Papers

61,005 results
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Review Tier 2

Formation of biofilms on microplastics in the food chain and their role as vectors of transfer of foodborne pathogens (literature review, part 2)

This literature review (Part 2 of a series) examines how biofilms formed on micro- and nanoplastic surfaces in the food chain can serve as vectors for pathogenic bacteria, their toxins, and antibiotic resistance genes — potentially increasing foodborne disease risk beyond what bare microplastic particles would cause.

2025 Hygiene and Sanitation
Article Tier 2

Imperative implication of microplastics as vital agent for salmonellosis inducing biofilms, antibiotic resistance, and health risk

This review examines how microplastics serve as reservoirs and vectors for Salmonella, promoting biofilm formation, environmental persistence, and the spread of antibiotic resistance. Researchers summarized evidence that weathered, hydrophobic microplastic surfaces create stable microhabitats that enhance bacterial adhesion and virulence. The findings suggest that microplastics may play a significant role in amplifying foodborne disease risks and accelerating the evolution of drug-resistant pathogens.

2026 Environmental Research
Article Tier 2

Biofilm–microplastic interactions in food safety: mechanisms, risks, and control strategies

This review investigates how microplastics in the food industry serve as surfaces where bacterial biofilms can form, creating complexes that resist cleaning and disinfection. Researchers found that these biofilm-microplastic combinations can shield harmful bacteria and promote the spread of antibiotic-resistance genes. The study evaluates strategies for preventing and controlling this form of contamination in food systems.

2025 Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition 3 citations
Article Tier 2

The Occurrence of Microplastics and the Formation of Biofilms by Pathogenic and Opportunistic Bacteria as Threats in Aquaculture

This review examines how microplastics in aquaculture environments serve as habitats and transport vehicles for pathogenic and opportunistic bacteria, with more than 30 taxa of pathogens detected on plastic-associated biofilms. The study suggests that the combination of plastic persistence, closed aquaculture conditions, and pathogen affinity for plastic surfaces creates a significant threat to aquaculture production and food safety.

2022 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 63 citations
Article Tier 2

Biofilm formation on microplastics in wastewater: insights into factors, diversity and inactivation strategies

This study investigated how bacteria form biofilms on different types of microplastics in wastewater, finding that polyethylene supported the most biofilm growth, especially in dark, warm, oxygen-rich conditions. The biofilms contained bacteria from groups that include potential human pathogens, and different plastic types supported different microbial communities. This matters because microplastics coated in bacterial biofilms could transport harmful microorganisms through water systems and into the environment.

2023 International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology 35 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics-Assisted Campylobacter Persistence, Virulence, and Antimicrobial Resistance in the Food Chain: An Overview

This review examines how microplastics found throughout the food chain may help dangerous Campylobacter bacteria survive and spread. Researchers found that microplastic surfaces can support bacterial biofilm formation, potentially protecting the bacteria from disinfection and promoting antimicrobial resistance. The findings suggest that microplastic contamination in food products could create new pathways for foodborne illness transmission.

2025 Foods 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Foodborne pathogens in the plastisphere: Can microplastics in the food chain threaten microbial food safety?

This review examines whether microplastics in the food chain can serve as carriers for dangerous foodborne bacteria, potentially threatening food safety. Researchers found that pathogenic bacteria can colonize microplastic surfaces and that these "plastisphere" communities may survive food processing steps that would normally eliminate them. The study raises concerns that microplastic contamination in food and water could introduce a new route for foodborne illness transmission.

2022 Trends in Food Science & Technology 80 citations
Article Tier 2

Total coliform and Escherichia coli in microplastic biofilms grown in wastewater and inactivation by peracetic acid

Researchers found that microplastics support the growth of fecal indicator bacteria including E. coli in biofilms, and that these biofilm communities are more resistant to disinfection by peracetic acid than free-floating cells. The findings support concerns that microplastics act as vectors for pathogens and complicate wastewater disinfection.

2020 Water Environment Research 24 citations
Article Tier 2

Role of microplastics in the survival and antimicrobial susceptibility of Campylobacter jejuni

Researchers investigated how microplastics influence the survival and antimicrobial resistance of Campylobacter jejuni, a leading cause of foodborne gastrointestinal infections. They found that the bacteria rapidly colonized microplastic surfaces within 24 hours, and that biofilm formation on the plastic particles altered the bacteria's susceptibility to certain antibiotics. The findings suggest that microplastics in the environment may serve as platforms that help foodborne pathogens persist and potentially develop antimicrobial resistance.

2026 Frontiers in Microbiology
Article Tier 2

The Importance of Biofilms to the Fate and Effects of Microplastics

This review examines how biofilms — communities of microorganisms that form on microplastic surfaces — affect the fate and ecological effects of plastic pollution. Biofilm formation alters how microplastics are transported, ingested, and degraded in the environment, and the plastisphere can harbor pathogens and antibiotic-resistant bacteria that may pose risks to human health.

2020 IntechOpen eBooks 7 citations
Article Tier 2

[Enrichment Characteristics and Ecological Risk Prediction of Pathogens on Typical Microplastic Biofilms].

This study investigated which pathogens preferentially colonize biofilms on different types of microplastic surfaces in aquatic environments and assessed the associated ecological and public health risks. Microplastic biofilms showed selective enrichment of specific pathogen groups compared to surrounding water, with biofilm-forming potential varying by polymer type.

2024 PubMed 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Foodborne pathogens in the plastisphere: Can microplastics in the food chain threaten microbial food safety?

