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Zhou R, Huang X, Xie Z, Ding Z, Wei H, Jin Q. A review focusing on mechanisms and ecological risks of enrichment and propagation of antibiotic resistance genes and mobile genetic elements by microplastic biofilms. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 251:118737. [PMID: 38493850 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2024] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) are emerging ubiquitous pollutants in aquatic environment and have received extensive global attention. In addition to the traditional studies related to the toxicity of MPs and their carrier effects, their unique surface-induced biofilm formation also increases the ecotoxicity potential of MPs from multiple perspectives. In this review, the ecological risks of MPs biofilms were summarized and assessed in detail from several aspects, including the formation and factors affecting the development of MPs biofilms, the selective enrichment and propagation mechanisms of current pollution status of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) in MPs biofilms, the dominant bacterial communities in MPs biofilms, as well as the potential risks of ARGs and MGEs transferring from MPs biofilms to aquatic organisms. On this basis, this paper also put forward the inadequacy and prospects of the current research and revealed that the MGEs-mediated ARG propagation on MPs under actual environmental conditions and the ecological risk of the transmission of ARGs and MGEs to aquatic organisms and human beings are hot spots for future research. Relevant research from the perspective of MPs biofilm should be carried out as soon as possible to provide support for the ecological pollution prevention and control of MPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranran Zhou
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, 30 Puzhu Southern Road, Nanjing, 211816, China
| | - Xirong Huang
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, 30 Puzhu Southern Road, Nanjing, 211816, China
| | - Zhongtang Xie
- College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, MOE Laboratory for Earth Surface Process, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
| | - Zhuhong Ding
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, 30 Puzhu Southern Road, Nanjing, 211816, China
| | - Hengchen Wei
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, 30 Puzhu Southern Road, Nanjing, 211816, China
| | - Qijie Jin
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, 30 Puzhu Southern Road, Nanjing, 211816, China
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2
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Neves RAF, Rodrigues N, de Luca G, Oliveira MAA, Carvalho TF, Santos NS, Adelino MES, Caldas LB, Miralha A, Naveira C, Rodrigues AJS, Miyahira IC, Gomes R, Lagares N, Bastos M, da Silva MDC, Gomes RS, Fernandes AN, Santos LN. Evidence of plastics contamination and sewage-derived residues in a Brazilian Hope Spot for conservation of marine biodiversity - Cagarras Islands and surrounding waters. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 203:116407. [PMID: 38701605 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2024] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
Cagarras Islands Archipelago, a no-take MPA in Southeast Brazil, was designated as Natural Monument (MONA Cagarras) and, more recently, recognized as Hope Spot for biodiversity conservation. This study aimed to assess plastic contamination by analyzing marine litter and microplastics in MONA Cagarras and surrounding waters. Marine litter (34.12 kg) was caught by artisanal fishermen in MONA Cagarras proximities, and plastics represented ∼79 %. Personal hygiene items and strains of hair were found, suggesting sewage-derived contamination from Ipanema SSO. Microplastics were detected in MONA Cagarras surface waters. Fragments and black particle were the most frequently found microplastic shape and color, respectively. μ-FTIR analysis identified, in descending order of occurrence, polystyrene-PS, polyethylene-PE, polyvinyl chloride-PVC, polypropylene-P, and polyamide-PA. Our integrated results of macro and microplastic contamination highlight an issue of effective conservation and health of marine biodiversity in MONA Cagarras and surrounding waters and a concern for better management of Brazilian MPAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel A F Neves
- Graduate Program in Neotropical Biodiversity (PPGBIO), Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO), Brazil; Research Group of Experimental and Applied Aquatic Ecology, UNIRIO, Brazil.
| | - Nathália Rodrigues
- Graduate Program in Neotropical Biodiversity (PPGBIO), Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO), Brazil; Research Group of Experimental and Applied Aquatic Ecology, UNIRIO, Brazil
| | - Guilherme de Luca
- Research Group of Experimental and Applied Aquatic Ecology, UNIRIO, Brazil
| | | | - Thuany F Carvalho
- Research Group of Experimental and Applied Aquatic Ecology, UNIRIO, Brazil
| | - Nicole S Santos
- Research Group of Experimental and Applied Aquatic Ecology, UNIRIO, Brazil
| | | | - Luiza Belli Caldas
- Research Group of Experimental and Applied Aquatic Ecology, UNIRIO, Brazil
| | - Agatha Miralha
- Graduate Program in Neotropical Biodiversity (PPGBIO), Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO), Brazil; Research Group of Experimental and Applied Aquatic Ecology, UNIRIO, Brazil
| | - Clarissa Naveira
- Graduate Program in Neotropical Biodiversity (PPGBIO), Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO), Brazil; Research Group of Experimental and Applied Aquatic Ecology, UNIRIO, Brazil
| | - Antonio J S Rodrigues
- Graduate Program in Neotropical Biodiversity (PPGBIO), Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO), Brazil; Research Group of Experimental and Applied Aquatic Ecology, UNIRIO, Brazil
| | - Igor C Miyahira
- Graduate Program in Neotropical Biodiversity (PPGBIO), Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO), Brazil; Research Group of Experimental and Applied Aquatic Ecology, UNIRIO, Brazil
| | | | - Nathan Lagares
- Mar Urbano Institute (IMU), Brazil; Laboratory of Theoretical and Applied Ichthyology (LICTA), UNIRIO, Brazil
| | - Marcos Bastos
- Oceanography Faculty, University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Brazil
| | | | - Raimara S Gomes
- Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Brazil
| | - Andreia N Fernandes
- Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Brazil
| | - Luciano N Santos
- Graduate Program in Neotropical Biodiversity (PPGBIO), Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO), Brazil; Laboratory of Theoretical and Applied Ichthyology (LICTA), UNIRIO, Brazil
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3
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Nava V, Leoni B, Arienzo MM, Hogan ZS, Gandolfi I, Tatangelo V, Carlson E, Chea S, Soum S, Kozloski R, Chandra S. Plastic pollution affects ecosystem processes including community structure and functional traits in large rivers. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 259:121849. [PMID: 38851112 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024]
Abstract
Plastics in aquatic ecosystems rapidly undergo biofouling, giving rise to a new ecosystem on their surface, the 'plastisphere.' Few studies quantify the impact of plastics and their associated community on ecosystem traits from biodiversity and functional traits to metabolic function. It has been suspected that impacts on ecosystems may depend on its state but comparative studies of ecosystem responses are rare in the published literature. We quantified algal biomass, bacterial and algal biodiversity (16S and 18S rRNA), and metabolic traits of the community growing on the surface of different plastic polymers incubated within rivers of the Lower Mekong Basin. The rivers selected have different ecological characteristics but are similar regarding their high degree of plastic pollution. We examined the effects of plastics colonized with biofilms on ecosystem production, community dark respiration, and the epiplastic community's capability to influence nitrogen, phosphorus, organic carbon, and oxygen in water. Finally, we present conceptual models to guide our understanding of plastic pollution within freshwaters. Our findings showed limited microalgal biomass and bacterial dominance, with potential pathogens present. The location significantly influenced community composition, highlighting the role of environmental conditions in shaping community development. When assessing the effects on ecosystem productivity, our experiments showed that biofouled plastics led to a significant drop in oxygen concentration within river water, leading to hypoxic/anoxic conditions with subsequent profound impacts on system metabolism and the capability of influencing biogeochemical cycles. Scaling our findings revealed that plastic pollution may exert a more substantial and ecosystem-altering impact than initially assumed, particularly in areas with poorly managed plastic waste. These results highlighted that the plastisphere functions as a habitat for biologically active organisms which play a pivotal role in essential ecosystem processes. This warrants dedicated attention and investigation, particularly in sensitive ecosystems like the Mekong River, which supports a rich biodiversity and the livelihoods of 65 million people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Nava
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126 Milano MI, Italy
| | - Barbara Leoni
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126 Milano MI, Italy.
| | - Monica M Arienzo
- Desert Research Institute, 2215 Raggio Pkwy, Reno, NV 89512, United States
| | - Zeb S Hogan
- Global Water Center and Biology Department, University of Nevada, 1664 N. Virginia, Reno, NV 89557-0314, United States
| | - Isabella Gandolfi
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126 Milano MI, Italy
| | - Valeria Tatangelo
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126 Milano MI, Italy
| | - Emily Carlson
- Global Water Center and Biology Department, University of Nevada, 1664 N. Virginia, Reno, NV 89557-0314, United States
| | - Seila Chea
- Institute of Technology of Cambodia, PO Box 86, Russian Conf. Blvd. Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Savoeurn Soum
- Royal University of Phnom Penh, Russian Federation Blvd (110), Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Rachel Kozloski
- Desert Research Institute, 2215 Raggio Pkwy, Reno, NV 89512, United States
| | - Sudeep Chandra
- Global Water Center and Biology Department, University of Nevada, 1664 N. Virginia, Reno, NV 89557-0314, United States.
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Zhao K, Li C, Li F. Research progress on the origin, fate, impacts and harm of microplastics and antibiotic resistance genes in wastewater treatment plants. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9719. [PMID: 38678134 PMCID: PMC11055955 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-60458-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Previous studies reported microplastics (MPs), antibiotics, and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). There is still a lack of research progress on the origin, fate, impact and hazards of MPs and ARGs in WWTPs. This paper fills a gap in this regard. In our search, we used "microplastics", "antibiotic resistance genes", and "wastewater treatment plant" as topic terms in Web of Science, checking the returned results for relevance by examining paper titles and abstracts. This study mainly explores the following points: (1) the origins and fate of MPs, antibiotics and ARGs in WWTPs; (2) the mechanisms of action of MPs, antibiotics and ARGs in sludge biochemical pools; (3) the impacts of MPs in WWTPs and the spread of ARGs; (4) and the harm inflicted by MPs and ARGs on the environment and human body. Contaminants in sewage sludge such as MPs, ARGs, and antibiotic-resistant bacteria enter the soil and water. Contaminants can travel through the food chain and thus reach humans, leading to increased illness, hospitalization, and even mortality. This study will enhance our understanding of the mechanisms of action among MPs, antibiotics, ARGs, and the harm they inflict on the human body.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Songliao Aquatic Environment, Ministry of Education, Jilin Jianzhu University, 5088 Xincheng Street, Changchun, 130118, People's Republic of China
| | - Chengzhi Li
- Key Laboratory of Songliao Aquatic Environment, Ministry of Education, Jilin Jianzhu University, 5088 Xincheng Street, Changchun, 130118, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria at Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Fengxiang Li
- Key Laboratory of Songliao Aquatic Environment, Ministry of Education, Jilin Jianzhu University, 5088 Xincheng Street, Changchun, 130118, People's Republic of China.
- Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria at Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China.
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5
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Bocci V, Galafassi S, Levantesi C, Crognale S, Amalfitano S, Congestri R, Matturro B, Rossetti S, Di Pippo F. Freshwater plastisphere: a review on biodiversity, risks, and biodegradation potential with implications for the aquatic ecosystem health. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1395401. [PMID: 38699475 PMCID: PMC11064797 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1395401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The plastisphere, a unique microbial biofilm community colonizing plastic debris and microplastics (MPs) in aquatic environments, has attracted increasing attention owing to its ecological and public health implications. This review consolidates current state of knowledge on freshwater plastisphere, focussing on its biodiversity, community assembly, and interactions with environmental factors. Current biomolecular approaches revealed a variety of prokaryotic and eukaryotic taxa associated with plastic surfaces. Despite their ecological importance, the presence of potentially pathogenic bacteria and mobile genetic elements (i.e., antibiotic resistance genes) raises concerns for ecosystem and human health. However, the extent of these risks and their implications remain unclear. Advanced sequencing technologies are promising for elucidating the functions of plastisphere, particularly in plastic biodegradation processes. Overall, this review emphasizes the need for comprehensive studies to understand plastisphere dynamics in freshwater and to support effective management strategies to mitigate the impact of plastic pollution on freshwater resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerio Bocci
- Water Research Institute, CNR-IRSA, National Research Council, Rome, Italy
- PhD Program in Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Galafassi
- Water Research Institute, CNR-IRSA, National Research Council, Verbania, Italy
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy
| | - Caterina Levantesi
- Water Research Institute, CNR-IRSA, National Research Council, Rome, Italy
| | - Simona Crognale
- Water Research Institute, CNR-IRSA, National Research Council, Rome, Italy
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy
| | - Stefano Amalfitano
- Water Research Institute, CNR-IRSA, National Research Council, Rome, Italy
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy
| | - Roberta Congestri
- Laboratory of Biology of Algae, Department of Biology, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
| | - Bruna Matturro
- Water Research Institute, CNR-IRSA, National Research Council, Rome, Italy
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy
| | - Simona Rossetti
- Water Research Institute, CNR-IRSA, National Research Council, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Di Pippo
- Water Research Institute, CNR-IRSA, National Research Council, Rome, Italy
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6
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Sabatino R, Zullo R, Di Cesare A, Piscia R, Musazzi S, Corno G, Volta P, Galafassi S. Traditional and biodegradable plastics host distinct and potentially more hazardous microbes when compared to both natural materials and planktonic community. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 465:133166. [PMID: 38101010 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.133166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Microplastic particles are persistent micropollutants that provide a substrate for the growth of bacterial biofilms, posing a threat to the environment. This study explores the changes in commercially available food containers made of conventional (polypropylene PP, polyethylene terephthalate PET), innovative biodegradable (Mater-Bi) and natural (wood and cellulose) materials, when introduced in the surface waters of Lake Maggiore for 43 days. Spectral changes revealed by FT-IR spectroscopy in PET and Mater-Bi, and changes in thermal properties of all human-made material tested indicated a degradation process occurred during environmental exposure. Despite similar bacterial richness, biofilms on PET, PP, and Mater-Bi differed from natural material biofilms and the planktonic community. Human-made material communities showed a higher proportion of potential pathogens, with PET and PP also exhibiting increased abundances of antibiotic resistance genes. Overall, these findings stress the need for dedicated strategies to curb the spread of human-made polymers in freshwaters, including innovative materials that, due to their biodegradable properties, might be perceived less hazardous for the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rosa Zullo
- Water Research Institute, National Research Council, Verbania, Italy.
