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Are microplastics in aquaculture an undeniable driver in accelerating the spread of antibiotic resistance genes?
Summary
This review examines how microplastics in aquaculture environments may accelerate the spread of antibiotic resistance genes by serving as surfaces where resistant bacteria can reproduce and exchange genetic material. The study suggests that the combination of plastic fishing gear debris and long-term antibiotic misuse in aquaculture creates conditions that threaten both ecosystem balance and food safety, though further research is needed to fully understand the scope of these effects.
Aquaculture products have been a key source of protein in the human food supply. Contamination by microplastics and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) directly affects food quality and safety. Plastic fishing gear and the long-term misuse of antibiotics result in the persistent residue, migration, and spread of microplastics and ARGs in the aquaculture environment, causing in ecological imbalance and endangering human security. Microplastics can act as "petri dishes" for the reproduction, communication, and spread of ARGs, which adds an additional layer of complexity to the global issues surrounding microplastics and ARGs. Aquaculture has become an important source of microplastics and ARGs in natural waters. Accordingly, this paper mainly discusses the contribution of aquaculture to the presence of microplastics and ARGs in aquatic ecosystems. Microplastics and ARGs can (1) affect the production and quality of aquatic products; (2) influence the development and reproduction of aquatic organisms; and (3) accelerate the spread of resistant bacteria. How to eliminate microplastics and ARGs and block their transmission has become a worldwide problem. Actually, further research is required to understand the scale and scope of these effects.
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