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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Assessing biofilm formation and resistance of vibrio parahaemolyticus on UV-aged microplastics in aquatic environments
ClearInvestigation of the effect of microplastics on the UV inactivation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in water
Researchers found that polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride microplastics significantly reduced UV disinfection effectiveness against antibiotic-resistant bacteria, as bacteria associated with microplastic surfaces were shielded from UV exposure, creating a potential public health concern.
Dangerous hitchhikers? Evidence for potentially pathogenic Vibrio spp. on microplastic particles
Researchers tested whether marine microplastics carry potentially pathogenic Vibrio bacteria, finding Vibrio species on microplastic surfaces in seawater, raising concerns about plastics as vehicles for transporting harmful bacteria in marine environments.
The plastisphere can protect Salmonella Typhimurium from UV stress under simulated environmental conditions
Researchers found that the microbial communities growing on plastic waste surfaces, called the plastisphere, can protect Salmonella bacteria from ultraviolet radiation that would normally kill them. The bacteria not only survived on plastic surfaces for up to 28 days but actually became more virulent after UV exposure. The study provides evidence that plastic pollution in the environment can serve as a reservoir for dangerous human pathogens, shielding them from natural disinfection.
Exploring Different Toxic Effects of UV-Aged and Bio-Aged Microplastics on Growth and Oxidative Stress of Escherichia coli
This study compared the toxic effects of UV-aged and bio-aged microplastics on aquatic microorganisms, finding that different aging processes alter MP surface properties in distinct ways that produce different patterns of toxicity to bacteria and algae in aquatic environments.
Comprehensive assessment of photo-oxidative degradation and biofilm colonization on microplastic pellets in simulated marine environment
Researchers exposed polyethylene, polypropylene, and nylon-6 microplastics to artificial UV aging and chemical oxidation in seawater to study photo-oxidative degradation and subsequent biofilm colonization. Aging altered surface chemistry and enabled biofilm formation, with degradation rates and biofilm composition varying by polymer type.
Simulated experimental investigation of microplastic weathering in marine environment
Researchers simulated microplastic weathering under marine conditions, finding that exposure to UV light, saltwater, and mechanical abrasion progressively degraded plastic surfaces, increased surface roughness, and enhanced the adsorption capacity of contaminants onto microplastic particles.
New Insights into the Mechanisms of Toxicity of Aging Microplastics
This study showed that UV-aged polypropylene microplastics are significantly more toxic than fresh ones, absorbing more chemicals and generating more harmful reactive oxygen species in seawater. The aged particles caused greater damage to cell membranes in mussels compared to pristine plastics. Since most microplastics in the ocean have been weathered by sunlight, real-world exposure risks may be higher than laboratory studies using new plastics suggest.
Non-Negligible Effects of UV Irradiation on Transformation and Environmental Risks of Microplastics in the Water Environment
This review examines how UV irradiation drives photoaging of microplastics in aquatic environments, altering their surface chemistry, mechanical properties, and adsorption capacity for co-pollutants, and thereby amplifying their ecotoxicological risks beyond those of virgin plastic particles.
The Effects of Pristine and Aged Microplastics on Biofilm Formation and Antibiotic Production
Researchers examined how pristine versus UV-light-aged polypropylene microplastics differentially affect biofilm formation and antibiotic production in microorganisms using a 96-well microplate assay, finding that surface aging alters the microbial colonization dynamics on microplastic surfaces. The study highlights the role of environmental weathering in changing how microplastics interact with microbial communities, with implications for the spread of antimicrobial resistance.
Impact of microplastics on microbial diversity and pathogen distribution in aquaculture ecosystems: A seasonal analysis
Researchers studied bacteria growing on microplastics in fish farming waters and found that in summer, these plastic-attached communities became more connected and harbored several disease-causing species including Vibrio. Microplastics in aquaculture act as floating habitats for harmful bacteria, and seasonal warming makes this worse, raising concerns about seafood safety and the spread of infections to humans.
Alteration in microbial community and antibiotic resistance genes mediated by microplastics during wastewater ultraviolet disinfection
Researchers found that polystyrene microplastics altered microbial community composition and antibiotic resistance gene profiles during UV disinfection of urban wastewater, with certain microplastic concentrations enhancing the survival of specific antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Aging mechanism of microplastics with UV irradiation and its effects on the adsorption of heavy metals
Researchers aged polystyrene microplastics using UV irradiation under three conditions (air, pure water, seawater) and found that aging changed surface chemistry and increased the microplastics' capacity to adsorb heavy metals, with seawater aging producing the most pronounced surface oxidation.