| | - Andrea Di Cesare
- Water Research Institute, National Research Council, Verbania, Italy; NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo 90133, Italy
| | - Roberta Piscia
- Water Research Institute, National Research Council, Verbania, Italy
| | - Simona Musazzi
- Water Research Institute, National Research Council, Verbania, Italy
| | - Gianluca Corno
- Water Research Institute, National Research Council, Verbania, Italy; NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo 90133, Italy
| | - Pietro Volta
- Water Research Institute, National Research Council, Verbania, Italy
| | - Silvia Galafassi
- Water Research Institute, National Research Council, Verbania, Italy; NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo 90133, Italy
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7
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Zhou Z, Tang J, Tang K, An M, Liu Z, Wu Z, Cao X, He C. Selective enrichment of bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes in microplastic biofilms and their potential hazards in coral reef ecosystems. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 352:141309. [PMID: 38281603 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
Microplastics become hotspots for bacteria to trigger a series of ecological effects, but few studies have focused on the potential impacts of microplastic biofilms in coral reef ecosystems. Here, we measured the bacterial communities and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the seawater and microplastic biofilms. Results showed that microbial biofilms were formed on the surface of microplastics. The alpha diversity of the bacterial community in the microplastic biofilms was lower than that in the seawater, and the bacterial communities were distinct between the two. Further analysis revealed that several bacteria in the microplastic biofilms carried ARGs, and the proportion of which was correlated to the concentration of antibiotics in the seawater. Specifically, Vibrio was positively correlated to sul1 in the microplastic biofilms under higher concentrations of sulfonamides. Pathway analysis reflected significant overrepresentation of human disease related pathways in the bacterial community of microplastic biofilms. These results suggest that the microplastic biofilms could selectively enrich bacteria from the reef environments, causing the development of ARGs under antibiotic driving. This may pose a serious threat to coral reef ecosystems and human health. Our study provides new insights into the ecological impacts of microplastic biofilms in coral reef ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China.
| | - Jia Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Kai Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Mingxun An
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Zhaoqun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Zhongjie Wu
- Hainan Academy of Ocean and Fisheries Sciences, Haikou 571126, China.
| | - Xiaocong Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China; Hainan Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Haikou 571126, China
| | - Chunlong He
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
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Zhang J, Li T, Tao S, Shen M. Microplastic pollution interaction with disinfectant resistance genes: research progress, environmental impacts, and potential threats. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:16241-16255. [PMID: 38340302 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-32225-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
The consumption of disposable plastic products and disinfectants has surged during the global COVID-19 pandemic, as they play a vital role in effectively preventing and controlling the spread of the virus. However, microplastic pollution and the excessive or improper use of disinfectants contribute to the increased environmental tolerance of microorganisms. Microplastics play a crucial role as vectors for microorganisms and plankton, facilitating energy transfer and horizontal gene exchange. The increase in the use of disinfectants has become a driving force for the growth of disinfectant resistant bacteria (DRB). A large number of microorganisms can have intense gene exchange, such as plasmid loss and capture, phage transduction, and cell fusion. The reproduction and diffusion rate of DRB in the environment is significantly higher than that of ordinary microorganisms, which will greatly increase the environmental tolerance of DRB. Unfortunately, there is still a huge knowledge gap in the interaction between microplastics and disinfectant resistance genes (DRGs). Accordingly, it is critical to comprehensively summarize the formation and transmission routes of DRGs on microplastics to address the problem. This paper systematically analyzed the process and mechanisms of DRGs formed by microbes. The interaction between microplastics and DRGs and the contribution of microplastic on the diffusion and spread of DRGs were expounded. The potential threats to the ecological environment and human health were also discussed. Additionally, some challenges and future priorities were also proposed with a view to providing useful basis for further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahao Zhang
- School of Energy and Environment, Anhui University of Technology, Maanshan, Anhui, 243002, People's Republic of China
| | - Tianhao Li
- School of Energy and Environment, Anhui University of Technology, Maanshan, Anhui, 243002, People's Republic of China
| | - Shiyu Tao
- School of Energy and Environment, Anhui University of Technology, Maanshan, Anhui, 243002, People's Republic of China
| | - Maocai Shen
- School of Energy and Environment, Anhui University of Technology, Maanshan, Anhui, 243002, People's Republic of China.
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Zhang Y, Xu Z, Chu W, Zhang J, Jin W, Ye C. Tracking the source of antibiotic resistome in the stormwater network drainage in the presence of sewage illicit connections. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:168989. [PMID: 38036118 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Stormwater pipes are illicitly connected with sewage in many countries, which means that sewage enters stormwater pipes and the drainage is discharged to surface water without any treatment. Sewage contains more pathogens and highly risky antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) than surface runoff. Therefore, sewage may alter the microbial and ARG compositions in stormwater pipe drainage, which in turn leads to an increased risk of resistance in surface water. However, the effects of sewage on ARGs in the drainage of stormwater networks have not been systematically studied. This study characterized the microbial and ARG composition of several environmental compartments of a typical stormwater network and quantified their contributions to those in the drainage. This network transported ARGs and microorganisms from sewage, sediments in stormwater pipes, and surface runoff into the drainage and thus into the river. According to metagenomic analysis, multidrug resistance genes were most abundant in all samples and the numbers and relative abundance of ARGs in the drainage collected during wet weather were comparable to that of sewage. The results of SourceTracker showed that the relative contribution of sewage was double that of rainwater and surface runoff in the drainage during wet weather for both microorganisms and ARGs. Desulfovibrio, Azoarcus, and Sulfuritalea were connected with the greatest number of ARGs and were most abundant in the sediments of stormwater pipes. Furthermore, stochastic processes were found to dominate ARG and microbial assembly, as the effects of high hydrodynamic intensity outweighed the effects of environmental filtration and species interactions. The findings of this study can increase our understanding of ARGs in stormwater pipe drainage, a crucial medium linking ARGs in sewage to environmental ARGs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Zhang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Zuxin Xu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China.
| | - Wenhai Chu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China.
| | - Jingyi Zhang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Wei Jin
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Cheng Ye
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
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10
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Chen Y, Yan Z, Zhou Y, Zhang Y, Jiang R, Wang M, Yuan S, Lu G. Dynamic evolution of antibiotic resistance genes in plastisphere in the vertical profile of urban rivers. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 249:120946. [PMID: 38043355 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) can vertically transport in the aquatic environment due to their aging and biofouling, forming distinct plastisphere in different water layers. However, even though MPs have been regarded as hotspots for antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), little is known about the propagation and transfer of ARGs in plastisphere in waters, especially in the vertical profile. Therefore, this study investigated the dynamic responses and evolution of ARGs in different plastisphere distributed vertically in an urbanized river. The biofilm biomass in the polylactic acid (PLA) plastisphere was relatively higher than that in the polyethylene terephthalate (PET), showing depth-decay variations. The ARGs abundance in plastisphere were much higher than that in the surrounding waters, especially for the PLA. In the vertical profiles, the ARGs abundance in the PET plastisphere increased with water depths, while the highest abundance of ARGs in the PLA mostly appeared at intermediate waters. In the temporal dynamic, the ARGs abundance in plastisphere increased and then decreased, which may be dominated by the MP types at the initial periods. After long-term exposure, the influences of water depths seemed to be strengthened, especially in the PET plastisphere. Compared with surface waters, the microbiota attached in plastisphere in deep waters showed high species richness, strong diversity, and complex interactions, which was basically consistent with the changes of nutrient contents in different water layers. These vertical variations in microbiota and nutrients (e.g., nitrogen) may be responsible for the propagation of ARGs in plastisphere in deep waters. The host bacteria for ARGs in plastisphere was also developed as water depth increased, leading to an enrichment of ARGs in deep waters. In addition, the abundance of ARGs in plastisphere in bottom waters was positively correlated with the mobile genetic elements (MGEs) of intI1 and tnpA05, indicative of a frequent horizontal gene transfer of ARGs. Overall, water depth played a critical role in the propagation of ARGs in plastisphere, which should not be ignored in a long time series. This study provides new insights into the dynamic evolution of ARGs propagation in plastisphere under increasing global MPs pollution, especially in the vertical profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yufang Chen
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes of Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Zhenhua Yan
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes of Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China.
| | - Yixin Zhou
- College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes of Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Runren Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes of Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Min Wang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes of Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Saiyu Yuan
- The National Key Laboratory of Water Disaster Prevention, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Guanghua Lu
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes of Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
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11
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Shen M, Zhao Y, Liu S, Tao S, Li T, Long H. Can microplastics and disinfectant resistance genes pose conceivable threats to water disinfection process? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 905:167192. [PMID: 37730038 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
Microplastic pollution in the environment has aroused widespread concerns, however, the potential environmental risks caused by excessive use of disinfectants are still unknown. Disinfectants with doses below the threshold can enhance the communication of resistance genes in pathogenic microorganisms, promoting the development and spread of antimicrobial activity. Problematically, the intensification of microplastic pollution and the increase of disinfectant consumption will become a key driving force for the growth of disinfectant resistance bacteria (DRB) and disinfectant resistance genes (DRGs) in the environment. Disinfection plays a crucial role in ensuring water safety, however, the presence of microplastics and DRGs seriously disturb the water disinfection process. Microplastics can reduce the concentration of disinfectant in the local environment around microorganisms and improve their tolerance. Microorganisms can improve their resistance to disinfectants or generate resistance genes via phenotypic adaptation, gene mutations, and horizontal gene transfer. However, very limited information is available on the impact of DRB and DRGs on disinfection process. In this paper, the contribution of microplastics to the migration and transmission of DRGs was analyzed. The challenges posed by the presence of microplastics and DRGs on conventional disinfection were thoroughly discussed. The knowledge gaps faced by relevant current research and further research priorities have been proposed in order to provide a scientific basis in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maocai Shen
- School of Energy and Environment, Anhui University of Technology, Maanshan, Anhui 243002, PR China.
| | - Yifei Zhao
- School of Energy and Environment, Anhui University of Technology, Maanshan, Anhui 243002, PR China
| | - Shiwei Liu
- School of Energy and Environment, Anhui University of Technology, Maanshan, Anhui 243002, PR China
| | - Shiyu Tao
- School of Energy and Environment, Anhui University of Technology, Maanshan, Anhui 243002, PR China
| | - Tianhao Li
- School of Energy and Environment, Anhui University of Technology, Maanshan, Anhui 243002, PR China
| | - Hongming Long
- School of Metallurgical Engineering, Anhui University of Technology, Maanshan, Anhui 243002, PR China.
