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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Co-occurrence of microplastics, PFASs, antibiotics, and antibiotic resistance genes in groundwater and their composite impacts on indigenous microbial communities: A field study
ClearGroundwater antibiotics and microplastics in a drinking-water source area, northern China: Occurrence, spatial distribution, risk assessment, and correlation
Researchers surveyed groundwater in a drinking water source area in northern China and found both antibiotics and microplastics present across the sampled wells. They identified correlations between the two pollutants, suggesting common sources such as agricultural runoff and wastewater. The study raises concerns about the quality of groundwater used for drinking and highlights the need for monitoring these emerging contaminants together.
Microplastics and associated emerging contaminants in the environment: Analysis, sorption mechanisms and effects of co-exposure
Researchers reviewed how microplastics act as carriers for other environmental pollutants — including antibiotics, PFAS, and triclosan — absorbing them from surrounding water and potentially delivering higher doses to organisms that ingest the plastic, with combined toxicity effects that can be either amplified or reduced depending on the combination.
Synergistic Pollution: Interactions Among Polyethylene, Surfactants, and Antibiotics in an Aquatic Environment
Researchers investigated synergistic pollution effects among polyethylene microplastics, surfactants, and antibiotics in aquatic systems, finding that co-presence enhanced the environmental persistence and bioavailability of antibiotics beyond what microplastics or surfactants caused individually.
The combined effect of microplastics and tetracycline on soil microbial communities and ARGs
Researchers studied how simultaneous exposure to microplastics and tetracycline affects soil microbial communities, finding that the combination disrupted microbial diversity, altered functional gene expression, and promoted horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes beyond the effects of either pollutant alone.
Assessing microplastics, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and other contaminants of global concern in wadable agricultural streams in Iowa
Researchers surveyed small agricultural streams across Iowa for multiple contaminants and found microplastics in water, sediment, and fish at every site tested. PFAS (forever chemicals), antibiotic resistance genes, and pharmaceuticals were also widely detected across the same streams. This study shows that even small rural waterways in agricultural regions carry a cocktail of emerging pollutants that could affect both ecosystems and the communities that rely on them.
Microplastics in fresh- and wastewater are potential contributors to antibiotic resistance - A minireview
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.
Susceptibility of a peri-urban water supply and sanitation system to selected emerging micropollutants
Researchers tested seven peri-urban water quality monitoring sites for emerging micropollutants including microplastics and antibiotic-resistant bacteria, finding that while microplastics were absent from raw and treated tap water, they were present in raw sewage, raising environmental concerns about wastewater system discharges.
Synergistic effect of horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes between bacteria exposed to microplastics and per/polyfluoroalkyl substances: An explanation from theoretical methods
Using computer simulations and machine learning, researchers showed that microplastics and PFAS (forever chemicals) work together to increase the spread of antibiotic resistance genes between bacteria in water. Both pollutants damage bacterial cell membranes, making it easier for bacteria to swap genetic material that confers resistance to antibiotics. This finding is concerning for human health because antibiotic resistance is a growing global crisis, and the combination of these common pollutants may be accelerating it.
Antibiotic resistance genes and virulence factors in the plastisphere in wastewater treatment plant effluent: Health risk quantification and driving mechanism interpretation
Researchers found that microplastics in treated wastewater carry significantly more disease-causing bacteria, antibiotic resistance genes, and virulence factors on their surfaces compared to the surrounding water. This means microplastics released from wastewater treatment plants into rivers and lakes could spread antibiotic-resistant infections, posing a direct risk to communities that rely on these water sources.
Wastewater discharges and polymer type modulate the riverine plastisphere and set the role of microplastics as vectors of pathogens and antibiotic resistance
Researchers investigated how wastewater treatment plant discharges and polymer type shape microbial communities on microplastics in a river environment. They found that microplastics harbored significantly higher microbial diversity than surrounding water, and that wastewater discharges led to a 2.3-fold increase in antibiotic resistance gene abundance on the plastic surfaces. Different polymer types, including polyethylene, polypropylene, and PET, each attracted distinct microbial communities with varying levels of pathogens and resistance genes.
Impacts of Pharmaceuticals on Microbial Colonization of Microplastic in Streams
This study examined how pharmaceutical contaminants in streams affect microbial communities that colonize microplastics. Pharmaceutical-exposed microplastics developed distinctly different microbial communities than unexposed ones, suggesting that the combined presence of microplastics and pharmaceuticals creates novel ecological conditions in urban waterways.
Effects of polyvinyl chloride microplastics and benzylalkyldimethylethyl compounds on system performance, microbial community and resistance genes in sulfur autotrophic denitrification system
Researchers found that PVC microplastics and a common disinfectant chemical in wastewater treatment systems promoted the spread of antibiotic resistance genes, with the disinfectant having an even stronger effect than the microplastics. The microplastic surfaces harbored disease-causing bacteria that carried these resistance genes. This is concerning because wastewater treatment plants could be releasing both microplastics and antibiotic-resistant pathogens into waterways, potentially threatening human health.
