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Kim H, Yoo K. Marine plastisphere selectively enriches microbial assemblages and antibiotic resistance genes during long-term cultivation periods. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 344:123450. [PMID: 38280464 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123450] [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: 11/24/2023] [Revised: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 01/29/2024]
Abstract
Several studies have focused on identifying and quantifying suspended plastics in surface and subsurface seawater. Microplastics (MPs) have attracted attention as carriers of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the marine environment. Plastispheres, specific biofilms on MP, can provide an ideal niche to spread more widely through horizontal gene transfer (HGT), thereby increasing risks to ecosystems and human health. However, the microbial communities formed on different plastic types and ARG abundances during exposure time in natural marine environments remain unclear. Four types of commonly used MPs (polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC)) were periodically cultured (46, 63, and 102 d) in a field-based marine environment to study the co-selection of ARGs and microbial communities in marine plastispheres. After the first 63 d of incubation (p < 0.05), the initial 16S rRNA gene abundance of microorganisms in the plastisphere increased significantly, and the biomass subsequently decreased. These results suggest that MPs can serve as vehicles for various microorganisms to travel to different environments and eventually provide a niche for a variety of microorganisms. Additionally, the qPCR results showed that MPs selectively enriched ARGs. In particular, tetA, tetQ, sul1, and qnrS were selectively enriched in the PVC-MPs. The abundances of intl1, a mobile genetic element, was measured in all MP types for 46 d (5.22 × 10-5 ± 8.21 × 10-6 copies/16s rRNA gene copies), 63 d (5.90 × 10-5 ± 2.49 × 10-6 copies/16s rRNA gene copies), and 102 d (4.00 × 10-5 ± 5.11 × 10-6 copies/16s rRNA gene copies). Network analysis indicated that ARG profiles co-occurred with key biofilm-forming bacteria. This study suggests that the selection of ARGs and their co-occurring bacteria in MPs could potentially accelerate their transmission through HGT in natural marine plastics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyunsu Kim
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Korea Maritime and Ocean University, Busan, 49112, South Korea; Interdisciplinary Major of Ocean Renewable Energy Engineering, Korea Maritime and Ocean University, Busan, 49112, South Korea
| | - Keunje Yoo
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Korea Maritime and Ocean University, Busan, 49112, South Korea; Interdisciplinary Major of Ocean Renewable Energy Engineering, Korea Maritime and Ocean University, Busan, 49112, South Korea.
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Zendehboudi A, Mohammadi A, Dobaradaran S, De-la-Torre GE, Ramavandi B, Hashemi SE, Saeedi R, Tayebi EM, Vafaee A, Darabi A. Analysis of microplastics in ships ballast water and its ecological risk assessment studies from the Persian Gulf. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 198:115825. [PMID: 38029669 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Transport of ballast water is considered a significant vector for dispersion of different pollutants, including microplastics (MPs), throughout the world's oceans. However, there is limited information on MPs in ballast water. Size distribution, polymer type, and ecological risks of MPs in ballast water were investigated for the first time in this study. The mean levels of MPs in ballast water and seawater samples were 12.53 and 11.80 items/L, respectively. MPs with a size category of 50-300 μm was the most abundant. Fiber, black, and polycarbonate (PC) were the predominant shape, color, and polymer type of identified MPs in ballast water and seawater, respectively. The pollution load index (PLI), hazard index (HI), and risk quotient (RQ) indicated high levels of MP pollution, potentially indicating an ecological risk. These findings increase our understanding of the major sources (such as ballast water), transportation routes, and related ecological risks of MPs to marine ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atefeh Zendehboudi
- Student Research Committee, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran; Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Health and Nutrition, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
| | - Azam Mohammadi
- Systems Environmental Health and Energy Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
| | - Sina Dobaradaran
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Health and Nutrition, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran; Systems Environmental Health and Energy Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran; Instrumental Analytical Chemistry and Centre for Water and Environmental Research (ZWU), Faculty of Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany; Centre for Water and Environmental Research, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 5, Essen, 45141, Germany.
| | - Gabriel E De-la-Torre
- Grupo de Investigación de Biodiversidad, Medio Ambiente y Sociedad, Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola, Lima, Peru
| | - Bahman Ramavandi
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Health and Nutrition, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran; Systems Environmental Health and Energy Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
| | - Seyed Enayat Hashemi
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Health and Nutrition, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran; Systems Environmental Health and Energy Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
| | - Reza Saeedi
- Workplace Health Promotion Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Health and Safety, and Environment (HSE), School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Ahmad Vafaee
- Department of Bushehr Ports & Maritime Authority, Iran
| | - AmirHossein Darabi
- The Persian Gulf Tropical Medicine Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
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