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12
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Shruti VC, Kutralam-Muniasamy G, Pérez-Guevara F. Do microbial decomposers find micro- and nanoplastics to be harmful stressors in the aquatic environment? A systematic review of in vitro toxicological research. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 903:166561. [PMID: 37633392 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/28/2023]
Abstract
Microbial decomposers (bacteria and fungi) are likely to interact with plastic particles introduced into natural systems, particularly micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs), exposing them to a variety of risks. In vitro testing has proven to be an accessible and viable method for gaining insights into how microbial decomposers behave individually and systemically toward MNPs. Recent advances have enhanced our understanding of MNP interactions with organisms, revealing the molecular foundations of adaptive responses as well as the biological impact and potential risks to MNPs. Despite widespread attention, this topic has not yet been reviewed. Here, we conducted a systematic review of the available research to critically assess and highlight the most recent advances in two major areas: (1) methods for in vitro evaluation of environmentally relevant microbial decomposers to MNPs; and (2) current understanding of the underlying toxicity mechanisms gained from in vitro assessments. We also addressed the key considerations throughout and proposed available opportunities in the field. Our analysis revealed that MNPs' toxicity has been studied in vitro either alone or in combination with other contaminants (e.g., antibiotics and metallic nanoparticles), with Escherichia coli and polystyrene particles receiving the most attention. Moreover, there were methodological differences in terms of MNP size, shape, polymer, surface characteristics, exposure period, and concentrations. A combination of methods, including growth-viability tests, biochemical assays, and omics profiling (metabolomics and transcriptomics), were employed to detect the effects of MNP exposure and explain its toxicity mechanism. The current literature suggests that the impacts of MNPs on microbial decomposers include alterations in the antioxidative system, gene expression levels and cell-membrane permeability and oxidative damage, all of which can be further influenced by MNPs interaction with other contaminants. This review will thus provide critical insights and up-to-date knowledge to assist novices and experts in promoting advancements and research.
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Affiliation(s)
- V C Shruti
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Gurusamy Kutralam-Muniasamy
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, Mexico.
| | - Fermín Pérez-Guevara
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, Mexico; Nanoscience & Nanotechnology Program, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, Mexico
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13
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Zhao Y, Jin R, Chen Y, Zhang J, Tao S, Liu S, Shen M. Constructed wetlands as neglected fixed source of microplastics and antibiotic resistance genes in natural water bodies? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 902:166474. [PMID: 37625720 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023]
Abstract
The pollution status and the harm caused by microplastics and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in aquatic ecosystems have been a growing concern. The presence of microplastics could accelerate the transfer and spread of ARGs. Before sewage reaches natural water bodies, microplastics and ARGs need to be eliminated through specific processes. Constructed wetlands are currently an effective and environmentally friendly wastewater treatment process. Research has shown significant effectiveness in removing microplastics and ARGs. Microplastics and ARGs can be removed through processes such as adsorption, capture, adhesion, and biodegradation. However, long-term continuous operation could lead to constructed wetlands becoming significant reservoirs of microplastics and ARGs. Inflow loads and seasonal variations in constructed wetlands may result in the reintroduction of persistent microplastics and ARGs into the receiving water body, establishing the constructed wetland as a continuous source of these pollutants in the receiving water body. The key to the widespread application of constructed wetlands lies in solving this challenging problem. Therefore, although constructed wetlands serve as a green strategy for removing microplastics and ARGs, there are still many gaps in our knowledge. Based on the current accumulation of microplastics and ARGs in constructed wetlands, this paper summarizes the removal of microplastics and ARGs in existing constructed wetlands and explores the interaction between them. Additionally, it proposes suggestions for optimizing the process and improving the reliability of monitoring microplastics and ARGs in sewage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifei Zhao
- School of Energy and Environment, Anhui University of Technology, Maanshan, Anhui 243002, PR China
| | - Ruixin Jin
- School of Energy and Environment, Anhui University of Technology, Maanshan, Anhui 243002, PR China
| | - Yihua Chen
- School of Energy and Environment, Anhui University of Technology, Maanshan, Anhui 243002, PR China.
| | - Jiahao Zhang
- School of Energy and Environment, Anhui University of Technology, Maanshan, Anhui 243002, PR China
| | - Shiyu Tao
- School of Energy and Environment, Anhui University of Technology, Maanshan, Anhui 243002, PR China
| | - Shiwei Liu
- School of Energy and Environment, Anhui University of Technology, Maanshan, Anhui 243002, PR China
| | - Maocai Shen
- School of Energy and Environment, Anhui University of Technology, Maanshan, Anhui 243002, PR China.
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14
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Balabantaray SR, Singh PK, Pandey AK, Chaturvedi BK, Sharma AK. Forecasting global plastic production and microplastic emission using advanced optimised discrete grey model. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:123039-123054. [PMID: 37980320 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-30799-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023]
Abstract
Plastic pollution has become a prominent and pressing environmental concern within the realm of pollution. In recent times, microplastics have entered our ecosystem, especially in freshwater. In the contemporary global landscape, there exists a mounting apprehension surrounding the manifold environmental and public health issues that have emerged as a result of the substantial accumulation of microplastics. The objective of the current study is to employ an enhanced grey prediction model in order to forecast global plastic production and microplastic emissions. This study compared the accuracy level of the four grey prediction models, namely, EGM (1,1, α, θ), DGM (1,1), EGM (1,1), and DGM (1,1, α) models, to evaluate the accuracy levels. As per the estimation of the study, DGM (1,1, α) was found to be more suitable with higher accuracy levels to predict microplastic emission. The EGM (1,1, α, θ) model has slightly better accuracy than the DGM (1,1, α) model in predicting global plastic production. Various accuracy measurement tools (MAPE and RMSE) were used to determine the model's efficiency. There has been a gradual growth in both plastic production and microplastic emission. The current study using the DGM (1,1, α) model predicted that microplastic emission would be 1,084,018 by 2030. The present study aims to provide valuable insights for policymakers in formulating effective strategies to address the complex issues arising from the release of microplastics into the environment and the continuous production of plastic materials.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Alok Kumar Pandey
- Centre for Integrated Rural Development, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | | | - Aditya Kumar Sharma
- School of Liberal Arts and Management, DIT University, Makka Wala, Uttarakhand, India
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15
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Cavazzoli S, Ferrentino R, Scopetani C, Monperrus M, Andreottola G. Analysis of micro- and nanoplastics in wastewater treatment plants: key steps and environmental risk considerations. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2023; 195:1483. [PMID: 37971551 PMCID: PMC10654204 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-023-12030-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
The analysis of micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) in the environment is a critical objective due to their ubiquitous presence in natural habitats, as well as their occurrence in various food, beverage, and organism matrices. MNPs pose significant concerns due to their direct toxicological effects and their potential to serve as carriers for hazardous organic/inorganic contaminants and pathogens, thereby posing risks to both human health and ecosystem integrity. Understanding the fate of MNPs within wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) holds paramount importance, as these facilities can be significant sources of MNP emissions. Additionally, during wastewater purification processes, MNPs can accumulate contaminants and pathogens, potentially transferring them into receiving water bodies. Hence, establishing a robust analytical framework encompassing sampling, extraction, and instrumental analysis is indispensable for monitoring MNP pollution and assessing associated risks. This comprehensive review critically evaluates the strengths and limitations of commonly employed methods for studying MNPs in wastewater, sludge, and analogous environmental samples. Furthermore, this paper proposes potential solutions to address identified methodological shortcomings. Lastly, a dedicated section investigates the association of plastic particles with chemicals and pathogens, alongside the analytical techniques employed to study such interactions. The insights generated from this work can be valuable reference material for both the scientific research community and environmental monitoring and management authorities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Cavazzoli
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering (DICAM), University of Trento, Via Mesiano, 77 - 38123, Trento (TN), Italy.
| | - Roberta Ferrentino
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering (DICAM), University of Trento, Via Mesiano, 77 - 38123, Trento (TN), Italy
| | - Costanza Scopetani
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu, 73 - 15140, Lahti, Finland
- Department of Chemistry 'Ugo Schiff' (DICUS), University of Florence, Via Della Lastruccia, 13 - 50019, Sesto Fiorentino (FI), Italy
| | - Mathilde Monperrus
- UMR 5254, Université de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour, E2S UPPA, CNRS, IPREM-MIRA, 64600, Anglet, France
| | - Gianni Andreottola
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering (DICAM), University of Trento, Via Mesiano, 77 - 38123, Trento (TN), Italy
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16
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Qiu C, Zhou Y, Wang H, Chu Y, Zheng L, Chen Y, Song Y, Fang C. Microplastics enrichment characteristics of antibiotic resistance genes and pathogens in landfill leachate. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 341:140100. [PMID: 37683946 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) pollution is a pressing environmental issue for aquatic ecosystems. Landfill leachate is an important contributor of MPs and antibiotic resistant genes (ARGs). However, there are few studies on the colonization of ARGs and pathogens on MPs in leachate. This study conducted incubation experiments with polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polypropylene (PP) MPs in landfill leachate which were about 3-5 years old (PL) and 5-10 years old (AL). After incubation, the bacterial cells colonized and grew on the surface of MPs, inducing the increase of oxygenated oxygen functional groups (e.g., hydroxyl, carbonyl) on the MPs surface. Real-time PCR indicated that MPs selectively enriched ARGs, such as genes tetM, tetC, mcr-1, aac(6')-Ib-cr, blaTEM and blaSHV in leachate. The diversity of bacterial communities on MPs was significantly increased in AL leachate, but decreased in PL leachate. The differences in bacterial communities in MPs biofilms were related to the type of MPs. Compared with AL leachate, the abundance of Chloroflexi increased by 15.7% on the PET, and the abundance of Acidobacteriota increased by 6.23 fold on the PP. The abundance of Firmicutes increased from 20.7% in PL leachate to 65.8% and 60.7% on PET and PP, respectively. Additionally, pathogens were observed to be more abundant on MPs compared to leachate. In particular, pathogens (Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Enterobacter and Rhodococcus) associated with sul1 and sul2 were generally present at higher levels on MPs than in the surrounding leachate. These results provide significant implications for understanding the health risk of MPs in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Qiu
- School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, Hangzhou, 310023, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yiwei Zhou
- School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, Hangzhou, 310023, Zhejiang, China
| | - Hua Wang
- School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, Hangzhou, 310023, Zhejiang, China; Key Laboratory of Recycling and Eco-treatment of Waste Biomass of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, Hangzhou, 310023, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Yixuan Chu
- School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, Hangzhou, 310023, Zhejiang, China
| | - Lei Zheng
- School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, Hangzhou, 310023, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yongmin Chen
- School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, Hangzhou, 310023, Zhejiang, China; Key Laboratory of Recycling and Eco-treatment of Waste Biomass of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, Hangzhou, 310023, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yali Song
- School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, Hangzhou, 310023, Zhejiang, China; Key Laboratory of Recycling and Eco-treatment of Waste Biomass of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, Hangzhou, 310023, Zhejiang, China
| | - Chengran Fang
- College of Civil Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310023, Zhejiang, China
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17
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Liu L, Zhang QH, Li RT. In Situ and Individual-Based Analysis of the Influence of Polystyrene Microplastics on Escherichia coli Conjugative Gene Transfer at the Single-Cell Level. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:15936-15944. [PMID: 37801563 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c05476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/08/2023]
Abstract
The impact of microplastic particles of micro- and nanometer sizes on microbial horizontal gene transfer (HGT) remains a controversial topic. Existing studies rely on traditional approaches, which analyze population behavior, leading to conflicting conclusions and a limited understanding. The present study addressed these limitations by employing a novel microfluidic chamber system for in situ visualization and precise quantification of the effects of different concentrations of polystyrene (PS) microbeads on microbial HGT at the single-cell level. The statistical analysis indicated no significant difference in the division times of both the donor and recipient bacteria across different PS microbead concentrations. However, as the concentration of PS microbeads increased from 0 to 2000 mg L-1, the average conjugation frequency of Escherichia coli decreased from 0.028 ± 0.015 to 0.004 ± 0.003. Our observations from the microfluidic experiments revealed that 500 nm PS microbeads created a barrier effect on bacterial conjugative transfer. The presence of microbeads resulted in reduced contact and interaction between the donor and recipient strains, thereby causing a decrease in the conjugation transfer frequency. These findings were validated by an individual-based modeling framework parameterized by the data from the individual-level microfluidic experiments. Overall, this study offers a fresh perspective and strategy for investigating the risks associated with the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes related to microplastics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Liu
- School of Chemistry, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, P. R. China
| | - Qiang-Hong Zhang
- School of Chemistry, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, P. R. China
| | - Rui-Tong Li
- School of Chemistry, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, P. R. China
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18
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Zhao Y, Hu Z, Xie H, Wu H, Wang Y, Xu H, Liang S, Zhang J. Size-dependent promotion of micro(nano)plastics on the horizontal gene transfer of antibiotic resistance genes in constructed wetlands. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 244:120520. [PMID: 37657315 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/03/2023]
Abstract
Constructed wetlands (CWs) have been identified as significant sources of micro(nano)plastics (MPs/NPs) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in aquatic environments. However, little is known about the impact of MPs/NPs exposure on horizontal gene transfer (HGT) of ARGs and shaping the corresponding ARG hosts' community. Herein, the contribution of polystyrene (PS) particles (control, 4 mm, 100 μm, and 100 nm) to ARG transfer was investigated by adding an engineered fluorescent Escherichia coli harboring RP4 plasmid-encoded ARGs into CWs. It was found MPs/NPs significantly promoted ARG transfer in a size-dependent manner in each CW medium (p < 0.05). The 100 μm-sized PS exhibited the most significant promotion of ARG transfer (p < 0.05), whereas 100 nm-sized PS induced limited promotion due to its inhibitory activity on microbes. The altered RP4-carrying bacterial communities suggested that MPs/NPs, especially 100 µm-PS, could recruit pathogenic and nitrifying bacteria to acquire ARGs. The increased sharing of RP4-carrying core bacteria in CW medium further suggested that ARGs can spread into CW microbiome using MPs/NPs as carriers. Overall, our results highlight the high risks of ARG dissemination induced by MPs/NPs exposure and emphasize the need for better control of plastic disposal to prevent the potential health threats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanhui Zhao
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, P.R. China
| | - Zhen Hu
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, P.R. China.
| | - Huijun Xie
- Environmental Research Institute, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, P.R. China
| | - Haiming Wu
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, P.R. China
| | - Yuechang Wang
- Beijing Further Tide Eco-construction Co., Ltd, Beijing 100012, P.R. China
| | - Han Xu
- College of Agriculture and Forestry Science, Linyi University, Linyi 276000, P.R. China
| | - Shuang Liang
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, P.R. China
| | - Jian Zhang
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, P.R. China; College of Safety and Environmental Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266590, P.R. China.