Bacterial dynamics of the plastisphere microbiome exposed to sub-lethal antibiotic pollution.
This study investigated how sub-lethal antibiotic concentrations in water interact with microplastic-associated biofilm communities (the plastisphere), finding that combined pollution alters bacterial dynamics and may contribute to antibiotic resistance selection in aquatic environments.
Evaluating the role of microplastics and wastewater in shaping Vibrio spp. and antibiotic resistance gene abundance in urban freshwaters
Researchers sampled water and microplastic biofilms from urban South African rivers and found that microplastics disproportionately enriched Vibrio spp. and tetracycline resistance genes relative to the surrounding water, suggesting microplastics selectively concentrate pathogens and antibiotic resistance genes.
Contribution of microplastic particles to the spread of resistances and pathogenic bacteria in treated wastewaters
Researchers studied microplastic particles collected from treated wastewater effluents and found that MPs harbored significantly higher loads of antibiotic resistance genes and pathogenic bacteria compared to surrounding water, suggesting MPs facilitate their environmental spread.
Quantifying health risks of plastisphere antibiotic resistome and deciphering driving mechanisms in an urbanizing watershed
This study measured the health risks posed by antibiotic resistance genes found on microplastic surfaces in a watershed affected by urbanization. Polyethylene microplastics carried the highest risk, and urban development increased the danger by promoting the spread of resistance genes among bacteria living on plastic surfaces. The findings show that microplastics in waterways act as vehicles for antibiotic resistance, which could make infections harder to treat in communities downstream.
Distinct profile of bacterial community and antibiotic resistance genes on microplastics in Ganjiang River at the watershed level
Researchers investigated microplastic pollution and associated bacterial communities, human pathogenic bacteria, and antibiotic resistance genes across the Ganjiang River watershed. They found microplastics were widely distributed with an average of 407 particles per cubic meter, and that microplastic surfaces harbored significantly higher bacterial diversity and more antibiotic resistance genes than surrounding water or sediment.
Insight into combined pollution of antibiotics and microplastics in aquatic and soil environment: Environmental behavior, interaction mechanism and associated impact of resistant genes
This review examines the combined pollution created when microplastics absorb antibiotics in water and soil environments. Researchers found that microplastics can concentrate antibiotics on their surfaces, and this combination promotes the spread of antibiotic-resistant genes in microbial communities. The study highlights that the interaction between these two emerging pollutants may pose greater environmental and health risks than either one alone.
Soluble Microbial Products and Perfluorinated Compounds in Wastewater Treatment
This study examines the presence of soluble microbial products and perfluorinated compounds (PFAS) — highly persistent 'forever chemicals' — in wastewater treatment plants. PFAS co-occur with microplastics in water systems and are similarly resistant to conventional treatment, representing compounding contamination challenges for drinking water safety.
Toxicity of microplastics and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in sentinel freshwater models, Daphnia, Zebrafish and unicellular green algae: A systemic review
Researchers reviewed 68 studies on how microplastics and PFAS ("forever chemicals") affect freshwater organisms like Daphnia, zebrafish, and algae, finding that both contaminants are more toxic at chronic low doses than in short-term exposures, and that combining them tends to amplify harm — while noting almost no research has studied them together.
Metagenomics reveals combined effects of microplastics and antibiotics on microbial community structure and function in coastal sediments
A metagenomic study of coastal sediments exposed to combined microplastic and antibiotic pollution found that co-exposure altered microbial community composition and significantly elevated the abundance and diversity of antibiotic resistance genes compared to either pollutant alone.
Metagenomic insights into environmental risk of field microplastics in an urban river
Metagenomic analysis of microplastics sampled along an urban river watershed revealed that MP-associated microbial communities carried antibiotic resistance genes and virulence factors at higher levels than surrounding water, with composition shifting along the river gradient. The findings confirm microplastics as environmental vectors for spreading antimicrobial resistance.
Impact of Urbanization on Antibiotic Resistome in Different Microplastics: Evidence from a Large-Scale Whole River Analysis
Researchers conducted a large-scale river survey across urbanization gradients and characterized antibiotic resistance genes on microplastics from each zone, finding that urbanization level strongly predicted the diversity and abundance of resistance genes on plastic surfaces.
Combined effects of ciprofloxacin and microplastics on alpine spring water microbiota: evidence from glacier-fed microcosm experiments
Researchers used glacier-fed microcosm experiments to examine the combined effects of ciprofloxacin and microplastics on alpine spring water microbial communities, finding that the antibiotic caused significant community disruption while microplastics provided additional conditions favouring antibiotic-resistant biofilm formation.