We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Microplastic biofilms in water treatment systems: Fate and risks of pathogenic bacteria, antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and antibiotic resistance genes
AI summary Read the abstract
This review examines how microplastics in drinking water and wastewater treatment plants develop biofilms that harbor dangerous bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes. The biofilm-coated microplastics can protect pathogens from disinfection processes, allowing them to survive treatment and potentially reach tap water. This raises concerns about microplastics serving as vehicles for antibiotic-resistant bacteria in our water supply.
Microplastics (MPs) biofilms in drinking water and wastewater treatment plants (DWTPs and WWTPs) have gained increasing attention due to their potential to come into close contact with humans. This review examines the fate of pathogenic bacteria, antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB), and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in MP biofilms and their impacts on operations in DWTPs and WWTPs, as well as the associated microbial risks for ecology and human health. The literature shows that pathogenic bacteria, ARBs, and ARGs with high resistance can persist on MP surfaces and may escape treatment plants, contaminating drinking and receiving water. Nine potential pathogens, ARB, and ARGs can be retained in DWTPs and sixteen in WWTPs. While MP biofilms can improve the removal of MPs themselves, as well as the associated heavy metals and antibiotic compounds, they can also induce biofouling, hinder the effectiveness of chlorination and ozonation, and cause the formation of disinfection by-products. Furthermore, the operation-resistant pathogenic bacteria, ARB, and ARGs on MPs may have adverse impacts on receiving ecosystems, as well as human health, including a range of human diseases, from skin infections to pneumonia and meningitis. Given the significant implications of MP biofilms for aquatic ecosystems and human health, further research is necessary on the disinfection resistance of microbial populations in MP biofilm. This study provides valuable insights into the comprehensive understanding of the changes of MP biofilms in water and wastewater treatment systems as well as their impacts on ecology and human health.
More Papers Like This
Biofilm formation on microplastics and interactions with antibiotics, antibiotic resistance genes and pathogens in aquatic environment
AI summary Read the abstract
This review explains how microplastics in waterways develop bacterial biofilms on their surfaces that can harbor antibiotic-resistant bacteria and help spread antibiotic resistance genes to new environments. This is concerning for human health because these resistant microbes could eventually reach people through drinking water or seafood consumption.
Microplastic-affected pathogens in drinking water supply systems: Survival mechanisms, ecological impacts and control challenges
AI summary Read the abstract
This review synthesized evidence on how microplastics in drinking water supply systems affect pathogen behavior, focusing on opportunistic pathogens. Microplastics were found to enhance pathogen survival, promote antibiotic resistance gene transfer, and facilitate biofilm formation, with implications for the safety of treated drinking water.
Microplastics in fresh- and wastewater are potential contributors to antibiotic resistance - A minireview
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers reviewed the link between microplastic pollution and the spread of antibiotic resistance in freshwater environments, finding that microplastic surfaces host unique bacterial communities enriched in antibiotic-resistant bacteria and the resistance genes they can share with other microbes. The close packing of bacteria in these plastic-surface biofilms may accelerate the spread of drug-resistant pathogens through drinking water sources, though the full health implications remain poorly understood.
Growth and prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in microplastic biofilm from wastewater treatment plant effluents
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers studied antibiotic-resistant bacteria growing in biofilms on microplastic surfaces in wastewater treatment plant effluent. The study found that microplastic biofilms accumulated antibiotic-resistant bacteria including Pseudomonas, Aeromonas, and Bacillus, and that these biofilms harbored higher concentrations of resistance genes compared to surrounding water, suggesting microplastics may serve as reservoirs for antibiotic resistance.
Can microplastics and disinfectant resistance genes pose conceivable threats to water disinfection process?
AI summary Read the abstract
This review examines how microplastics in water supplies interact with disinfection resistance genes (DRGs) in bacteria, creating a compounding threat to water safety. Microplastics provide surfaces where resistant bacteria can form biofilms and exchange resistance genes, and they can locally reduce the effective concentration of disinfectants — making standard water treatment less effective. The concern is that as both microplastic pollution and disinfectant use grow, we may be inadvertently breeding harder-to-kill pathogens in our drinking water systems.
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.