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19
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Emenike EC, Okorie CJ, Ojeyemi T, Egbemhenghe A, Iwuozor KO, Saliu OD, Okoro HK, Adeniyi AG. From oceans to dinner plates: The impact of microplastics on human health. Heliyon 2023; 9:e20440. [PMID: 37790970 PMCID: PMC10543225 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e20440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Microplastics, measuring less than 5 mm in diameter, are now found in various environmental media, including soil, water, and air, and have infiltrated the food chain, ultimately becoming a part of the human diet. This study offers a comprehensive examination of the intricate nexus between microplastics and human health, thereby contributing to the existing knowledge on the subject. Sources of microplastics, including microfibers from textiles, personal care products, and wastewater treatment plants, among others, were assessed. The study meticulously examined the diverse routes of microplastic exposure-ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact-offering insights into the associated health risks. Notably, ingestion of microplastics has been linked to gastrointestinal disturbances, endocrine disruption, and the potential transmission of pathogenic bacteria. Inhalation of airborne microplastics emerges as a critical concern, with possible implications for respiratory and cardiovascular health. Dermal contact, although less explored, raises the prospect of skin irritation and allergic reactions. The impacts of COVID-19 on microplastic pollution were also highlighted. Throughout the manuscript, the need for a deeper mechanistic understanding of microplastic interactions with human systems is emphasized, underscoring the urgency for further research and public awareness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ebuka Chizitere Emenike
- Department of Pure and Industrial Chemistry, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, P. M. B. 5025, Awka, Nigeria
| | - Chika J. Okorie
- Department of Pure and Industrial Chemistry, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, P. M. B. 5025, Awka, Nigeria
| | - Toluwalase Ojeyemi
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, Texas Tech University, USA
- Department of Crop Protection and Environmental Biology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Abel Egbemhenghe
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, College of Art and Science, Texas Tech University, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Lagos State University, Ojo, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - Kingsley O. Iwuozor
- Department of Pure and Industrial Chemistry, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, P. M. B. 5025, Awka, Nigeria
| | - Oluwaseyi D. Saliu
- Department of Indutrial Chemistry, University of Ilorin, P. M. B. 1515, Ilorin, Nigeria
| | - Hussein K. Okoro
- Department of Indutrial Chemistry, University of Ilorin, P. M. B. 1515, Ilorin, Nigeria
| | - Adewale George Adeniyi
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Ilorin, P. M. B. 1515, Ilorin, Nigeria
- Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering and Technology, Landmark University, Omu-aran, Nigeria
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20
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Luo G, Liang B, Cui H, Kang Y, Zhou X, Tao Y, Lu L, Fan L, Guo J, Wang A, Gao SH. Determining the Contribution of Micro/Nanoplastics to Antimicrobial Resistance: Challenges and Perspectives. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:12137-12152. [PMID: 37578142 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c01128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Microorganisms colonizing the surfaces of microplastics form a plastisphere in the environment, which captures miscellaneous substances. The plastisphere, owning to its inherently complex nature, may serve as a "Petri dish" for the development and dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), adding a layer of complexity in tackling the global challenge of both microplastics and ARGs. Increasing studies have drawn insights into the extent to which the proliferation of ARGs occurred in the presence of micro/nanoplastics, thereby increasing antimicrobial resistance (AMR). However, a comprehensive review is still lacking in consideration of the current increasingly scattered research focus and results. This review focuses on the spread of ARGs mediated by microplastics, especially on the challenges and perspectives on determining the contribution of microplastics to AMR. The plastisphere accumulates biotic and abiotic materials on the persistent surfaces, which, in turn, offers a preferred environment for gene exchange within and across the boundary of the plastisphere. Microplastics breaking down to smaller sizes, such as nanoscale, can possibly promote the horizontal gene transfer of ARGs as environmental stressors by inducing the overgeneration of reactive oxygen species. Additionally, we also discussed methods, especially quantitatively comparing ARG profiles among different environmental samples in this emerging field and the challenges that multidimensional parameters are in great necessity to systematically determine the antimicrobial dissemination risk in the plastisphere. Finally, based on the biological sequencing data, we offered a framework to assess the AMR risks of micro/nanoplastics and biocolonizable microparticles that leverage multidimensional AMR-associated messages, including the ARGs' abundance, mobility, and potential acquisition by pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaoyang Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Bin Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Hanlin Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518055, China
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Yuanyuan Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Xu Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yu Tao
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Lu Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Lu Fan
- Department of Ocean Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China
| | - Jianhua Guo
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology (ACWEB, formerly AWMC), The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Aijie Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Shu-Hong Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518055, China
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21
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Ormsby MJ, Akinbobola A, Quilliam RS. Plastic pollution and fungal, protozoan, and helminth pathogens - A neglected environmental and public health issue? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 882:163093. [PMID: 36996975 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Plastic waste is ubiquitous in the environment and can become colonised by distinct microbial biofilm communities, known collectively as the 'plastisphere.' The plastisphere can facilitate the increased survival and dissemination of human pathogenic prokaryotes (e.g., bacteria); however, our understanding of the potential for plastics to harbour and disseminate eukaryotic pathogens is lacking. Eukaryotic microorganisms are abundant in natural environments and represent some of the most important disease-causing agents, collectively responsible for tens of millions of infections, and millions of deaths worldwide. While prokaryotic plastisphere communities in terrestrial, freshwater, and marine environments are relatively well characterised, such biofilms will also contain eukaryotic species. Here, we critically review the potential for fungal, protozoan, and helminth pathogens to associate with the plastisphere, and consider the regulation and mechanisms of this interaction. As the volume of plastics in the environment continues to rise there is an urgent need to understand the role of the plastisphere for the survival, virulence, dissemination, and transfer of eukaryotic pathogens, and the effect this can have on environmental and human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Ormsby
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, UK.
| | - Ayorinde Akinbobola
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, UK
| | - Richard S Quilliam
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, UK
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22
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Nath J, De J, Sur S, Banerjee P. Interaction of Microbes with Microplastics and Nanoplastics in the Agroecosystems-Impact on Antimicrobial Resistance. Pathogens 2023; 12:888. [PMID: 37513735 PMCID: PMC10386327 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12070888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) are hotspots for the exchange of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) between different bacterial taxa in the environment. Propagation of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global public health issue that needs special attention concerning horizontal gene transfer (HGT) under micro-nano plastics (MNPs) pressure. Interactions between MNPs and microbes, or mere persistence of MNPs in the environment (either water or soil), influence microbial gene expressions, affecting autochthonous microbiomes, their resistomes, and the overall ecosystem. The adsorption of a range of co-contaminants on MNPs leads to the increased interaction of pollutants with microbes resulting in changes in AMR, virulence, toxin production, etc. However, accurately estimating the extent of MNP infestation in agroecosystems remains challenging. The main limitation in estimating the level of MNPs contamination in agroecosystems, surface and subsurface waters, or sediments is the lack of standardized protocols for extraction of MPs and analytical detection methods from complex high organic content matrices. Nonetheless, recent advances in MPs detection from complex matrices with high organic matter content are highly promising. This review aims to provide an overview of relevant information available to date and summarize the already existing knowledge about the mechanisms of MNP-microbe interactions including the different factors with influence on HGT and AMR. In-depth knowledge of the enhanced ARGs propagation in the environment under the influence of MNPs could raise the needed awareness, about future consequences and emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayashree Nath
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Jayita De
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Shantanu Sur
- Department of Biology, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY 13699, USA
| | - Pratik Banerjee
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
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23
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Yu X, Zhou ZC, Shuai XY, Lin ZJ, Liu Z, Zhou JY, Lin YH, Zeng GS, Ge ZY, Chen H. Microplastics exacerbate co-occurrence and horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 451:131130. [PMID: 36878032 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Microplastic pollution is a rising environmental issue worldwide. Microplastics can provide a niche for the microbiome, especially for antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which could increase the transmission of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). However, the interactions between microplastics and ARGs are still indistinct in environmental settings. Microplastics were found to be significantly correlated with ARGs (p < 0.001), based on the analysis of samples taken from a chicken farm and its surrounding farmlands. Analysis of chicken feces revealed the highest abundance of microplastics (14.9 items/g) and ARGs (6.24 ×108 copies/g), suggesting that chicken farms could be the hotspot for the co-spread of microplastics and ARGs. Conjugative transfer experiments were performed to investigate the effects of microplastic exposure for different concentrations and sizes on the horizontal gene transfer (HGT) of ARGs between bacteria. Results showed that the microplastics significantly enhanced the bacterial conjugative transfer frequency by 1.4-1.7 folds indicating that microplastics could aggravate ARG dissemination in the environment. Potential mechanisms related to the up-regulation of rpoS, ompA, ompC, ompF, trbBp, traF, trfAp, traJ, and down-regulation of korA, korB, and trbA were induced by microplastics. These findings highlighted the co-occurrence of microplastics and ARGs in the agricultural environment and the exacerbation of ARGs' prevalence via rising the HGT derived from microplastics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Yu
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Zhen-Chao Zhou
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
| | - Xin-Yi Shuai
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Ze-Jun Lin
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Zhe Liu
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Jin-Yu Zhou
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yan-Han Lin
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Guang-Shu Zeng
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Zi-Ye Ge
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Hong Chen
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Zhejiang International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Environmental Pollution and Ecological Health, Hangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Environment Remediation and Ecological Health, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
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24
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Sun C, Teng J, Wang D, Zhao J, Shan E, Wang Q. The adverse impact of microplastics and their attached pathogen on hemocyte function and antioxidative response in the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 325:138381. [PMID: 36907490 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) are widely distributed in marine environments, and they are easily attached by various microorganisms, including pathogenic bacteria. When bivalves mistakenly eat MPs, pathogenic bacteria attached to MPs enter their bodies through the Trojan horse effect, causing adverse effects. In this study, the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis was exposed to aged polymethylmethacrylate MPs (PMMA-MPs, 20 μm) and Vibrio parahaemolyticus attached to PMMA-MPs to explore the effect of synergistic exposure by measuring lysosomal membrane stability, ROS content, phagocytosis, apoptosis in hemocytes, antioxidative enzyme activities and apoptosis-related gene expression in gills and digestive glands. The results showed that MP exposure alone did not cause significant oxidative stress in mussels, but after long-term coexposure to MPs and V. parahaemolyticus, the activities of antioxidant enzymes were significantly inhibited in the gills of mussels. Both single MP exposure and coexposure will affect hemocyte function. Coexposure can induce hemocytes to produce higher ROS, improve phagocytosis, significantly reduce the stability of the lysosome membrane, and induce the expression of apoptosis-related genes, causing apoptosis of hemocytes compared with single MP exposure. Our results demonstrate that MPs attached to pathogenic bacteria have stronger toxic effects on mussels, which also suggests that MPs with pathogenic bacteria might have an influence on the immune system and cause disease in mollusks. Thus, MPs may mediate the transmission of pathogens in marine environments, posing a threat to marine animals and human health. This study provides a scientific basis for the ecological risk assessment of MP pollution in marine environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaofan Sun
- Research and Development Center for Efficient Utilization of Coastal Bioresources, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, 264003, PR China; Muping Coastal Environment Research Station, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, 264003, PR China; Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, 264003, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, PR China
| | - Jia Teng
- Research and Development Center for Efficient Utilization of Coastal Bioresources, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, 264003, PR China; Muping Coastal Environment Research Station, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, 264003, PR China; Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, 264003, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, PR China
| | - Dongyu Wang
- Research and Development Center for Efficient Utilization of Coastal Bioresources, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, 264003, PR China; Muping Coastal Environment Research Station, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, 264003, PR China; Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, 264003, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, PR China
| | - Jianmin Zhao
- Research and Development Center for Efficient Utilization of Coastal Bioresources, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, 264003, PR China; Muping Coastal Environment Research Station, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, 264003, PR China; Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, 264003, PR China
| | - Encui Shan
- Research and Development Center for Efficient Utilization of Coastal Bioresources, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, 264003, PR China; Muping Coastal Environment Research Station, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, 264003, PR China; Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, 264003, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, PR China
| | - Qing Wang
- Research and Development Center for Efficient Utilization of Coastal Bioresources, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, 264003, PR China; Muping Coastal Environment Research Station, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, 264003, PR China; Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, 264003, PR China.
