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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Insights into PET-Microplastics effect on pathogenic bacteria
ClearEffect of selected microplastics on the development and spread of antibiotic resistance in bacteria
Scientists found that tiny plastic particles (microplastics) can help dangerous bacteria become resistant to antibiotics, making infections harder to treat. The smaller plastic pieces were especially good at helping bacteria develop this resistance, and bacteria also formed protective films on the plastic surfaces. This matters because microplastics are everywhere in our environment and food, potentially making antibiotic-resistant "superbugs" more common and threatening our ability to fight bacterial infections.
Antibiotic-driven shifts in bacterial dynamics of the polyethylene terephthalate and low density polyethylene plastisphere in wastewater treatment systems
Researchers studied how antibiotic exposure shifts the bacterial communities colonizing PET and LDPE microplastic surfaces in activated sludge from wastewater treatment plants, finding that antibiotics altered plastisphere microbial composition and increased antibiotic resistance gene prevalence.
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.
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.
Microplastics enrichment characteristics of antibiotic resistance genes and pathogens in landfill leachate
Researchers found that microplastics in landfill leachate serve as surfaces that selectively accumulate antibiotic resistance genes and disease-causing bacteria. Incubation experiments with PET and polypropylene particles showed that pathogens were more abundant on microplastic surfaces than in the surrounding leachate. The study raises concerns that microplastics in landfills may act as vehicles for spreading antibiotic resistance and pathogenic organisms in the environment.
Dynamic impact of polyethylene terephthalate nanoplastics on antibiotic resistance and microplastics degradation genes in the rhizosphere of Oryza sativa L.
This study found that PET nanoplastics in rice paddy soil boosted the spread of antibiotic resistance genes in soil bacteria by up to significant levels. The plastics provided surfaces for bacteria to grow on and produced toxic byproducts that sped up gene sharing between microbes. This means microplastic pollution in agricultural soil could make antibiotic-resistant infections harder to treat in people.
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.
Microplastics accumulate priority antibiotic-resistant pathogens: Evidence from the riverine plastisphere
Researchers placed microplastics in river water and found they accumulated more antibiotic-resistant bacteria than natural sand particles, including dangerous pathogens like E. coli and Klebsiella. Most of the bacteria isolated from the plastic surfaces were multi-drug resistant and carried virulence traits like biofilm formation. This suggests microplastics in waterways may act as rafts for spreading antibiotic resistance through the environment.
Adsorption of Macrolide Antibiotics and a Metabolite onto Polyethylene Terephthalate and Polyethylene Microplastics in Aquatic Environments
Researchers studied how four macrolide antibiotics and a metabolite adsorb onto polyethylene terephthalate and polyethylene microplastics in water. They found that antibiotic adsorption followed a linear model, with PET showing higher adsorption capacity than polyethylene. The study suggests that microplastics in aquatic environments may serve as carriers for antibiotics, potentially affecting how these pharmaceutical pollutants are distributed in water systems.
Plastic leachate exposure drives antibiotic resistance and virulence in marine bacterial communities
This study found that chemicals leaching from plastic waste in seawater can promote antibiotic resistance and virulence in marine bacteria, even without direct contact with the plastic surface. Bacteria exposed to plastic leachate showed increased resistance to multiple antibiotics and enhanced ability to cause disease. The findings suggest that the chemical pollution from degrading plastics may pose broader risks to ocean ecosystems and potentially human health than previously recognized.
Biomass formation and organic carbon migration potential of microplastics from a PET recycling plant: Implication of biostability
PET microplastics from a recycling plant promoted bacterial growth in freshwater, with particles smaller than 100 microns supporting up to 1.05 x 10^9 bacteria per gram and shifting microbial diversity by favoring Burkholderiaceae, highlighting pollution risks from the mechanical PET recycling industry.
Emerging Issues on Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Colonizing Plastic Waste in Aquatic Ecosystems
Researchers found antibiotic-resistant bacteria colonizing plastic waste submerged in an inland water body, including species related to human pathogens like Klebsiella. All isolated bacteria showed high resistance to multiple antibiotics, and they carried numerous antibiotic resistance genes. This is concerning because plastic waste in waterways can serve as a platform for drug-resistant bacteria to multiply and potentially spread to humans through contaminated water.
