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An Exploratory Review of Microplastic Pollution, Associated Microbiomes and Pathogens in Water
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This review analyzes over a decade of research on microplastic pollution in surface waters across five continents, focusing on the microorganisms that colonize plastic surfaces. Researchers found that microplastics serve as floating habitats for bacteria, including potential human pathogens and antibiotic-resistant strains. The study highlights that microplastic pollution poses a dual threat by both contaminating water and providing a vehicle for harmful microbes to spread.
Microplastic particles (MPs) are an emerging global pollutant of increasing concern due to their widespread occurrence, persistence, and multifaceted impact on aquatic ecosystems. This study provides a comprehensive review of peer-reviewed literature from 2011 to 2025, analysing the presence, distribution, and microbiological associations of MPs in surface waters across five continents. The findings confirm that MPs are present in both marine and freshwater systems, with concentrations varying by region, hydrology, and proximity to anthropogenic sources. Polyethylene and polypropylene were identified as the most common polymers, often enriched in river mouths, estuaries, and aquaculture zones. A key focus of this review is the plastisphere—microbial biofilms colonizing MPs—which includes both environmental and pathogenic bacteria such as Vibrio, Pseudomonas, and Acinetobacter. Notably, MPs serve as vectors for the spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), including sul1, tetA and ermF, and β-lactamase genes like blaCTX-M. This highlights their role in enhancing horizontal gene transfer and microbial dissemination. The results emphasize the need for standardized monitoring protocols and further interdisciplinary research. In light of the One Health approach, understanding the microbial dimension of MP pollution is essential for managing risks to environmental and public health.
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Microplastic-associated pathogens and antimicrobial resistance in environment
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This review examines how microplastics in the environment act as surfaces for disease-causing bacteria and antibiotic-resistant microbes to colonize and spread. Researchers found that microplastics can carry pathogens and facilitate the transfer of antimicrobial resistance genes between bacteria in water systems. The findings raise concerns that microplastic pollution may be contributing to the growing global challenge of antibiotic resistance.
Microbial colonization of microplastic particles in aquatic systems
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This review examined how microplastic particles become colonized by diverse microbial communities in aquatic environments, forming the so-called plastisphere. The research highlights that microplastics create novel ecological niches and may facilitate the spread of pathogens and antibiotic resistance genes in freshwater and marine systems.
Enrichment and dissemination of bacterial pathogens by microplastics in the aquatic environment
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This review examines how microplastics serve as floating platforms for dangerous bacteria in waterways, harboring pathogens like Vibrio and Pseudomonas at higher densities than surrounding water. Researchers found that bacteria can transfer between microplastic surfaces and water through mechanisms like horizontal gene transfer and chemical signaling. The findings raise concerns that microplastic pollution may be accelerating the spread of waterborne pathogens that threaten both ecosystem and human health.
Plastics and Microplastics as Vectors for Bacteria and Human Pathogens
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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.
Microplastics in fresh- and wastewater are potential contributors to antibiotic resistance - A minireview
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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.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.