Plastic pollution and antimicrobial resistance: an emerging link with major implications

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Microbiology
• Public Health

Background:

• Plastic pollution and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are significant global challenges.
• Micro- and nanoplastics form unique environments, termed the "plastisphere", influencing microbial communities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the interconnectedness of plastic pollution and AMR.
• To propose the plastisphere as a key factor in microbial adaptation and AMR dissemination.
• To advocate for the inclusion of plastic pollution in AMR surveillance and risk assessment.

Main Methods:

• Review and synthesis of current scientific literature on plastic pollution and AMR.
• Conceptual framework development to explain the role of the plastisphere.

Main Results:

• The plastisphere acts as an ecological hotspot, promoting microbial interactions and horizontal gene transfer.
• This process facilitates the spread of antimicrobial resistance genes across diverse ecosystems.
• Existing AMR surveillance often neglects the impact of plastic pollution.

Conclusions:

• The plastisphere significantly reshapes microbial adaptation and the dynamics of antimicrobial resistance.
• There is a critical need to integrate plastisphere-mediated processes into One Health initiatives.
• Environmental risk assessments must account for the contribution of plastic pollution to AMR.