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High-throughput metagenomic profiling of functional and resistome features in estuarine microplastic microbiomes
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Scientists studied tiny plastic particles (microplastics) floating in coastal waters in India and found that harmful bacteria, including antibiotic-resistant germs, were growing on their surfaces. These plastic particles act like floating taxis that can carry dangerous microbes from place to place in the water. This matters because people who swim, fish, or eat seafood from these waters could be exposed to these harmful bacteria.
Microplastics (MPs) are now recognized as persistent pollutants in aquatic ecosystems, providing unique surfaces for microbial colonization and acting as vectors for the spread of pathogens, antibiotic resistance, and virulence factors. Estuarine systems, due to their dynamic hydrology and proximity to anthropogenic activity, are particularly vulnerable to MP accumulation and associated microbial risks. This study presents the first comprehensive metagenomic investigation of MP-associated microbial communities across five estuaries spanning the northern and southern coastal regions of Karnataka, India. MPs were isolated, characterized, and the extracted total DNA from the MPs was subjected to high-throughput sequencing and comprehensive bioinformatic analyses. Taxonomic, functional, and resistance gene profiling were performed to evaluate microbial diversity, ecological roles, and potential public health implications. The findings revealed distinct regional differences in microbial community structure and functional potential, with evidence of clinically relevant pathogens, antibiotic resistance genes, and virulence determinants within the plastisphere. These results highlight the role of MPs as reservoirs and vectors for microbial risks in estuarine ecosystems. By linking microbial diversity of MPs with environmental and anthropogenic influences, this work provides crucial baseline data for monitoring and managing estuarine health. It also underscores the urgent need for integrated strategies to mitigate plastic pollution and its cascading ecological and public health impacts.
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Microplastics host distinct microbial communities enriched in potentially pathogenic taxa and antibiotic resistance genes: evidence from environmental and experimentally aged plastics in a coastal marine environment
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Scientists found that tiny plastic bits floating in the sea aren't just pollution, they're also rafts for germs, hosting different (and sometimes riskier) bacteria than the surrounding water, including *Vibrio*, a group that can cause food poisoning and infections. These plastic-riding bacteria also carried more genes for antibiotic resistance, including some tied to hard-to-treat infections, suggesting microplastics could help spread drug-resistant germs through the ocean and potentially into seafood or coastal waters people come into contact with.
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Plastic trash on beaches isn't just an eyesore — it's also a floating home for bacteria, and this study found that these "plastic-dwelling" microbes carry more antibiotic-resistance genes and disease-causing traits than bacteria living on natural materials like driftwood or shells. This matters because as plastic pollution spreads through our oceans and coastlines, it may be helping harmful, drug-resistant bacteria hitch a ride and spread more easily into places where people swim, fish, and gather seafood.
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Scientists found that microplastics in an urban river serve as platforms for antibiotic-resistant bacteria and dangerous pathogens including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and Legionella pneumophila. Larger microplastic particles harbored more antibiotic resistance genes, and the concentrations of these genes were much higher on plastic surfaces than in the surrounding water. This research raises concerns that microplastics in waterways could spread drug-resistant infections by providing a surface where dangerous bacteria thrive and share resistance genes.
Biofilm-associated microbial communities on microplastics in rural and urban aquatic environments of Tamil Nadu, India: Functional characterization and antibiotic resistance
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Tiny plastic bits floating in rivers and coastal waters near cities aren't just pollution—they're becoming floating homes for bacteria, and researchers found these bacterial communities are more abundant and active in urban waterways than rural ones. Concerningly, many of these microplastic-dwelling bacteria showed resistance to common antibiotics like ampicillin and erythromycin, especially in urban areas, meaning plastic pollution may be helping germs become harder to treat as it travels through waterways where fish and humans have contact.
Comprehensive profiling and risk assessment of antibiotic resistomes in surface water and plastisphere by integrated shotgun metagenomics
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Researchers used shotgun metagenomics to compare antibiotic resistance genes in surface water versus the biofilms that form on microplastic surfaces, known as the plastisphere. They found that microplastics harbored distinct microbial communities with different antibiotic resistance profiles compared to surrounding water. The study raises concerns that microplastics may serve as vehicles for spreading antibiotic resistance in aquatic environments.
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