Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

Enrichment of Antibiotic Resistance Genes on Plastic Waste in Aquatic Ecosystems, Aquatic Animals, and Fishery Products

This review examines how plastic waste in water creates surfaces where antibiotic-resistant bacteria thrive and share resistance genes with each other. Microplastics in rivers, oceans, and fish farms were consistently found to harbor more antibiotic resistance genes than natural materials like rocks or sand. Since fish and shellfish can accumulate these microplastic-associated resistant bacteria, there is a risk that drug-resistant infections could reach humans through the seafood supply chain.

2025 Antibiotics 5 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

A review focusing on mechanisms and ecological risks of enrichment and propagation of antibiotic resistance genes and mobile genetic elements by microplastic biofilms

This review examines how microplastics in water serve as surfaces for bacterial biofilms that harbor antibiotic resistance genes. The biofilms that form on microplastic surfaces can spread resistance genes to other bacteria and potentially to organisms that ingest them, including fish and ultimately humans. The authors highlight that microplastic-associated antibiotic resistance is an underappreciated public health risk that needs more research.

2024 Environmental Research 24 citations
Article Tier 2

The nexus of microplastics, food and antimicrobial resistance in the context of aquatic environment: Interdisciplinary linkages of pathways

This review examines how microplastics in aquatic environments serve as surfaces where bacteria can grow, share antibiotic resistance genes, and then enter the food chain through contaminated seafood. The combination of microplastic pollution and antimicrobial resistance creates a compounding threat, as resistant bacteria riding on plastic particles can survive water treatment and reach humans. The authors call for interdisciplinary research connecting environmental science and public health to address this growing risk.

2025 Journal of Contaminant Hydrology 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Antibiotic Resistance Gene Enrichment on Plastic Wastes in Aquatic Ecosystems and Fishery Products

This review examined how plastic waste in aquatic environments enriches antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) through plastisphere biofilms, with implications for fishery product safety. Microplastic-associated biofilms concentrate ARG-carrying bacteria, increasing the risk of antibiotic resistance transmission through fish and other seafood consumed by humans.

2025 Preprints.org
Article Tier 2

Microplastics occurrence in the Tyrrhenian waters and in the gastrointestinal tract of two congener species of seabreams

Microplastics were found in both seawater and the gastrointestinal tracts of two commercially important Mediterranean fish species, Pagellus erythrinus and P. bogaraveo, collected from the Tyrrhenian Sea. The study highlights the prevalence of microplastic contamination in edible fish and raises concerns about human dietary exposure through seafood consumption.

2019 Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology 190 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics as a vector for the transport of the bacterial fish pathogen species Aeromonas salmonicida

Researchers analyzed bacterial communities living on microplastics collected from the North Adriatic Sea surface and identified 28 bacterial species, including the fish pathogen Aeromonas salmonicida. They also found hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria colonizing the plastic surfaces. The study provides evidence that microplastics can serve as vectors for transporting pathogenic bacteria through marine environments, potentially spreading disease to fish populations.

2017 Marine Pollution Bulletin 389 citations
Article Tier 2

A Review of Antibiotics, Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria, and Resistance Genes in Aquaculture: Occurrence, Contamination, and Transmission

This review examines how overuse of antibiotics in fish farming leads to antibiotic-resistant bacteria and resistance genes that spread through water, sediment, and the organisms themselves. This is relevant to microplastic pollution because microplastics in aquaculture environments can carry antibiotic-resistant bacteria, potentially transferring these dangerous genes to humans through the food chain.

2023 Toxics 153 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of microplastics on distribution of antibiotic resistance genes in recirculating aquaculture system

Microplastics in a recirculating aquaculture system were found to alter the distribution of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in biofilms and water, with higher ARG diversity detected on microplastic surfaces than in surrounding water. This suggests that microplastics in fish farming operations could serve as reservoirs and vectors for spreading antibiotic resistance.

2019 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 198 citations
Article Tier 2

Analysis of the presence of microplastics in the common pandora (Pagellus erythrinus) from the Northern Adriatic

Researchers investigated microplastic contamination in the common pandora fish (Pagellus erythrinus) collected from the Northern Adriatic, examining gastrointestinal contents to characterise the types, sizes, and polymer compositions of ingested plastic particles. The findings confirm microplastic uptake in a commercially important marine species, raising concerns about the transfer of plastic contaminants through the seafood supply chain.

2024 Juraj Dobrila University of Pula Digital Repository
Article Tier 2

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.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances 31 citations
Article Tier 2

Biofilm formation on microplastics and interactions with antibiotics, antibiotic resistance genes and pathogens in aquatic environment

This review explains how microplastics in waterways develop bacterial biofilms on their surfaces that can harbor antibiotic-resistant bacteria and help spread antibiotic resistance genes to new environments. This is concerning for human health because these resistant microbes could eventually reach people through drinking water or seafood consumption.

2024 Eco-Environment & Health 63 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

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

Microbial gene exchange on microplastic particles

This study examined how microplastic particles in aquatic environments facilitate the exchange of genetic material between bacteria, including potentially pathogenic or antibiotic-resistant strains. The findings suggest that microplastics could accelerate the spread of antimicrobial resistance genes in aquatic ecosystems, which has implications for human health.

2018 3 citations
Article Tier 2

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.

2024 Antibiotics 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic contamination in fish: A systematic global review of trends, health risks, and implications for consumer safety

This systematic global review summarizes research on microplastic contamination in fish, covering bioaccumulation, food chain transfer, and the role of microplastics as carriers of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and toxic chemicals. The review compares contamination levels in farmed versus wild-caught fish and finds risks vary significantly depending on the source. The findings are directly relevant to consumer safety, as people regularly consume microplastics through contaminated seafood.

2025 Marine Pollution Bulletin 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution increases gene exchange in aquatic ecosystems

Researchers found that microplastics in aquatic environments serve as surfaces where bacteria form biofilms and exchange genes at higher rates than free-living bacteria. The study demonstrated increased transfer of antibiotic resistance genes among a wide range of bacterial species growing on microplastic particles. The findings suggest that microplastic pollution could accelerate the spread of antibiotic resistance in waterways, posing a potential hazard to both ecosystems and human health.

2018 Environmental Pollution 582 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigating microplastic occurrences in coastal surface seawaters and their potential role as transport vectors for multidrug-resistant E. coli

Researchers investigated microplastic occurrences in coastal surface seawaters and examined whether microplastics serve as transport vectors for multidrug-resistant E. coli, addressing a gap in comparable long-term data on microplastic contamination in aquatic systems. The thesis found that microplastics in coastal environments can carry antibiotic-resistant bacteria, raising concerns about their role in spreading antimicrobial resistance.

2024 Swinburne Research Bank (Swinburne University of Technology)