplastics could help spread drug-resistant germs back into our water and environment. This matters because it suggests not all plastics pose the same risk, and even "eco-friendly" biodegradable plast
Microplastics Exacerbated Conjugative Transfer of Antibiotic Resistance Genes during Ultraviolet Disinfection: Highlighting Difference between Conventional and Biodegradable Ones
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that microplastics significantly increased the transfer of antibiotic resistance genes during ultraviolet disinfection of wastewater. Conventional polystyrene microplastics facilitated more gene transfer than biodegradable polylactic acid ones, primarily by shielding bacteria from UV light and generating reactive oxygen species that increased cell membrane permeability.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.