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Microplastics as carriers of antibiotic resistance genes and pathogens in municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill leachate and soil: a review
Summary
This review examines how microplastics in landfill leachate and soil can serve as carriers for antibiotic resistance genes and disease-causing bacteria. Researchers describe how microplastic surfaces create favorable environments for bacterial colonization and gene transfer, potentially spreading antimicrobial resistance. The study highlights an underappreciated pathway through which plastic waste in landfills may contribute to the broader antibiotic resistance crisis.
Landfill leachate contains antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and microplastics (MPs), making it an important reservoir. However, little research has been conducted on how ARGs are enriched on MPs and how the presence of MPs affects pathogens and ARGs in leachates and soil. MPs possess the capacity to establish unique bacterial populations and assimilate contaminants from their immediate surroundings, generating a potential environment conducive to the growth of disease-causing microorganisms and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), thereby exerting selection pressure. Through a comprehensive analysis of scientific literature, we have carried out a practical assessment of this topic. The gathering of pollutants and the formation of dense bacterial communities on microplastics create advantageous circumstances for an increased frequency of ARG transfer and evolution. Additional investigations are necessary to acquire a more profound comprehension of how pathogens and ARGs are enriched, transported, and transferred on microplastics. This research is essential for evaluating the health risks associated with human exposure to these pollutants.
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