Microplastics in sewage become 'hubs' for drug-resistant bacteria: study
The Hindu
Certain strains of bacteria have elevated antibiotic resistance by up to 30 times when living on microplastic biofilms
Ultra-fine plastic particles can become 'hubs' for antibiotic-resistant bacteria and pathogens to grow once they wash down household drains and enter wastewater treatment plants, According to the scientists, including those from the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) in the U.S., these plastic particles less than five millimeters in length, called microplastics, allow the formation of a slimy layer, or biofilm, on their surface which allows bacteria and antibiotic waste to attach and mingle. The research, published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials Letters, noted that certain strains of bacteria have elevated antibiotic resistance by up to 30 times when living on microplastic biofilms that form inside sludge units at municipal wastewater treatment plants.
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