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25
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Ormsby MJ, White HL, Metcalf R, Oliver DM, Quilliam RS. Clinically important E. coli strains can persist, and retain their pathogenicity, on environmental plastic and fabric waste. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 326:121466. [PMID: 36958655 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Plastic waste is ubiquitous in the environment and there are increasing reports of such waste being colonised by human pathogens. However, the ability of pathogens to persist on plastics for long periods, and the risk that they pose to human health, is unknown. Here, under simulated environmental conditions, we aimed to determine if pathogenic bacteria can retain their virulence following a prolonged period on plastic. Using antibiotic selection and luciferase expression for quantification, we show that clinically important strains of E. coli can survive on plastic for at least 28-days. Importantly, these pathogens also retained their virulence (determined by using a Galleria mellonella model as a surrogate for human infection) and in some cases, had enhanced virulence following their recovery from the plastisphere. This indicates that plastics in the environment can act as reservoirs for human pathogens and could facilitate their persistence for extended periods of time. Most importantly human pathogens in the plastisphere are capable of retaining their pathogenicity. Pathogens colonising environmental plastic waste therefore pose a heightened public health risk, particularly in areas where people are exposed to pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Ormsby
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, UK.
| | - Hannah L White
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, UK
| | - Rebecca Metcalf
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, UK
| | - David M Oliver
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, UK
| | - Richard S Quilliam
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, UK
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26
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Tang Y, Zhang H, Yan J, Luo N, Fu X, Wu X, Wu J, Liu C, Zhang D. Assessing the efficacy of bleaching powder in disinfecting marine water: Insights from the rapid recovery of microbiomes. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 241:120136. [PMID: 37295228 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 05/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Single-bleaching powder disinfection is a highly prevalent practice to disinfect source water for marine aquaculture to prevent diseases. However, due to the decay of active chlorine and the presence of disinfectant resistance bacteria (DRB), the effects of bleaching powder on prokaryotic community compositions (PCCs) and function in marine water remain unknown. In the present study, the source water in a canvas pond was treated with the normal dose of bleaching powder, and the impact on PCCs and functional profiles was investigated using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. The bleaching powder strongly altered the PCCs within 0.5 h, but they began to recover at 16 h, eventually achieving 76% similarity with the initial time at 72 h. This extremely rapid recovery was primarily driven by the decay of Bacillus and the regrowth of Pseudoalteromonas, both of which are DRB. Abundant community not only help PCCs recover but also provide larger functional redundancy than rare community. During the recovery of PCCs, stochastic processes drove the community assembly. After 72 h, five out of seven identified disinfectant resistance genes related to efflux pump systems were highly enriched, primarily in Staphylococcus and Bacillus. However, 15 out of the 16 identified antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) remained unchanged compared to the initial time, indicating that bleaching powder does not contribute to ARGs removal. Overall, the findings demonstrate that single-bleaching powder disinfection cannot successfully meet the objective of disease prevention in marine aquaculture water due to the extremely rapid recovery of PCCs. Hence, secondary disinfection or novel disinfection strategies should be explored for source water disinfection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yawen Tang
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China; Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology of Zhejiang Province, School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Huajun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China; Marine Economic Research Center, Donghai Academy, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China; Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology of Zhejiang Province, School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China.
| | - Jiaojiao Yan
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China; Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology of Zhejiang Province, School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Nan Luo
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China; Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology of Zhejiang Province, School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Xuezhi Fu
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China; Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology of Zhejiang Province, School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Xiaoyu Wu
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China; Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology of Zhejiang Province, School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
| | - Jialin Wu
- Ningbo Haiwei Ecological Technology Co., Ltd., Ningbo 315141, China
| | - Changjun Liu
- Xiangshan Fisheries Technical Extension Center, Ningbo 315700, China
| | - Demin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China; Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology of Zhejiang Province, School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China.
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27
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Bydalek F, Webster G, Barden R, Weightman AJ, Kasprzyk-Hordern B, Wenk J. Microplastic biofilm, associated pathogen and antimicrobial resistance dynamics through a wastewater treatment process incorporating a constructed wetland. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 235:119936. [PMID: 37028211 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.119936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 03/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics in wastewater are colonized by biofilms containing pathogens and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes that can be exported into receiving water bodies. This study investigated establishment and changes in microplastic-associated biofilm and AMR during a conventional full-scale 2100 population equivalent wastewater treatment process combined with a free water surface polishing constructed wetland. Sequential microplastic colonization experiments were conducted at different stages of the wastewater treatment process, including in raw sewage, treated effluent and the constructed wetland. Two scenarios were tested in which the constructed wetland served as either (i) a polishing step or (ii) as primary recipient of sewage inoculated microplastics. Bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequencing was carried out for qualitative bacterial community analysis. qPCR was applied for quantitative analysis of AMR genes (sul1, ermB, tetW, intiI1), bacterial biomass (16S rRNA) and a human fecal marker (HF183). Microbial diversity on microplastics increased with incubation time. The initial sewage-derived biofilm composition changed more significantly in the wastewater effluent compared to the constructed wetland. Pathogen and AMR load decreased by up to two orders of magnitude after coupled conventional and constructed wetland treatment, while less impact was observed when sewage-inoculated microplastic material was directly transferred into the constructed wetland. Aeromonas, Klebsiella, and Streptococcus were key pathogenic genera correlated with AMR in microplastic-associated biofilms. Despite decreasing trends on human pathogens and AMR load along the treatment process, microplastic-associated biofilms were a considerable potential hotspot for AMR (intI1 gene) and accommodated Cyanobacteria and fish pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franciszek Bydalek
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY, UK; Water Innovation and Research Centre (WIRC), University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK; GW4 NERC CDT in Freshwater Biosciences and Sustainability, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK; Microbiomes, Microbes and Informatics Group, Organisms and Environment Division, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK
| | - Gordon Webster
- Microbiomes, Microbes and Informatics Group, Organisms and Environment Division, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK
| | | | - Andrew J Weightman
- Microbiomes, Microbes and Informatics Group, Organisms and Environment Division, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK
| | - Barbara Kasprzyk-Hordern
- Water Innovation and Research Centre (WIRC), University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK; Department of Chemistry, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK
| | - Jannis Wenk
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY, UK; Water Innovation and Research Centre (WIRC), University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK.
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28
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Adomako MO, Yu FH. Potential effects of micro- and nanoplastics on phyllosphere microorganisms and their evolutionary and ecological responses. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 884:163760. [PMID: 37120023 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Plastic pollution is among the most urgent environmental and social challenges of the 21st century, and their influxes in the environment have altered critical growth drivers in all biomes, attracting global concerns. In particular, the consequences of microplastics on plants and their associated soil microorganisms have gained a large audience. On the contrary, how microplastics and nanoplastics (M/NPs) may influence the plant-associated microorganisms in the phyllosphere (i.e., the aboveground portion of plants) is nearly unknown. We, therefore, summarize evidence that may potentially connect M/NPs, plants, and phyllosphere microorganisms based on studies on other analogous contaminants such as heavy metals, pesticides, and nanoparticles. We show seven pathways that may link M/NPs into the phyllosphere environment, and provide a conceptual framework explaining the direct and indirect (soil legacy) effects of M/NPs on phyllosphere microbial communities. We also discuss the adaptive evolutionary and ecological responses, such as acquiring novel resistance genes via horizontal gene transfer and microbial degradation of plastics of the phyllosphere microbial communities, to M/NPs-induced threats. Finally, we highlight the global consequences (e.g., disruption of ecosystem biogeochemical cycling and impaired host-pathogen defense chemistry that can lead to reduced agricultural productivity) of altered plant-microbiome interactions in the phyllosphere in the context of a predicted surge of plastic production and conclude with pending questions for future research priorities. In conclusion, M/NPs are very likely to produce significant effects on phyllosphere microorganisms and mediate their evolutionary and ecological responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Opoku Adomako
- Institute of Wetland Ecology & Clone Ecology/Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, Zhejiang, China
| | - Fei-Hai Yu
- Institute of Wetland Ecology & Clone Ecology/Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation, Taizhou University, Taizhou 318000, Zhejiang, China.
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29
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Wang S, Shi Y, Wang H, Li Z, Zhao M. Succession of Bacteria Attached to Microplastics After Transferring from a Mariculture Area to a Seagrass Meadow. BULLETIN OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2023; 110:69. [PMID: 36943489 DOI: 10.1007/s00128-023-03700-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics have been recognized as a novel niche for bacteria. However, studies have characterized the plastisphere microbial community in situ without exploring the microbial changes after transferring to other ecosystems. Here we focus on bacterial succession on typical microplastics (polypropylene and expanded polystyrene) and natural substrates (wood) after transferring from mariculture area to seagrass meadows system. Using high-throughput sequencing of 16 S rRNA, we found that alpha diversity significantly reduced after transferring and microplastics especially PP had significant separations on PCoA plots at different succession stages. The abundance and metabolic pathways of potential pathogen-associated microorganisms are significantly decreased. The relative abundance of xenobiotics biodegradation pathways was significantly lower and of energy metabolism pathways was significantly higher by comparing before and after transferring. Main environmental factors affecting microbial communities changed from nutrient characteristics to basic physicochemical properties after transferring. The succession times of the microbial communities of the three materials were different.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Wang
- Bay Innovation Institute/Modern Marine Ranching Engineering Research Center of Hainan/Key Laboratory of Utilization and Conservation for Tropical Marine Bioresources of Ministry of Education/Key Laboratory for Coastal Marine Eco-Environment Process and Carbon Sink of Hainan, Hainan Tropical Ocean University, Sanya, 572022, China
| | - Yunfeng Shi
- Bay Innovation Institute/Modern Marine Ranching Engineering Research Center of Hainan/Key Laboratory of Utilization and Conservation for Tropical Marine Bioresources of Ministry of Education/Key Laboratory for Coastal Marine Eco-Environment Process and Carbon Sink of Hainan, Hainan Tropical Ocean University, Sanya, 572022, China
| | - Hui Wang
- Bay Innovation Institute/Modern Marine Ranching Engineering Research Center of Hainan/Key Laboratory of Utilization and Conservation for Tropical Marine Bioresources of Ministry of Education/Key Laboratory for Coastal Marine Eco-Environment Process and Carbon Sink of Hainan, Hainan Tropical Ocean University, Sanya, 572022, China
| | - Zhaoyang Li
- Bay Innovation Institute/Modern Marine Ranching Engineering Research Center of Hainan/Key Laboratory of Utilization and Conservation for Tropical Marine Bioresources of Ministry of Education/Key Laboratory for Coastal Marine Eco-Environment Process and Carbon Sink of Hainan, Hainan Tropical Ocean University, Sanya, 572022, China
| | - Muqiu Zhao
- Bay Innovation Institute/Modern Marine Ranching Engineering Research Center of Hainan/Key Laboratory of Utilization and Conservation for Tropical Marine Bioresources of Ministry of Education/Key Laboratory for Coastal Marine Eco-Environment Process and Carbon Sink of Hainan, Hainan Tropical Ocean University, Sanya, 572022, China.
