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20 resultsShowing papers similar to DeterminingAntimicrobial Resistance in the Plastisphere:Lower Risks of Nonbiodegradable vs Higher Risks of Biodegradable Microplastics
ClearDeterminingAntimicrobial Resistance in the Plastisphere:Lower Risks of Nonbiodegradable vs Higher Risks of Biodegradable Microplastics
This companion study further characterizes antimicrobial resistance in the plastisphere across different plastic types, confirming that polymer biodegradability influences bacterial community composition and the enrichment of resistance determinants on plastic surfaces in aquatic environments.
Determining Antimicrobial Resistance in the Plastisphere: Lower Risks of Nonbiodegradable vs Higher Risks of Biodegradable Microplastics
This study found that biodegradable microplastics actually pose a higher risk for spreading antibiotic resistance than conventional non-biodegradable plastics. As biodegradable plastics break down, they appear to promote stress responses in bacteria that encourage the sharing of antibiotic resistance genes. This is concerning because biodegradable plastics are often marketed as safer alternatives.
Selection of antibiotic resistance genes on biodegradable and non-biodegradable microplastics
This study examined antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) occurrence in biofilms forming on biodegradable and non-biodegradable microplastics in marine ecosystems. It found that microplastic surfaces selected for ARG-enriched microbial communities, with polymer type influencing which resistance genes were enriched, raising concerns about microplastics facilitating ARG spread.
New insight into the effect of microplastics on antibiotic resistance and bacterial community of biofilm
Researchers found that different types of microplastics promote distinct biofilm communities and enhance antibiotic resistance gene proliferation compared to natural substrates, suggesting microplastics serve as unique platforms for the spread of antimicrobial resistance.
Antibiotic resistance in plastisphere
Researchers reviewed antibiotic resistance in the plastisphere — the microbial community colonizing plastic surfaces in aquatic environments — finding that plastic properties and aging influence the enrichment and horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes, and that aged microplastics pose elevated risks due to increased adsorption of resistant bacteria.
Comprehensive profiling and risk assessment of antibiotic resistomes in surface water and plastisphere by integrated shotgun metagenomics
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.
Distinct species turnover patterns shaped the richness of antibiotic resistance genes on eight different microplastic polymers
Researchers studied antibiotic resistance genes on eight different types of microplastic surfaces in the environment and found 479 different resistance genes across all plastic types. Biodegradable plastics actually harbored more dangerous bacteria carrying resistance genes than conventional plastics, including species linked to human disease like Vibrio cholerae. This is concerning because these microplastics could spread antibiotic-resistant infections through the environment to people.
Microplastisphere antibiotic resistance genes: A bird's-eye view on the plastic-specific diversity and enrichment
Microplastics in the environment act as surfaces for microbial communities called microplastispheres, which this review finds are enriched with antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). The type of plastic, surrounding water chemistry, and co-occurring pollutants all influence which resistance genes accumulate, raising concern that microplastics could be spreading antibiotic resistance through aquatic environments worldwide.
Potential environmental risks of field bio/non-degradable microplastic from mulching residues in farmland: Evidence from metagenomic analysis of plastisphere
Researchers analyzed the microbes living on biodegradable and conventional plastic mulch fragments in farm soil and found that both types harbored antibiotic resistance genes and disease-causing bacteria, including human pathogens. Surprisingly, the biodegradable plastic (PBAT/PLA) had a higher diversity and abundance of resistance genes than conventional polyethylene. This challenges the assumption that biodegradable plastics are always safer and raises concerns about antibiotic resistance spreading from farm microplastics.
The Plastisphere Resistome: A Systematic Review of Antibiotic Resistance Genes and Resistant Bacteria on Microplastics
This systematic review examines whether microplastic-associated biofilms harbor higher levels of antibiotic-resistant bacteria compared to surrounding environments. If microplastics act as hotspots for antibiotic resistance genes, they could spread drug-resistant bacteria through water systems, posing a serious concern for human health and the effectiveness of antibiotics.