This review examines the potential for microplastics to act as vectors for foodborne pathogens in the food chain, synthesizing current evidence on pathogen attachment to the plastisphere, the effects of microplastics on bacterial virulence and evolution, and the implications for simultaneous uptake of microplastics and pathogens in the human gut.

2022 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

A critical review of microbiological colonisation of nano- and microplastics (NMP) and their significance to the food chain

This review examined how nano- and microplastics become colonized by diverse microbial communities in aquatic and terrestrial environments, highlighting how these 'plastisphere' biofilms may harbor pathogens and facilitate the spread of antibiotic resistance genes through the food chain.

2022 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic biofilms in water treatment systems: Fate and risks of pathogenic bacteria, antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and antibiotic resistance genes

This review examines how microplastics in drinking water and wastewater treatment plants develop biofilms that harbor dangerous bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes. The biofilm-coated microplastics can protect pathogens from disinfection processes, allowing them to survive treatment and potentially reach tap water. This raises concerns about microplastics serving as vehicles for antibiotic-resistant bacteria in our water supply.

2023 The Science of The Total Environment 50 citations
Article Tier 2

Environmental Health and Safety Implications of the Interplay Between Microplastics and the Residing Biofilm

This review examines the two-way relationship between microplastics and biofilms, the communities of microorganisms that quickly colonize plastic surfaces in the environment. Biofilms on microplastics can harbor harmful bacteria, concentrate toxic chemicals, and help spread antibiotic resistance genes through water systems. Understanding this interplay is important for human health because these contaminated biofilm-coated microplastics can enter drinking water and food supplies.

2024 Environment & Health 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Growth and prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in microplastic biofilm from wastewater treatment plant effluents

Researchers studied antibiotic-resistant bacteria growing in biofilms on microplastic surfaces in wastewater treatment plant effluent. The study found that microplastic biofilms accumulated antibiotic-resistant bacteria including Pseudomonas, Aeromonas, and Bacillus, and that these biofilms harbored higher concentrations of resistance genes compared to surrounding water, suggesting microplastics may serve as reservoirs for antibiotic resistance.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 51 citations
Article Tier 2

Role of Microplastics as Attachment Media for the Growth of Microorganisms

Researchers reviewed how microplastics serve as attachment media for microbial growth, finding that biofilms forming on microplastic surfaces create unique microbial communities — including potential pathogens — that differ from those in surrounding environments.

2022 Environmental footprints and eco-design of products and processes 5 citations
Article Tier 2

In vitro modeling for the aging of nanoplastics: physicochemical characteristics and effect on the biofilm formation of Staphylococcus aureus

Researchers found that nanoplastics change as they age under environmental conditions, altering surface properties and increasing bacterial attachment. Aged nanoplastics promoted Staphylococcus aureus biofilm formation more than fresh particles, with potential implications for human health.

2021
Article Tier 2

Microplastic-affected pathogens in drinking water supply systems: Survival mechanisms, ecological impacts and control challenges

This review synthesized evidence on how microplastics in drinking water supply systems affect pathogen behavior, focusing on opportunistic pathogens. Microplastics were found to enhance pathogen survival, promote antibiotic resistance gene transfer, and facilitate biofilm formation, with implications for the safety of treated drinking water.

2025 Water Research
Article Tier 2

Selective colonization of microplastics, wood and glass by antimicrobial-resistant and pathogenic bacteria

Researchers investigated whether antimicrobial-resistant and pathogenic bacteria selectively colonize microplastics compared to wood and glass surfaces, examining the plastisphere as a potential reservoir for dangerous microbes. Plastic surfaces were found to harbor distinct and enriched communities of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria compared to natural substrates.

2024 Microbiology 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessing biofilm formation and resistance of vibrio parahaemolyticus on UV-aged microplastics in aquatic environments

Researchers found that UV-weathered microplastics in seawater promote more bacterial biofilm growth than fresh microplastics, and that the food-poisoning bacterium Vibrio parahaemolyticus becomes more resistant to common disinfection methods when growing on these aged plastics. Bacteria on the UV-aged microplastics showed increased resistance to chlorine, heat, and even the harsh conditions of the human stomach. This means that microplastics weathered by sunlight in the ocean could make seafood-borne pathogens harder to kill, increasing food safety risks.

2024 Water Research 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Colonization characteristics and surface effects of microplastic biofilms: Implications for environmental behavior of typical pollutants

This review examines how bacteria colonize microplastic surfaces in water, forming biofilms that change how the plastics behave in the environment. These biofilms alter the surface properties of microplastics and affect how they absorb and transport heavy metals and other pollutants. Understanding biofilm formation on microplastics is important because it can make the particles more dangerous by concentrating toxic substances that could eventually enter the food chain.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 65 citations
Article Tier 2

Characteristics of Initial Attachment and Biofilm Formation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa on Microplastic Surfaces

Researchers characterized how Pseudomonas aeruginosa initially attaches to and forms biofilms on different microplastic surfaces, finding that polymer type and surface properties significantly influenced bacterial colonization patterns and biofilm development.

2022 Applied Sciences 37 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Microbiome Interactions: Emerging Threats and Bioremediation Potentials

This review examines the plastisphere — microbial communities that colonize plastic surfaces — covering how these biofilms influence the fate and toxicity of microplastics while acting as vectors for pathogens and antibiotic resistance genes, and discussing their potential for bioremediation.

2025 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)