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Wu X, Liu H, Guo X, Zhang Z, Zhang J, Huang X. Microplastic distribution and migration in soil, water and sediments in Caohai Lake under the different hydrological periods, Southwest China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 865:161292. [PMID: 36596426 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.161292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 12/03/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
An increasing number of researchers have focused on microplastics (MPs) pollution in inland freshwater lakes due to its ecotoxicity, while little is known about the effects of hydrological periods on MPs distribution. Therefore, this study aims to investigate MPs distribution, morphological characteristics and physicochemical indices in various environments in dry and wet periods in Caohai Lake. The results exhibited that cultivated soil, water, and sediment in Caohai Lake have been polluted by MPs in dry and wet periods. There were pellets, fragments, film, and fibers of MPs in both dry and wet periods, and MP foam was additionally found in the wet period. MPs with 0 to 0.5 mm possessed the largest proportion in the five environments in dry and wet periods, followed by MPs with 0.5 to 1 mm and 1 to 5 mm. In Caohai Lake, the black, white, green, red, and transparent MPs in dry period, and black, colourful, grey, red and transparent MPs in wet period were found. The developed structural equation model confirmed that MPs in sediment were probably mainly from soil. There are negative effects of the relative abundance of MPs from cultivated soil to lake water in the dry period, whereas the opposite is true in the wet period. Interestingly, the complex and fast water velocity in the estuary in the wet period led to a lower relative abundance of MPs in its sediment in comparison with the dry period. The distribution model of MPs in estuary and lake water in dry and wet periods is not inconsistent. Our results suggest that the related government department should take measures to reduce the MPs pollution in Caohai Lake, especially from the source.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianliang Wu
- College of Resource and Environmental Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou 550003, China; Guizhou Institute of Biology, Guizhou Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, Guizhou 550009, China
| | - Huijuan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou 550025, China
| | - Xuetao Guo
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A & F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Zhenming Zhang
- College of Resource and Environmental Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou 550003, China; Guizhou Institute of Biology, Guizhou Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, Guizhou 550009, China.
| | - Jiachun Zhang
- Guizhou Botanical Garden, Guizhou Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550004, Guizhou, China.
| | - Xianfei Huang
- Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory for Environment, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang 550001, Guizhou, China
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Fan S, Yan Z, Qiao L, Gui F, Li T, Yang Q, Zhang X, Ren C. Biological effects on the migration and transformation of microplastics in the marine environment. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 185:105875. [PMID: 36652887 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2023.105875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics(MPs) are ubiquitous, difficult to degrade, and potentially threatening to organisms in marine environment, so it is important to clarify the factors that affect their biogeochemical processes. The impact of biological activities on the MPs in marine environment is ubiquitous and complex, and there is currently a lack of systematic summaries. This paper reviews the effects of biological actions on the migration, distribution and degradation of MPs in marine environment from four aspects: biological ingestion and digestion, biological movement, biological colonization and biological adhesion. MPs in seawater and sediments can be closely combined with organisms through three pathways: biological ingestion, biofilm formation or adhesion to organisms, and are passed between species at different trophic levels through the food chain. The generation and degradation of faecal pellets and biofilms can alter the density of "environmental MPs", thereby affecting their vertical migration and deposition in water bodies. The movement of swimming organisms and the disturbance by benthic organisms can promote the migration of MPs in water and vertical migration and resuspension in sediments, thereby changing the distribution of MPs in local sea areas. The grinding effect of the digestive tract and the secretion of chemicals from the biofilm (such as enzymes and acids) can reduce the particle size and increase surface roughness of MPs, or even degrade them completely. Besides, biological adhesion may be an important mechanism affecting the distribution, migration and preservation of MPs. There may be complex interactions and linkages among marine dynamical processes, photochemical degradation and biological processes that collectively affect the biogeochemical processes of MPs, but their relative contributions remain to be more studied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Songyao Fan
- College of Marine Science & Technology, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan, 316004, China
| | - Zezheng Yan
- College of Marine Science & Technology, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan, 316004, China
| | - Ling Qiao
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Utilization of Technology Research for Fishery Resource of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Zhoushan, 316012, China
| | - Feng Gui
- College of Marine Science & Technology, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan, 316004, China
| | - Tiejun Li
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Utilization of Technology Research for Fishery Resource of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Zhoushan, 316012, China
| | - Qiao Yang
- ABI Group, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan, 316022, China
| | - Xiaoling Zhang
- College of Marine Science & Technology, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan, 316004, China
| | - Chengzhe Ren
- College of Marine Science & Technology, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan, 316004, China.
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Microbial Enzyme Biotechnology to Reach Plastic Waste Circularity: Current Status, Problems and Perspectives. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24043877. [PMID: 36835289 PMCID: PMC9967032 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The accumulation of synthetic plastic waste in the environment has become a global concern. Microbial enzymes (purified or as whole-cell biocatalysts) represent emerging biotechnological tools for waste circularity; they can depolymerize materials into reusable building blocks, but their contribution must be considered within the context of present waste management practices. This review reports on the prospective of biotechnological tools for plastic bio-recycling within the framework of plastic waste management in Europe. Available biotechnology tools can support polyethylene terephthalate (PET) recycling. However, PET represents only ≈7% of unrecycled plastic waste. Polyurethanes, the principal unrecycled waste fraction, together with other thermosets and more recalcitrant thermoplastics (e.g., polyolefins) are the next plausible target for enzyme-based depolymerization, even if this process is currently effective only on ideal polyester-based polymers. To extend the contribution of biotechnology to plastic circularity, optimization of collection and sorting systems should be considered to feed chemoenzymatic technologies for the treatment of more recalcitrant and mixed polymers. In addition, new bio-based technologies with a lower environmental impact in comparison with the present approaches should be developed to depolymerize (available or new) plastic materials, that should be designed for the required durability and for being susceptible to the action of enzymes.
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Zhang Z, Wu X, Liu H, Huang X, Chen Q, Guo X, Zhang J. A systematic review of microplastics in the environment: Sampling, separation, characterization and coexistence mechanisms with pollutants. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 859:160151. [PMID: 36423843 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 10/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (<5 mm) (MPs) are widely distributed throughout the world, and their accumulation and migration in the environment have caused health and safety concerns. Currently, most of the reviewed literatures mainly focus on the distribution in various environmental media, adsorption mechanisms with different pollutants, and characterization of MPs. Therefore, the present review mainly highlights the characterization techniques of MPs and the underlying mechanisms of their combination with conventional coexisting substances (heavy metals, organic pollutants, and nutrients). We observed that massive MP pollution has been found in many areas, especially in Africa, Asia, India, South Africa, North America and Europe. The separation methods of MPs in different environmental media are basically similar, including sampling, pre-treatment, flotation, filtration and digestion. The combination of multiple characterization technologies can more precisely identify the shape, abundance, colour, and particle size of MPs. Notably, although recent reports have confirmed that MPs can act as carriers of heavy metals and carry them into organisms to cause harm, MPs have different adsorption and desorption characteristics for various heavy metals. The adsorption capacity of organic pollutants onto MPs is closely related to their hydrophobicity, specific surface area and functional group characteristics. The relative abundance of MPs in sediments and lakes had a significantly positive correlation with the mass concentration of total nitrogen in lake water, but this finding still needs to be further verified. Based on current research, we suggest that future MP research should focus on characterization technology, environmental migration, ecological effects, health risks and degradation methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenming Zhang
- College of Resource and Environmental Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou 550003, China; Guizhou Institute of Biology, Guizhou Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, Guizhou, 550009, China
| | - Xianliang Wu
- Guizhou Institute of Biology, Guizhou Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, Guizhou, 550009, China
| | - Huijuan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou 550025, China
| | - Xianfei Huang
- Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory for Environment, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang 550001, Guizhou, China
| | - Qina Chen
- College of Eco-Environmental Engineering, Institutute of Karst wetland ecology, Guizhou Minzu University, Guiyang 550025, Guizhou, China
| | - Xuetao Guo
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A & F University, Yangling 712100, China; Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and the Agro-environment in Northwest China, Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling 712100, China.
| | - Jiachun Zhang
- Guizhou Botanical Garden, Guizhou Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550004, Guizhou, China.
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Hu Y, Kang Y, Huang F, Su Y, Zhou X, Wang AJ, Gao SH. Distinct responses of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 exposed to different levels of polystyrene nanoplastics. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 852:158214. [PMID: 36028032 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Large amounts of discarded plastics in the environment can be aged into microplastics and nanoplastics, which are not easily removed, posing potential nonnegligible risks to the ecosystem and human health. Although previous studies have revealed that nanoplastics have detrimental impacts on microorganisms, the potential molecular mechanisms of nanoplastic particles' effect on microbial growth and metabolism are still lacking. Here, multiple responses of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 (PAO1) to different levels of polystyrene nanoplastics (PS NPs) exposure were investigated by physiological experiments, live/dead staining, redox status, and genome-wide RNA sequencing. The results showed that PS NPs had dual effects on PAO1, and different concentrations of PS NPs demonstrated different effects on the growth and metabolism of PAO1. All levels of PS NPs had no obvious biocidal effect on PAO1. The production and consumption of ROS were in dynamic equilibrium and could be regulated genetically to ensure that the ROS level was in the biotolerable range. 20 and 50 mg/L of PS NPs severely inhibited the nitrate reduction, while 0.1 mg/L of PS NPs promoted the denitrification and TCA cycle. Meanwhile, 20 and 50 mg/L of PS NPs resulted in intense down-regulation of genes involved in denitrification. In contrast, the expression of genes involved in respiration is promoted with generated energy to withstand stress from high-level PS NPs, coinciding with the physiological results. In addition, our results showed that PS NPs concentrations of 20 and 50 mg/L exposure substantially up-regulated the expression of genes encoding for flagellar biosynthesis and biofilm formation to tackle the stress. Our findings would provide new insights into the interactions between environmental bacteria and PS NPs at the transcriptional level, thereby enhancing our understanding of the potential risks of PS NPs to microbial ecosystems and public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxin Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yuanyuan Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Fang Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China; State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Yiyi Su
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Xu Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Ai-Jie Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Shu-Hong Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China.
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Li Q, Tian L, Cai X, Wang Y, Mao Y. Plastisphere showing unique microbiome and resistome different from activated sludge. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 851:158330. [PMID: 36041613 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Plastisphere (the biofilm on microplastics) in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) may enrich pathogens and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) which can cause risks to the ecological environment by discharging into receiving waters. However, the microbiome and resistome of plastisphere in activated sludge (AS) systems remain inconclusive. Here, metagenome was applied to investigate the microbial composition, functions and ARGs of the Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastisphere in lab-scale reactors, and revealed the effects of tetracycline (TC) and/or Cu(II) pressures on them. The results indicated that the plastisphere provided a new niche for microbiota showing unique functions distinct from the AS. Particularly, various potentially pathogenic bacteria tended to enrich in PVC plastisphere. Moreover, various ARGs were detected in plastisphere and AS, but the plastisphere had more potential ARGs hosts and a stronger correlation with ARGs. The ARGs abundances increased after exposure to TC and/or Cu(II) pressures, especially tetracycline resistance genes (TRGs), and the results further showed that TRGs with different resistance mechanisms were separately enriched in plastisphere and AS. Furthermore, the exogenous pressures from Cu(II) or/and TC also enhanced the association of potential pathogens with TRGs in PVC plastisphere. The findings contribute to assessing the potential risks of spreading pathogens and ARGs through microplastics in WWTPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qihao Li
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518071, China
| | - Li Tian
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518071, China
| | - Xunchao Cai
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518071, China; Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Shenzhen University General Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518071, China
| | - Yicheng Wang
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518071, China
| | - Yanping Mao
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518071, China.