Alteration of microbial mediated carbon cycle and antibiotic resistance genes during plastisphere formation in coastal area
Researchers investigated how microplastic surfaces in coastal environments develop biofilm communities, known as the plastisphere, and whether these biofilms enrich antibiotic resistance genes. The study found that incubation time, habitat type, and microplastic aging state all significantly influenced biofilm composition, and that aged microplastics accumulated more antibiotic resistance genes than new ones, suggesting microplastics may serve as vectors for spreading resistant bacteria.
Microplastisphere may induce the enrichment of antibiotic resistance genes on microplastics in aquatic environments: A review
This first meta-analysis of antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) enrichment on microplastics found that ARGs were more abundant on microplastic surfaces than on inorganic substrates or in surrounding water, but less abundant than on natural organic substrates. Freshwater microplastics showed a higher degree of ARG enrichment than those in saline water or sewage.
Ecosystem-specific composition and drivers of plastisphere resistome in freshwater and marine environments
This comparative meta-analysis of metagenomic data found that microplastics in freshwater and marine environments harbor distinct antibiotic resistance gene profiles, with freshwater plastispheres showing greater resistome diversity. Microplastics serve as hotspots for antibiotic resistance gene propagation, with mobile genetic elements facilitating transfer to potentially pathogenic bacteria.
Persistent versus transient, and conventional plastic versus biodegradable plastic? —Two key questions about microplastic-water exchange of antibiotic resistance genes
Researchers compared antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) exchange between water and floating biodegradable (PBAT) versus non-biodegradable (PET) microplastics, finding that ARG exchange was persistent over time for both polymer types. Biodegradable plastics did not substantially reduce ARG accumulation compared to conventional plastics, suggesting biodegradability alone does not lower the antimicrobial resistance risk of plastic pollution.
Biodegradable Microplastics Increase the Health Risks of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Eutrophic Urban Lake
Researchers conducted an in-situ experiment in an urban lake comparing how biodegradable and conventional plastics accumulate antibiotic resistance genes on their surfaces. They found that biodegradable polymers like PBS and PLA harbored significantly more resistance genes than conventional polystyrene, and that bacterial communities on all plastics differed markedly from those in the surrounding water. The study suggests that biodegradable microplastics may actually pose higher health risks by serving as hotspots for antibiotic resistance in polluted freshwater environments.
Polymer type and aging drive the selective enrichment of antibiotic resistance genes and pathogens in microplastics biofilms
Researchers compared how microorganisms colonize conventional polypropylene versus biodegradable polylactic acid microplastics in a wetland environment. They found that while biodegradable PLA attracted fewer total microbes, it actually enriched a higher proportion of antibiotic-resistant pathogens and resistance genes, especially after environmental aging. The findings raise important questions about whether biodegradable plastics may pose unexpected risks as carriers of antibiotic resistance in aquatic ecosystems.
MicroplasticsPose an Elevated Antimicrobial ResistanceRisk Than Natural Surfaces via a Systematic Comparative Study of SurfaceBiofilms in Rivers
A systematic comparison of biofilms on microplastics and natural river surfaces found that microplastic biofilms carry significantly higher loads of antimicrobial resistance genes, suggesting that microplastics amplify antimicrobial resistance risks beyond what natural substrate biofilms produce.
Biodegradable microplastics induced the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes and virulence factors in soil: A metagenomic perspective
Researchers found that biodegradable microplastics promoted the spread of antibiotic resistance genes and virulence factors in soil at levels comparable to conventional microplastics, challenging assumptions about their environmental safety.
Biodegradable and conventional microplastics as vectors of extracellular ARGs in WWTP effluents: Mechanistic and differential global health risk
Researchers characterized extracellular antibiotic resistance genes bound to biodegradable and non-biodegradable microplastics in wastewater treatment plant effluents, finding mechanistic differences in how each plastic type associates with resistance gene-carrying DNA and estimating resulting global health risks.
Microplastic biodegradability dependent responses of plastisphere antibiotic resistance to simulated freshwater-seawater shift in onshore marine aquaculture zones
Antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) dynamics in the plastisphere of biodegradable and non-biodegradable microplastics were tracked through a simulated freshwater-to-seawater shift, finding that water type transitions significantly altered ARG profiles and that microplastic biodegradability influenced ARG responses.