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Effects of emerging pollutants on the occurrence and transfer of antibiotic resistance genes: A review
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This review examines how emerging pollutants, including microplastics, engineered nanomaterials, and pharmaceuticals, can promote the spread of antibiotic resistance genes in the environment. Researchers found that these pollutants can increase the frequency of horizontal gene transfer between bacteria, potentially accelerating the evolution of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms. The study highlights a concerning link between environmental contamination and the growing global challenge of antibiotic resistance.
The emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) have become major concerns for both public health and environmental ecosystems. Emerging pollutants (EPs) that accumulate in environmental compartments also pose a potential risk for the enrichment of ARGs in indigenous microorganisms. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the effects and intrinsic mechanisms of EPs, including microplastics, engineered nanomaterials, disinfection byproducts, pharmaceuticals, and personal care products, on the occurrence and dissemination of ARGs. State-of-the-art methods for identifying culture-independent ARG-host interactions and monitoring horizontal gene transfer (HGT) processes in real-time are first reviewed. The contributions of EPs to the abundance and diversity of ARGs are then summarized. Finally, we discussed the underlying mechanisms related to the regulation of HGT, increased mutagenesis, and the evolution of microbial communities. Further details of three HGT (i.e., conjugation, transformation, and transduction) frequency patterns in response to various EPs are also examined. This review contemplates and reassesses the risks of ARG evolution posed by the manufacture and application of EPs.
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Microplastics and their role in the emergence of antibiotic resistance in bacteria as a threat for the environment
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Researchers reviewed how microplastics act as breeding grounds for antibiotic-resistant bacteria by providing surfaces where bacteria can swap resistance genes with each other — a process called horizontal gene transfer. This dual threat of plastic pollution and antibiotic resistance is compounding into a significant global public health crisis.
Unraveling the effect of micro/nanoplastics on the occurrence and horizontal transfer of environmental antibiotic resistance genes: Advances, mechanisms and future prospects
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This review examines how micro- and nanoplastics promote the spread of antibiotic resistance genes in the environment. The tiny plastic particles create conditions that help bacteria exchange resistance genes more easily by generating oxidative stress, making cell membranes more permeable, and providing surfaces where resistant bacteria can form communities. This is a growing public health concern because antibiotic-resistant infections are increasingly difficult to treat.
Environmental Emerging Contaminants Drive Bacterial Antimicrobial Resistance Evolution: Evidence, Mechanisms, and Challenges
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This review summarizes existing research on how pollutants like microplastics, along with other environmental chemicals, may promote bacterial resistance to antibiotics. It describes four possible mechanisms, including stress responses in bacteria, gene sharing between bacteria, and microplastics carrying resistance genes, and points to gaps needing further study.
A review on the effect of micro- and nano-plastics pollution on the emergence of antimicrobial resistance
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This review highlights how microplastics serve as breeding grounds for antimicrobial resistance genes, examining the overlooked interaction between plastic pollution and antibiotic resistance that poses combined threats to environmental and human health.
[Influencing Factors and Mechanisms of Antibiotic Resistance Gene Enrichment by Microplastics in the Environment].
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This review examines how microplastics in the environment serve as carriers for antibiotic resistance genes, enriching and spreading resistant bacteria across air, soil, water, and sediments. Researchers found that the type, surface characteristics, and aging of microplastics all influence how effectively they accumulate resistance genes and facilitate horizontal gene transfer. The findings highlight the need to consider microplastics as an important vector in the environmental spread of antibiotic resistance.
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