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Kruglova A, Muñoz-Palazón B, Gonzalez-Martinez A, Mikola A, Vahala R, Talvitie J. The dangerous transporters: A study of microplastic-associated bacteria passing through municipal wastewater treatment. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 314:120316. [PMID: 36191797 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) provide a stable and protective habitat for diverse wastewater bacteria, including pathogenic and antibiotic-resistant species. Therefore, MPs may potentially transport these bacteria through wastewater treatment steps to the environment and far distances. This study investigated bacterial communities of MP-associated bacteria from different stages of municipal wastewater treatment processes to evaluate the potential negative effect of these biofilms on the environment. The results showed a high diversity of bacteria that were strongly attached to MPs. After all treatment steps, the core bacterial groups remained attached to MPs and escaped from the wastewater treatment plant with effluent water. Several pathogenic bacteria were identified in MP samples from all treatment steps, and most of them were found in effluent water. These data provide new insights into the possible impacts of wastewater-derived MPs on the environment. MP-associated biofilms were proved to be important sources of pathogens and antibiotic-resistant genes in natural waters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonina Kruglova
- Department of Built Environment, Aalto University, PO Box 15200, FI-00076, AALTO, Finland.
| | - Barbara Muñoz-Palazón
- Department of Microbiology, University of Granada, Campus Universitario de la Cartuja C.P., 18071, Granada, Spain; Dipartimento di Ecologia e Biologia, Università degli Studi della Tuscia, Largo Università snc, 01100, Viterbo, Italy
| | - Alejandro Gonzalez-Martinez
- Department of Microbiology, University of Granada, Campus Universitario de la Cartuja C.P., 18071, Granada, Spain
| | - Anna Mikola
- Department of Built Environment, Aalto University, PO Box 15200, FI-00076, AALTO, Finland
| | - Riku Vahala
- Department of Built Environment, Aalto University, PO Box 15200, FI-00076, AALTO, Finland
| | - Julia Talvitie
- Marine Research Center, Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE), P.O.Box 140, FI-00251, Helsinki, Finland
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Zagui GS, Andrade LN, Sierra J, Rovira J, Darini ALC, Segura-Muñoz S. Plastisphere as a pathway for antimicrobial-resistant bacteria spread to the environment: New challenge and open questions. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 214:114156. [PMID: 36037917 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jordi Sierra
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitat de Barcelona, Joan XXIII s/n Avenue, 08028, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Sant Llorenç 21, 43201, Reus, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Joaquim Rovira
- Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Sant Llorenç 21, 43201, Reus, Catalonia, Spain; Environmental Engineering Laboratory, Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Paisos Catalans Avenue 26, 43007, Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain
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Hu X, Waigi MG, Yang B, Gao Y. Impact of Plastic Particles on the Horizontal Transfer of Antibiotic Resistance Genes to Bacterium: Dependent on Particle Sizes and Antibiotic Resistance Gene Vector Replication Capacities. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:14948-14959. [PMID: 35503986 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c00745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Plastic particles impact the propagation of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in environmental media, and their perturbation on the horizontal gene transfer (HGT) of ARGs is recognized as a critical influencing mechanism. However, studies concerning the influence and influencing mechanisms of plastic particles on the HGT of ARGs were limited, particularly for the effect of particle sizes and ARG vector-associated mechanisms. This study explored the impact of polystyrene (PS) particles with sizes of 75, 90, 100, 1000, and 10000 nm on the HGT (via transformation) of ARGs mediated by pUC19, pSTV29, and pBR322 plasmids into Escherichia coli cells. PS particles with sizes ≤100 nm impacted the transformation of ARGs, but large particles (1000 and 10000 nm) showed no obvious effects. Effects of PS particles on the transfer of three plasmids were vastly distinct. For pUC19 with high replication capacities, the transfer was monotonously promoted. However, for pSTV29 and pBR322 with low replication capacities, suppressing effects were observed. This was attributed to two competing mechanisms. The enhancing mechanism was that the direct interaction of PS particles with membrane lipids and the indirect effect associated with bacterial oxidative stress response induced pore formation on the cell membrane and increased membrane permeability, thus enhancing plasmid entrance. The inhibiting mechanism was that PS particles interfered with plasmid replication inside E. coli, thus decreasing the bacterial tranformation. This study deepened our understanding of the environmental dissemination of ARGs in plastic contamination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojie Hu
- Institute of Organic Contaminant Control and Soil Remediation, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang Road 1, Nanjing 210095, P.R. China
| | - Michael Gatheru Waigi
- Institute of Organic Contaminant Control and Soil Remediation, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang Road 1, Nanjing 210095, P.R. China
| | - Bing Yang
- Institute of Organic Contaminant Control and Soil Remediation, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang Road 1, Nanjing 210095, P.R. China
| | - Yanzheng Gao
- Institute of Organic Contaminant Control and Soil Remediation, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang Road 1, Nanjing 210095, P.R. China
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Yu X, Zhang Y, Tan L, Han C, Li H, Zhai L, Ma W, Li C, Lu X. Microplastisphere may induce the enrichment of antibiotic resistance genes on microplastics in aquatic environments: A review. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 310:119891. [PMID: 35934152 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics have been proven to be hotspots of bacterial pathogens and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). The enrichment of ARGs in microplastisphere, the specific niche for diverse microbial communities attached to the surface of microplastic, has attracted worldwide attention. By collecting 477 pairs of ARG abundance data belonging to 26 ARG types, based on the standardized mean difference (SMD) under the random effect model, we have performed the first meta-analysis of the ARG enrichment on microplastics in aquatic environments in order to quantitatively elucidate the enrichment effect, with comparison of non-microplastic materials. It was found that ARGs enriched on the microplastics were more abundant than that on the inorganic substrates (SMD = 0.26) and natural water environments (SMD = 0.10), but lower abundant than that on the natural organic substrates (SMD = -0.52). Furthermore, microplastics in freshwater tended to have a higher degree of ARG enrichment than those in saline water and sewage. The biofilm formation stage, structure, and component of microplastisphere may play a significant role in the enrichment of ARGs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Yu
- Tianjin International Joint Research Center for Environmental Biogeochemical Technology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Technology for Complex Trans-Media Pollution, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, China
| | - Lu Tan
- Agro-Environmental Protection Institute, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Tianjin, 300191, China
| | - Chenglong Han
- Tianjin International Joint Research Center for Environmental Biogeochemical Technology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Technology for Complex Trans-Media Pollution, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Haixiao Li
- Tianjin International Joint Research Center for Environmental Biogeochemical Technology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Technology for Complex Trans-Media Pollution, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Lifang Zhai
- Tianjin International Joint Research Center for Environmental Biogeochemical Technology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Technology for Complex Trans-Media Pollution, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Weiqi Ma
- Tianjin International Joint Research Center for Environmental Biogeochemical Technology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Technology for Complex Trans-Media Pollution, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Chengtao Li
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Xi'an, 710021, China
| | - Xueqiang Lu
- Tianjin International Joint Research Center for Environmental Biogeochemical Technology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Technology for Complex Trans-Media Pollution, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China.
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Song X, Zhuang W, Cui H, Liu M, Gao T, Li A, Gao Z. Interactions of microplastics with organic, inorganic and bio-pollutants and the ecotoxicological effects on terrestrial and aquatic organisms. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 838:156068. [PMID: 35598660 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Revised: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
As emerging contaminants, microplastics (MPs) have attracted global attention. They are a potential risk to organisms, ecosystems and human health. MPs are characterized by small particle sizes, weak photodegradability, and are good environmental carriers. They can physically adsorb or chemically react with organic, inorganic and bio-pollutants to generate complex binary pollutants or change the environmental behaviors of these pollutants. We systematically reviewed the following aspects of MPs: (i) Adsorption of heavy metals and organic pollutants by MPs and the key environmental factors affecting adsorption behaviors; (ii) Enrichment and release of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) on MPs and the effects of MPs on ARG migration in the environment; (iii) Formation of "plastisphere" and interactions between MPs and microorganisms; (iv) Ecotoxicological effects of MPs and their co-exposures with other pollutants. Finally, scientific knowledge gaps and future research areas on MPs are summarized, including standardization of study methodologies, ecological effects and human health risks of MPs and their combination with other pollutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaocheng Song
- Institute of Eco-environmental Forensics, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, China; School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, China
| | - Wen Zhuang
- Institute of Eco-environmental Forensics, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, China; School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, China; Qingdao Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, China; Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, China.
| | - Huizhen Cui
- Public (Innovation) Center of Experimental Teaching, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, China
| | - Min Liu
- Institute of Eco-environmental Forensics, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, China; School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, China
| | - Teng Gao
- Institute of Eco-environmental Forensics, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, China; Qingdao Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, China
| | - Ao Li
- Institute of Eco-environmental Forensics, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, China; Qingdao Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, China
| | - Zhenhui Gao
- Institute of Eco-environmental Forensics, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, China; Qingdao Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, China
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41
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Lai KP, Tsang CF, Li L, Yu RMK, Kong RYC. Microplastics act as a carrier for wastewater-borne pathogenic bacteria in sewage. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 301:134692. [PMID: 35504476 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.134692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Revised: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Microplastic pollution, a pressing global environmental problem, has a severe impact on both aquatic ecosystems and public health worldwide. Due to the small size of microplastics, they are able to pass through the filtration systems of municipal wastewater treatment works (WWTWs). In recent years, studies have focused on the environmental abundance and ecotoxicological effects of microplastics, but there are limited studies investigating the colonization of microplastics by bacteria, especially those pathogenic ones. In this study, we examined the colonization and composition of the bacterial communities on polyethylene microbeads after incubation in raw sewage collected from three municipal WWTWs in Hong Kong (Sha Tin Sewage Treatment Works, Stonecutters Island Sewage Treatment Works, and Shek Wu Hui Sewage Treatment Works). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results indicate that bacterial cells were colonized on the surfaces of the microbeads and formed biofilms after sewage incubation. Metagenomic sequencing data demonstrated an increase in bacterial diversity after 21 days of sewage incubation when compared to shorter incubation periods of 6, 11 and 16 days. Importantly, human and fish pathogens such as Arcobacter cryaerophilus, Aeromonas salmonicida, Vibrio areninigrae and Vibrio navarrensis were found in the resident bacterial communities. Taken together, our results demonstrate that microplastics could act as a carrier for wastewater-borne pathogenic bacteria in municipal sewage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keng Po Lai
- Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Integrative Omics, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, PR China; Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
| | - Chau Fong Tsang
- Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Lei Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Richard Man Kit Yu
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia.
| | - Richard Yuen Chong Kong
- Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
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42
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Palacio-Cortés AM, Horton AA, Newbold L, Spurgeon D, Lahive E, Pereira MG, Grassi MT, Moura MO, Disner GR, Cestari MM, Gweon HS, Navarro-Silva MA. Accumulation of nylon microplastics and polybrominated diphenyl ethers and effects on gut microbial community of Chironomus sancticaroli. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 832:155089. [PMID: 35398126 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MP) are emerging contaminants with the capacity to bind and transport hydrophobic organic compounds of environmental concern, such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). The aim of this study was to investigate the ingestion of nylon (polyamide) MP alone and when associated with PBDEs and their effects on Chironomus sancticaroli larvae survival and microbiome structure. Survival, PBDE uptake and microbial community composition were measured in fourth instar larvae exposed for 96 h to BDEs- 47, 99, 100 and 153 in the presence and absence of 1% w/w MP in sediment. Microbiome community structures were determined through high throughput sequencing of 16S small subunit ribosomal RNA gene (16S rRNA). Initial experiments showed that larvae ingested MP faster at 0.5% w/w MP, while depuration was more efficient at 1% w/w MP, although retention of MP was seen even after 168 h depuration. No mortality was observed as a result of PBDEs and MP exposure. MP had a negative effect on PBDE concentration within larvae (η2 = 0.94) and a negative effect on sediment concentrations (η2 = 0.48). In all samples, microbial communities were dominated by Alphaproteobacteria, Betaproteobacteria, Actinobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria. Bacterial alpha diversity was not significantly affected by PBDEs or MP exposure. However, the abundance of discrete bacterial taxa was more sensitive to MP (X2 = 45.81, p = 0.02), and PBDE exposure. Our results highlight that C. sancticaroli showed no acute response to MPs and PBDEs, but that MPs influenced bacterial microbiome structure even after only short-term acute exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alice A Horton
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, Oxfordshire OX10 8BB, UK; National Oceanography Centre, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK.
| | - Lindsay Newbold
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, Oxfordshire OX10 8BB, UK.
| | - David Spurgeon
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, Oxfordshire OX10 8BB, UK.
| | - Elma Lahive
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, Oxfordshire OX10 8BB, UK.
| | | | - Marco Tadeu Grassi
- Chemistry Department, Federal University of Paraná, CP 19032, CEP 81531-990 Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
| | - Mauricio Osvaldo Moura
- Zoology Department, Federal University of Paraná, CP 19020, CEP 81531-980 Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
| | - Geonildo Rodrigo Disner
- Genetic Department, Federal University of Paraná, CP 19031, CEP 81531-980 Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Marta Margaret Cestari
- Genetic Department, Federal University of Paraná, CP 19031, CEP 81531-980 Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
| | - Hyun S Gweon
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6UR, UK.
