We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Survival of human pathogens bound to microplastics during transfer through the freshwater-marine continuum: from wastewater discharge to the beach
Summary
Researchers tracked survival of E. coli, E. faecalis, and P. aeruginosa colonizing polyethylene microplastics as particles were transferred through a series of mesocosms simulating downstream transport from wastewater effluent through freshwater, estuary, seawater, and beach sand. All three pathogens survived the full environmental transition sequence in the plastisphere, with higher bacterial concentrations on microplastics than on glass controls, though die-off rates did not differ by substrate, demonstrating microplastics' potential to extend pathogen persistence across environmental boundaries.
Large quantities of microplastics are regularly discharged from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) into the aquatic environment. Once released, these plastics can rapidly become colonised by microbial biofilm, forming distinct plastisphere communities which may include potential pathogens. However, it is unclear how long potential pathogens can persist in the plastisphere following their release from WWTPs and the impact that transitioning between different environmental matrices, with changing biotic and abiotic conditions, has on their survival. We hypothesised that the protective environment afforded by the plastisphere would facilitate the survival of potential pathogens during such transitions and increase their persistence in the environment. In this study, 2 mm polyethylene and glass particles were added to either freshwater or seawater mesocosms, or moved through a series of effluent-freshwater-estuary-seawater-sand mesocosms to simulate downstream transport following discharge from a WWTP. We found that viable E. coli, E. faecalis and P. aeruginosa can successfully survive in the plastisphere, either in freshwater or seawater, or as the particles transition between different environmental matrices. Higher concentrations of bacteria were detected on microplastic compared to glass particles; however, there were no differences in die-off rates of bacteria colonising the two materials. Despite concentrations decreasing over time, viable bacteria were still detected on microplastic and glass particles after 25 days in both freshwater and seawater, and after passing through the river-estuary-marine-beach continuum. This enables potential pathogens to transition into environments where human exposure is greater (e.g., bathing waters and beach environments), increasing the likelihood of pathogen transfer and potential impact on human health. Also see: https://micro2022.sciencesconf.org/426868/document
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
From wastewater discharge to the beach: Survival of human pathogens bound to microplastics during transfer through the freshwater-marine continuum
Researchers investigated how human pathogens survive on microplastic surfaces as they travel from wastewater treatment plants through freshwater into marine environments. They found that the biofilm environment on plastic surfaces helped bacteria like E. coli and Enterococcus faecalis persist longer during transitions between water types compared to bacteria in the surrounding water. The study suggests that microplastics may facilitate the environmental spread of pathogens by providing a protective habitat during transport.
Sewers to Seas: exploring pathogens and antimicrobial resistance on microplastics from hospital wastewater to marine environments
Researchers tracked microplastics from hospital wastewater through sewers to coastal seas to determine whether the plastisphere on these particles uniquely enriches antimicrobial-resistant and pathogenic bacteria beyond what is found on other environmental substrates.
Pathogens transported by plastic debris: does this vector pose a risk to aquatic organisms?
This review examined whether microplastics act as vectors for pathogenic bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens in marine and freshwater ecosystems. Evidence indicates that diverse microorganisms including pathogens adhere to microplastic surfaces, and modeling suggested potential for long-range pathogen transport, though the scale of ecological and public health risk remains uncertain.
Exploiting microplastics and the plastisphere for the surveillance of human pathogenic bacteria discharged into surface waters in wastewater effluent
Researchers placed small plastic particles in rivers upstream and downstream of a wastewater treatment plant and found that disease-causing bacteria, including E. coli and Klebsiella, quickly formed biofilms on them within 24 hours. These biofilms carried antibiotic resistance genes and virulence factors, showing that microplastics in waterways can serve as floating platforms for dangerous bacteria that pose risks to human health.
From rivers to marine environments: A constantly evolving microbial community within the plastisphere
Researchers sampled 107 plastic pieces across four aquatic ecosystems in southern France and found that the sampling location and polymer chemistry were the strongest drivers of plastisphere microbial community composition, while only 11% of samples showed elevated Vibrio pathogen levels compared to surrounding water.