Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Marine plastisphere selectively enriches microbial assemblages and antibiotic resistance genes during long-term cultivation periods

Researchers placed four types of common microplastics in a marine environment for over 100 days and found that bacterial communities and antibiotic resistance genes accumulated on the plastic surfaces over time. PVC microplastics were particularly effective at concentrating resistance genes, and a key gene-transfer element was found on all plastic types. These results show that microplastics floating in the ocean act as hotspots for antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which could eventually reach humans through seafood or water.

2024 Environmental Pollution 15 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2023 Chemosphere 30 citations
Article Tier 2

Antibiotic resistant bacteria colonising microplastics in the aquatic environment: An emerging challenge

Researchers reviewed how microplastics in aquatic environments act as surfaces where antibiotic-resistant bacteria can grow and swap resistance genes with each other, raising concern that contaminated seafood and water could transfer these hard-to-treat bacteria to humans.

2024 Discover Sustainability 15 citations
Article Tier 2

The impact of microplastics on antibiotic resistance genes, metal resistance genes, and bacterial community in aquaculture environment

Researchers discovered that microplastics in fish farming environments carry significantly higher levels of antibiotic resistance genes and disease-causing bacteria like Brucella and Pseudomonas compared to surrounding water. This means microplastics may act as floating platforms that help spread antibiotic-resistant infections through aquaculture, potentially reaching humans who consume the seafood.

2025 Journal of Hazardous Materials 15 citations
Article Tier 2

Detection of antimicrobial resistance in Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. Originated from cultivated oysters and estuarine waters

This study detected antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in oysters and estuarine waters, raising concerns about how aquatic environments serve as reservoirs for antibiotic resistance that can reach humans through seafood consumption. The findings are relevant to microplastic research because microplastics are known to harbor and concentrate antibiotic resistance genes on their surfaces.

2021
Article Tier 2

Potential risks of microplastics combined with superbugs: Enrichment of antibiotic resistant bacteria on the surface of microplastics in mariculture system

Microplastics in a mariculture (sea farming) system were found to selectively enrich antibiotic-resistant bacteria on their surfaces compared to surrounding water, creating hotspots of antibiotic resistance in food production environments. This dual threat - microplastics acting as both pollutants and carriers of resistant pathogens - has significant implications for seafood safety.

2019 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 325 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2019 Water Research 678 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of aged microplastics on the abundance of antibiotic resistance genes in oysters and their excreta

Researchers studied how aged microplastics affect the abundance of antibiotic resistance genes in oysters and their excreta. The study found that microplastics can serve as carriers for antibiotic resistance genes in filter-feeding organisms, potentially exacerbating the spread of antibiotic resistance in aquaculture environments where plastic contamination is widespread.

2025 Marine Environmental Research 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Bacterial pathogen assemblages on microplastic biofilms in coastal waters

Researchers incubated different types of microplastics in coastal waters for 21 days and analyzed the bacterial communities that colonized their surfaces. They found that while overall pathogen abundance was low, microplastic biofilms hosted a diverse array of potentially harmful bacteria whose composition varied by polymer type and water location. The study suggests that microplastics in coastal waters can serve as floating platforms for disease-causing microorganisms.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin 10 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploring changes in microplastic-associated bacterial communities with time, location, and polymer type in Liusha Bay, China

Researchers tracked how bacterial communities colonizing different types of microplastics changed over time in an aquaculture bay in China. They found that both exposure duration and plastic type significantly influenced which bacteria grew on the surfaces, with hydrocarbon-degrading species becoming notably abundant. Concerning from a health perspective, the pathogenic bacterium Vibrio was detected on all microplastic samples, suggesting that floating plastics may serve as rafts for disease-causing organisms.

2024 Marine Environmental Research 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of Emerging Pathogens and Antibiotic Resistance Genes in the Biofilm of Microplastics Incubated Under a Wastewater Discharge Simulation

Researchers incubated common plastic types in flowing water that simulated wastewater discharge conditions for 10 weeks and studied the bacteria that colonized the plastic surfaces. They found that microplastics exposed to treated wastewater developed distinct bacterial communities compared to those in clean river water, including emerging pathogens and antibiotic resistance genes. The study suggests that microplastics in waterways receiving wastewater may serve as mobile platforms for spreading harmful bacteria and antibiotic resistance in the environment.

2025 Environmental Microbiology 2 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2023 Chemosphere 10 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2020 PLoS ONE 104 citations
Article Tier 2

Impact of mariculture-derived microplastics on bacterial biofilm formation and their potential threat to mariculture: A case in situ study on the Sungo Bay, China

Scientists examined biofilm colonization on mariculture-derived microplastics (fishing nets, foams, floats) in Sanggou Bay, China over 21 days and found distinct microbial communities including potential fish pathogens and antibiotic resistance genes, raising concerns for mariculture safety.

2020 Environmental Pollution 105 citations
Article Tier 2

Selective enrichment of bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes in microplastic biofilms and their potential hazards in coral reef ecosystems

Researchers found that microplastic surfaces in coral reef waters selectively collect bacteria carrying antibiotic resistance genes, with the concentration of resistant bacteria linked to antibiotic levels in the surrounding water. The bacterial communities on microplastics were enriched for disease-related pathways compared to the surrounding seawater. This means microplastics in marine environments could serve as vehicles for spreading drug-resistant infections, posing risks to both coral ecosystems and human health.

2024 Chemosphere 18 citations
Article Tier 2

Plastics and Microplastics as Vectors for Bacteria and Human Pathogens

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.

2018 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Bacterial colonisation dynamics of household plastics in a coastal environment

This study tracked how quickly and what kinds of bacteria colonized common household plastics (including bottles, bags, and packaging) placed in a coastal estuary environment. Bacteria colonized all plastic types within days, and the communities that formed included potential human pathogens. Plastic-associated bacterial communities in coastal environments could pose public health risks through seafood contamination or contact with polluted water.

2021 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Formation of specific bacterial assemblages on sterile polyethylene microplastic particles added to a marine aquaria system

Researchers characterized bacterial assemblages that formed on sterile polyethylene microplastic particles after 12 weeks of incubation in marine aquaria, comparing the plastisphere communities to those on sterile sandy sediment and in water fractions to determine whether microplastics select for distinct or potentially pathogenic bacterial communities. The study found that microplastics hosted specific bacterial assemblages distinct from surrounding environmental fractions, confirming their role as selective surfaces for microbial colonization.

2022 1 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2025 Environmental Pollution 13 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