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43
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Tang M, Zhou S, Huang J, Sun L, Lu H. Stress responses of sulfate-reducing bacteria sludge upon exposure to polyethylene microplastics. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 220:118646. [PMID: 35661505 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The stress responses of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) sludge to polyethylene (PE) microplastic exposure were revealed for the first time. In this study, a lab-scale sulfate-reducing up-flow sludge bed reactor was continuously operated with different concentrations of PE microplastics in the feed (20, 100, and 500 microplastic particles (MPs)/L). Exposure to low levels of PE microplastics (i.e., 20 MPs/L) had a limited effect on SRB consortia, whereas higher levels of PE microplastics imposed apparent physiological stresses on SRB consortia. Despite this, the overall reactor performance, i.e., chemical oxygen demand removal and sulfate conversion, was less affected by prolonged exposure to PE microplastics. Moreover, as the concentration of PE microplastics increased, the SRB consortia promoted the production of extracellular polymeric substances to a greater extent, especially the secretion of proteins. As a result, protective effects against the cytotoxicity of PE microplastics were provided. Batch experiments further demonstrated that leaching additives from PE microplastics (including acetyl tri-n‑butyl citrate and bisphenol A, concentrations up to 5 μg/g sludge) exerted only a minor effect on the activity of SRB consortia. Additionally, microbial community analysis revealed active and potentially efficient sulfate reducers at different operational stages. Our results provide insight into the stress responses of SRB sludge under PE microplastic exposure and suggested that SRB consortia can gradually adapt to and resist high levels of PE microplastics. These findings may promote a better understanding of the stable operation of SRB sludge systems under specific environmental stimuli for practical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Tang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology (Sun Yat-sen University), Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Sining Zhou
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology (Sun Yat-sen University), Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Jiamei Huang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology (Sun Yat-sen University), Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Lianpeng Sun
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology (Sun Yat-sen University), Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Hui Lu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology (Sun Yat-sen University), Guangzhou, 510275, China.
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44
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Bao R, Pu J, Xie C, Mehmood T, Chen W, Gao L, Lin W, Su Y, Lin X, Peng L. Aging of biodegradable blended plastic generates microplastics and attached bacterial communities in air and aqueous environments. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 434:128891. [PMID: 35430459 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.128891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The use of biodegradable plastics (BPs) has been widely promoted in recent years, but before their complete degradation, the phase of microplastics (MPs) is inevitable. However, little information concerning the production of MPs from blended polymers is available. This study aimed to explore the characteristics of MPs produced from blended plastics and the development of biofilms on plastic surfaces under long-term aging. Here, three blended materials (i.e., PBAT (53%)+PLA (10%)+Starch (20%), PBAT (80%)+Starch (20%), HDPE (60%)+CaCO3 (40%)) were aged for 90 days in air, deionized (DI) water and seawater. The results showed massive production of MPs (9653 ± 3920-20,348 ± 5857 items/g) from blended plastics accompanied by a large quantity of flocculent substances during 90 days aging period. Furthermore, the richness of bacteria communities on hydrophobic plastics (i.e., PBAT (53%)+PLA (10%)+Starch (20%), PBAT (80%)+Starch (20%)) was higher than hydrophilic plastics (i.e., HDPE (60%)+CaCO3 (40%)), and bacterial communities attached to blended plastics exhibited significantly variation with aging times. Overall, promoting the marketable application of blended plastics is risky if their environmental behavior is not effectively addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruiqi Bao
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Forestry Environmental Processes and Ecological Regulation of Hainan Province (Hainan University), Haikou, Hainan Province 570228, PR China; College of Ecology and Environment, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan Province 570228, PR China
| | - Jingrun Pu
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Forestry Environmental Processes and Ecological Regulation of Hainan Province (Hainan University), Haikou, Hainan Province 570228, PR China; College of Ecology and Environment, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan Province 570228, PR China
| | - Chaolin Xie
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Forestry Environmental Processes and Ecological Regulation of Hainan Province (Hainan University), Haikou, Hainan Province 570228, PR China; College of Ecology and Environment, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan Province 570228, PR China
| | - Tariq Mehmood
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Forestry Environmental Processes and Ecological Regulation of Hainan Province (Hainan University), Haikou, Hainan Province 570228, PR China; College of Ecology and Environment, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan Province 570228, PR China
| | - Wei Chen
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Forestry Environmental Processes and Ecological Regulation of Hainan Province (Hainan University), Haikou, Hainan Province 570228, PR China; College of Ecology and Environment, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan Province 570228, PR China
| | - Liu Gao
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Forestry Environmental Processes and Ecological Regulation of Hainan Province (Hainan University), Haikou, Hainan Province 570228, PR China; College of Ecology and Environment, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan Province 570228, PR China
| | - Wenlu Lin
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Forestry Environmental Processes and Ecological Regulation of Hainan Province (Hainan University), Haikou, Hainan Province 570228, PR China; College of Ecology and Environment, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan Province 570228, PR China
| | - Yuanyuan Su
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Forestry Environmental Processes and Ecological Regulation of Hainan Province (Hainan University), Haikou, Hainan Province 570228, PR China; College of Ecology and Environment, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan Province 570228, PR China
| | - Xubing Lin
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Forestry Environmental Processes and Ecological Regulation of Hainan Province (Hainan University), Haikou, Hainan Province 570228, PR China; College of Ecology and Environment, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan Province 570228, PR China
| | - Licheng Peng
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Forestry Environmental Processes and Ecological Regulation of Hainan Province (Hainan University), Haikou, Hainan Province 570228, PR China; College of Ecology and Environment, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan Province 570228, PR China.
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45
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Metcalf R, White HL, Moresco V, Ormsby MJ, Oliver DM, Quilliam RS. Sewage-associated plastic waste washed up on beaches can act as a reservoir for faecal bacteria, potential human pathogens, and genes for antimicrobial resistance. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 180:113766. [PMID: 35635882 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Revised: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Sewage-associated plastic wastes, such as wet wipes and cotton bud sticks, commonly wash up on beaches; however, it is unclear whether this represents a public health risk. In this study, sewage-associated plastic waste, and naturally occurring substrates (seaweed and sand), were collected from ten beaches along the Firth of Forth estuary (Scotland, UK) and analysed using selective media for the faecal indicator organisms (FIOs) E. coli and intestinal enterococci (IE), and potential human pathogens (Vibrio spp.). Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) analysis was used to determine antibiotic resistance in selected strains. FIOs and Vibrio were more often associated with wet wipes and cotton bud sticks than with seaweed, and there was evidence of resistance to several antibiotics. This work demonstrates that plastics associated with sewage pollution can facilitate the survival and dissemination of FIOs and Vibrio and thus, could present an as yet unquantified potential risk to human health at the beach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Metcalf
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, UK.
| | - Hannah L White
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, UK
| | - Vanessa Moresco
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, UK
| | - Michael J Ormsby
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, UK
| | - David M Oliver
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, UK
| | - Richard S Quilliam
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, UK
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46
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Sathicq MB, Sabatino R, Di Cesare A, Eckert EM, Fontaneto D, Rogora M, Corno G. PET particles raise microbiological concerns for human health while tyre wear microplastic particles potentially affect ecosystem services in waters. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 429:128397. [PMID: 35236044 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.128397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Although abundant and chemically peculiar, tyre wear microplastic particles (TWP) and their impact on the microbial communities in water are largely understudied. We tested in laboratory based semi-continuous cultures the impact of TWP and of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) derived particles (following a gradient of relative abundance) on the pathobiome (the group of potential human pathogenic bacteria) of a freshwater microbial community exposed to contamination by the effluent of a urban wastewater treatment plant, for a period of 28 days. We could define the modulated impact of the two types of microplastic particles: while PET does not favour bacterial growth, it offers a refuge to several potential pathogens of allochthonous origin (from the treated sewage effluent), TWP act as an additional carbon source, promoting the development and the massive growth of a biofilm composed by fast-growing bacterial genera including species potentially harmful and competitive in abating biodiversity in surface waters. Our results demonstrate the different ecological role and impact on freshwater environments of TWP and PET particles, and the need to approach the study of this pollutant not as a whole, but considering the origin and the chemical composition of the different particles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Belen Sathicq
- National Research Council of Italy - Water Research Institute (CNR-IRSA) Molecular Ecology Group (MEG), Verbania, Italy
| | - Raffaella Sabatino
- National Research Council of Italy - Water Research Institute (CNR-IRSA) Molecular Ecology Group (MEG), Verbania, Italy
| | - Andrea Di Cesare
- National Research Council of Italy - Water Research Institute (CNR-IRSA) Molecular Ecology Group (MEG), Verbania, Italy
| | - Ester M Eckert
- National Research Council of Italy - Water Research Institute (CNR-IRSA) Molecular Ecology Group (MEG), Verbania, Italy
| | - Diego Fontaneto
- National Research Council of Italy - Water Research Institute (CNR-IRSA) Molecular Ecology Group (MEG), Verbania, Italy
| | - Michela Rogora
- National Research Council of Italy - Water Research Institute (CNR-IRSA), Verbania, Italy
| | - Gianluca Corno
- National Research Council of Italy - Water Research Institute (CNR-IRSA) Molecular Ecology Group (MEG), Verbania, Italy.
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47
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Metcalf R, Oliver DM, Moresco V, Quilliam RS. Quantifying the importance of plastic pollution for the dissemination of human pathogens: The challenges of choosing an appropriate 'control' material. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 810:152292. [PMID: 34896491 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Revised: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Discarded plastic wastes in the environment are serious challenges for sustainable waste management and for the delivery of environmental and public health. Plastics in the environment become rapidly colonised by microbial biofilm, and importantly this so-called 'plastisphere' can also support, or even enrich human pathogens. The plastisphere provides a protective environment and could facilitate the increased survival, transport and dissemination of human pathogens and thus increase the likelihood of pathogens coming into contact with humans, e.g., through direct exposure at beaches or bathing waters. However, much of our understanding about the relative risks associated with human pathogens colonising environmental plastic pollution has been inferred from taxonomic identification of pathogens in the plastisphere, or laboratory experiments on the relative behaviour of plastics colonised by human pathogens. There is, therefore, a pressing need to understand whether plastics play a greater role in promoting the survival and dispersal of human pathogens within the environment compared to other substrates (either natural materials or other pollutants). In this paper, we consider all published studies that have detected human pathogenic bacteria on the surfaces of environmental plastic pollution and critically discuss the challenges of selecting an appropriate control material for plastisphere experiments. Whilst it is clear there is no 'perfect' control material for all plastisphere studies, understanding the context-specific role plastics play compared to other substrates for transferring human pathogens through the environment is important for quantifying the potential risk that colonised plastic pollution may have for environmental and public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Metcalf
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, UK.
| | - David M Oliver
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, UK
| | - Vanessa Moresco
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, UK
| | - Richard S Quilliam
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, UK
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48
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Galafassi S, Di Cesare A, Di Nardo L, Sabatino R, Valsesia A, Fumagalli FS, Corno G, Volta P. Microplastic retention in small and medium municipal wastewater treatment plants and the role of the disinfection. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:10535-10546. [PMID: 34528196 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-16453-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) efficiently retain microplastic particles (MPs) generated within urban areas. Among the wastewater treatment steps, disinfection has not been characterized for its potential MPs retention activity, although it has been reported that processes used to abate the bacterial load could also affect MPs concentration. For this reason, we evaluated the MPs concentration across the overall wastewater treatment process and before and after the disinfection step in four small/medium WWTPs located in the north of Italy. Most of the MPs found in the samples were fibers or fragments, smaller than 500 μm, mainly composed of polyethylene, polypropylene, or polyethylene terephthalate. The retention efficiency at the outlets was higher than 94% in all the plants analyzed. More interestingly, the disinfection treatments adopted by the different WWTPs reduced MPs concentration from a minimum of 9.1% (UV treatment) to a maximum of 67.6% (chlorination), promoting a further increase of the overall retention efficiency of the WWTPs from 0.4 to 0.7%. Quantitatively, the disinfection contributes to the MPs reduction in the outlets by retaining 0.5-6.7 million MPs per day, in WWTPs that discharge 2.7-12 million MPs per day. The results of the present work underline the importance of a careful choice of the steps that constitute the wastewater treatment, including disinfection, in order to minimize MPs discharge into the natural ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Galafassi
- CNR - Water Research Institute, Largo Tonolli 50, 28922, Verbania, Italy.
| | - Andrea Di Cesare
- CNR - Water Research Institute, Largo Tonolli 50, 28922, Verbania, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Di Nardo
- CNR - Water Research Institute, Largo Tonolli 50, 28922, Verbania, Italy
| | - Raffaella Sabatino
- CNR - Water Research Institute, Largo Tonolli 50, 28922, Verbania, Italy
| | - Andrea Valsesia
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Ispra, Italy
| | | | - Gianluca Corno
- CNR - Water Research Institute, Largo Tonolli 50, 28922, Verbania, Italy
| | - Pietro Volta
- CNR - Water Research Institute, Largo Tonolli 50, 28922, Verbania, Italy
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