Vibrio Colonization Is Highly Dynamic in Early Microplastic-Associated Biofilms as Well as on Field-Collected Microplastics
Researchers found that Vibrio colonization on polyethylene and polystyrene microplastics is highly dynamic during the first 10 hours of biofilm formation, with Vibrio abundance and species composition varying irregularly both in laboratory incubations and on field-collected Baltic Sea microplastics, complicating assessments of microplastics as vectors for pathogenic bacteria.
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.
Photoaged microplastics enhanced the antibiotic resistance dissemination in WWTPs by altering the adsorption behavior of antibiotic resistance plasmids
Researchers found that microplastics exposed to UV light become significantly better at attracting and holding antibiotic resistance genes, increasing their capacity by 43 to 48 percent compared to unaged particles. This enhanced adsorption was linked to increased surface roughness and chemical changes on the plastic surface. The study suggests that UV-treated wastewater discharge may inadvertently accelerate the spread of antibiotic resistance in the environment through aged microplastics.
Bacterial biofilms colonizing plastics in estuarine waters, with an emphasis on Vibrio spp. and their antibacterial resistance
Scientists characterized bacterial biofilms colonizing plastic debris in estuarine waters, finding that plastics host distinct communities including Vibrio species with elevated antibiotic resistance compared to surrounding water.
Effects of photoaging on structure and characteristics of biofilms on microplastic in soil: Biomass and microbial community
Scientists studied how sunlight aging changes the way bacteria colonize microplastics in soil, finding that weathered plastics attracted different bacterial communities than fresh plastics. Aged microplastics initially supported less biofilm growth but developed bacteria with greater ability to break down carbon compounds. This research helps explain how microplastics behave differently in real-world soil conditions versus lab settings, which matters for understanding how plastics affect agricultural land and the food grown in it.
Photoaging processes of polyvinyl chloride microplastics enhance the adsorption of tetracycline and facilitate the formation of antibiotic resistance
Researchers found that UV photoaging of PVC microplastics significantly enhanced their ability to adsorb the antibiotic tetracycline and facilitated the development of antibiotic resistance in surrounding microorganisms, raising concerns about aged microplastics in aquatic environments.
Effects of biofilm formation on triclosan adsorption by UV-aged and pristine polystyrene microplastics in aquatic environments
Researchers investigated how biofilm formation on UV-aged versus pristine polystyrene microplastics affected triclosan adsorption, finding that biofilm-colonized aged microplastics had altered surface properties that changed triclosan uptake compared to unaged particles.
The fate, impacts and potential risks of photoaging process of the microplastics in the aqueous environment
This review examines how ultraviolet light from sunlight causes microplastics in water to age and change their physical and chemical properties, including surface texture, chemical structure, and water-repelling ability. Researchers found that photoaged microplastics become better at carrying other pollutants and may pose greater environmental risks than fresh plastics. The study highlights that aged microplastics can also increase biological toxicity and human exposure risks compared to their original form.
Effects of erythromycin on biofilm formation and resistance mutation of Escherichia coli on pristine and UV-aged polystyrene microplastics
Researchers investigated how the antibiotic erythromycin affects bacterial biofilm formation on both new and UV-weathered polystyrene microplastics. They found that UV aging significantly changed the surface properties of the plastic, increasing its ability to absorb antibiotics and promote antibiotic-resistant bacterial mutations. The study suggests that weathered microplastics in the environment may act as hotspots for the development and spread of antibiotic resistance.
Selective enrichment of bacterial pathogens by microplastic biofilm
Researchers incubated biofilms on microplastics and natural substrates in freshwater and found that microplastic surfaces selectively enriched bacterial pathogens and antibiotic resistance genes compared to rock and leaf surfaces. The study suggests that microplastics in waterways may serve as hotspots for harmful bacteria and contribute to the spread of antibiotic resistance in the environment.
UV-photoaging of degradable microplastics in atmospheric and wastewater: Surface changes and enhanced antibiotic interaction
When biodegradable microplastics spend time in wastewater rather than open air, they age much more aggressively — developing biofilms and oxidized surfaces that dramatically increase their ability to absorb antibiotics. This study found that wastewater-aged polybutylene succinate microplastics adsorbed 2.4 times more tetracycline than fresh plastic, and outperformed air-aged plastic by 40%, driven by biofilm chemistry and increased surface area. The implication is that wastewater treatment systems — rather than solving the microplastic problem — may be transforming biodegradable plastics into potent carriers for antibiotic resistance.
Photoaging microplastics as ecological architects of antibiotic resistance dissemination in aquatic sediments: Shifting bacterial adaptation from metabolic regulation to invasive phenotypes
Scientists found that tiny plastic particles in water and sediment environments help spread antibiotic-resistant bacteria - the "superbugs" that are harder to treat with medicines. When these microplastics age from sunlight exposure, they become even better at helping dangerous bacteria multiply and share their resistance to antibiotics with other bacteria. This means that plastic pollution in our waterways could be making it harder for doctors to treat infections in people, creating a serious public health risk.