Study finds dangerous microbes may be carried by plastic waste in rivers

November 4, 2023

The integrity of this article has been confirmed through Science X's editorial process and guidelines. The following aspects ensured the credibility of the content:

• Fact-checking
• Peer-reviewing
• Source from a reputable news agency
• Proofreading

A new study unveiled Wednesday established that plastic debris in rivers may act as a transport medium for harmful pathogens down the river.

The study, centered around a UK river, discovered that neglected plastics, wooden twigs, and the water, in general, served as a hotspot for different microorganisms. This could potentially serve as a reservoir for bacteria and viruses that can cause human diseases and stimulate antibiotic resistance.

Vinko Zadjelovic, the lead author of the study from the University of Antofagasta in Chile, stated, 'Our research shows that the presence of plastic materials in freshwater bodies might assist in the transportation of potential pathogens and antibiotic resistance genes.'

'This could indirectly affect human health substantially,' he added in a conversation with AFP.

Antibiotic resistance is an escalating public health issue. It is estimated that diseases related to antibiotic resistance led to 2.7 million fatalities around the globe in 2019.

By 2050, they are predicted to cause around 10 million deaths worldwide, as per the study published in the Microbiome journal.

Plastic that ends up in water gets overrun by neighboring microbes within minutes.

The scientists submerged samples in the River Sowe in Warwickshire and West Midlands England, downstream from a wastewater treatment plant, for a week.

They observed significant differences in the microorganism colonies depending on the sampled material.

Wastewater is mandated to be treated and sanitized to minimize microbial risks and any adverse impacts they might exert on human and environmental health.

However, the water samples that they collected in February 2020 were contaminated with human pathogens such as Salmonella, Escheria (most commonly known as E.Coli), and Streptococcus, the bacteria responsible for strep throat.

'This emphasizes the critical need for more stringent monitoring of wastewater treatment plants,' Zadjelovic said.

Simultaneously, the plastic and wood samples attracted 'opportunistic' bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and aeromonas, known to pose risks to individuals with weakened immune systems.

P.aeruginosa, a bacteria that cause infections in hospital patients, was nearly three times more predominant on the 'weathered plastic', which the researchers manipulated to resemble the natural degradation of plastic compared to the wood.

This weathered plastic also exhibited an increased presence of the genes responsible for antibiotic resistance.

Recently, water companies in Britain have faced criticism for discharging untreated sewage into UK's waterways and underreporting contamination incidents, leading to public outrage.

Rivers are the primary channels through which plastic enters the world's oceans, redirecting anywhere from 3.5 thousand metric tons to 2.41 million metric tons of the man-made material to the sea each year.

Journal information: Microbiome

© 2023 AFP