We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Plastic pollution and human pathogens: Towards a conceptual shift in risk management at bathing water and beach environments.
AI summary Read the abstract
This paper examines emerging evidence that plastic debris in coastal and bathing waters can harbor human pathogens — including bacteria and viruses — and argues that existing bathing water safety regulations do not adequately account for this plastic-associated microbial risk. The authors call for a conceptual shift in how regulators think about plastic pollution as a public health issue.
Emerging evidence indicates that micro- and macro-plastics present in water can support a diverse microbial community, including potential human pathogens (e.g., bacteria, viruses). This interaction raises important concerns surrounding the role and suitability of current bathing water regulations and associated pathogen exposure risk within beach environments. In response to this, we critically evaluated the available evidence on plastic-pathogen interactions and identified major gaps in knowledge. This review highlighted the need for a conceptual shift in risk management at public beaches recognising: (i) interconnected environmental risks, e.g., associations between microbial compliance parameters, potential pathogens and both contemporary and legacy plastic pollution; and (ii) an appreciation of risk of exposure to plastic co-pollutants for both water and waterside users. We present a decision-making framework to identify options to manage plastic-associated pathogen risks alongside short- and longer-term research priorities. This advance will help deliver improvements in managing plastic-associated pathogen risk, acknowledging that human exposure potential is not limited to only those who engage in water-based activity. We argue that adopting these recommendations will help create an integrated approach to managing and reducing human exposure to pathogens at bathing, recreational water and beach environments.
More Papers Like This
Microbial hitchhikers on marine plastic debris: Human exposure risks at bathing waters and beach environments.
AI summary Read the abstract
This review examines how marine plastic debris serves as a habitat for microbial communities including potential pathogens, a phenomenon called the Plastisphere, and assesses the human health risks when plastic-associated microbes reach bathing waters and beaches. The authors conclude that plastic litter can amplify microbial hazards to public health in coastal recreation areas.
Pathogens transported by plastic debris: does this vector pose a risk to aquatic organisms?
AI summary Read the abstract
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.
The aquatic plastisphere: ecology, pathogen dissemination and antimicrobial resistance
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers reviewed the ecology of the aquatic plastisphere — the microbial biofilm community colonizing plastic debris — examining how its composition diverges from natural substrates, how it concentrates human pathogens and antimicrobial resistance genes, and how climate-driven changes in temperature, UV, and salinity may further reshape its microbial makeup and public health risks.
Plastics and Microplastics as Vectors for Bacteria and Human Pathogens
AI summary Read the abstract
This study reviewed how marine plastic debris serves as a surface for bacterial colonization, including human pathogens, and examined the novel communities forming on plastic surfaces. The research raises public health concerns about microplastics acting as rafts that transport harmful bacteria to new locations, including to seafood and coastal recreational areas.
Survival of human enteric and respiratory viruses on plastics in soil, freshwater, and marine environments
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers investigated the survival of human enteric and respiratory viruses on plastic surfaces in soil, freshwater, and marine environments. The study found that plastics and microplastics can harbor pathogenic viruses in addition to bacteria, suggesting that the so-called plastisphere may serve as a previously underappreciated pathway for the transmission of human pathogens in the environment.
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.