Assessing the effects of luminescently labelled and non-labelled PET nanoparticles on environmental bacteria
Researchers created fluorescently labeled PET nanoparticles to study how tiny plastic fragments from everyday products affect bacteria in the environment. They found that PET nanoparticles adhered to bacterial cells, altered their ability to use different carbon sources, and affected biofilm formation. The study demonstrates a new visualization technique for tracking nanoplastics in biological samples and reveals that even nanoscale plastic particles can influence microbial behavior.
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.
Effects of microplastic concentration, composition, and size on Escherichia coli biofilm-associated antimicrobial resistance
This study examined how different types of microplastics affect the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria through biofilm formation. The researchers found that the concentration, composition, and size of microplastic particles all influence how effectively bacteria like E. coli develop drug resistance. These findings are important because they help explain how widespread plastic pollution may be contributing to the growing global crisis of antibiotic resistance.
Microplastics as hubs enriching antibiotic-resistant bacteria and pathogens in municipal activated sludge
Researchers demonstrated that microplastics in municipal wastewater treatment plants act as "hubs," selectively concentrating antibiotic-resistant bacteria and pathogens in their surface biofilms, with antibiotic-resistance genes enriched up to 4.5-fold compared to sand particles — raising concerns about microplastics spreading drug-resistant microbes into the environment.
From Interface to Cell: The Complex Interaction and Transfer Process Coupling Mechanism between Microplastics and Antibiotic Resistance Genes
Researchers examined how microplastic surfaces act as vectors for spreading antibiotic resistance genes in wastewater treatment systems. The study found that aged microplastics of PET, PE, and PP promoted bacterial adhesion, enhanced horizontal gene transfer, and triggered overproduction of reactive oxygen species, ultimately amplifying the spread of antimicrobial resistance through multiple molecular mechanisms.
Microplastic-associated pathogens and antimicrobial resistance in environment
This review examines how microplastics in the environment act as surfaces for disease-causing bacteria and antibiotic-resistant microbes to colonize and spread. Researchers found that microplastics can carry pathogens and facilitate the transfer of antimicrobial resistance genes between bacteria in water systems. The findings raise concerns that microplastic pollution may be contributing to the growing global challenge of antibiotic resistance.
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.
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.
Characterization of microplastics and their interaction with antibiotics in wastewater
Researchers characterized microplastics in wastewater and investigated their interactions with antibiotics, examining how microplastic surfaces adsorb antibiotic compounds and the implications for antibiotic transport and dissemination in wastewater treatment systems.
Unraveling Microplastic-Biofilm Nexus in Aquaculture: Diversity and Functionality of Microbial Communities and Their Effect on Plastic Traits
Researchers incubated five common types of microplastics in an aquaculture pond for 128 days and found that biofilm formation varied significantly depending on the plastic type, with polypropylene and polyethylene supporting the richest microbial communities. PET microplastics attracted more plastic-degrading bacteria like Pseudomonas, while all plastic types enriched potentially pathogenic microorganisms. The findings highlight how different microplastics selectively shape microbial colonization in aquaculture environments, with implications for both environmental health and food safety.
Microplastic-Mediated Transfer of Tetracycline Resistance: Unveiling the Role of Mussels in Marine Ecosystems
Researchers found that microplastics can serve as platforms for antibiotic-resistant bacteria to form biofilms in marine environments, facilitating the transfer of resistance genes. In experiments with mussels, polyethylene microplastics significantly increased the rate at which tetracycline resistance genes spread between bacteria. The findings raise concerns that microplastic pollution in the ocean could accelerate the spread of antibiotic resistance, with implications for both ecosystem and public health.
Biofilm-associated microplastic contamination in rural soil and water: emerging hazards to ecosystems
Researchers found significant microplastic contamination in soil and water near rural dumpsites in areas with poor waste management, with polystyrene and PET being the most common plastic types. The microplastic surfaces were colonized by bacteria that showed resistance to the antibiotic streptomycin, highlighting a dual threat of chemical pollution and drug resistance. These findings show that unregulated rural waste disposal creates hotspots where microplastics and antibiotic-resistant bacteria can enter local water supplies.