Oil spills, coastal pollution, and antibiotic resistance in bacteria isolated from soil across the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal coastlines

Abstract Pelagic transport causes oil pollution by traversing the open ocean in southern Asia and Indian territory via international tanker routes. We report that the traffic of sailing flags across oceans causes pollution in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea, which results in the formation of harmful algal blooms and an increase in chlorophyll productivity. The natural flow of ocean water from east to west, which carries pollutants into the marine waters belonging to the Indian territory, causes the deposition and saturation of oil spills and biohazardous wastes. The consequences of pollution have mostly affected coastal areas and caused the mortality of fauna. Metagenome analysis indicates a reduced microbial load and the presence of fewer microbial features across coastal soil. Long-term exposure to pollutants results in an unusual increase in cell size and the development of hydrocarbon- and antibiotic-resistant profiles. Bacterial taxa such as Brevundimonas, Streptococcus, Mycolibacterium, Sphingomonas, Bacillus spp., Chitinophaga, Priestia, Domibacillus, Rossellomorea, Acinetobacter towneri, etc., were found, and their identities were confirmed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. These bacteria pose a serious threat to public health.