Aquatic Bacterial Biofilms Form on Microplastics

According to an article, titled “Microplastic's role in antibiotic resistance” published September 11, 2020 in Science Magazine by researchers with the Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, Norway and others https://science.sciencemag.org/content/369/6509/1315.full “… Evidence that microplastic surfaces in aquatic environments host microorganisms that are resistant to antibiotics … suggests that plastic pollution could have ramifications on disease transmission and treatment in addition to environmental consequences and human exposure to contaminated air, water, and food ... These resistant bacteria likely originate in human and animal populations treated with antibiotics and then travel downstream through wastewater into riverine and marine ecosystems ... Scientists and policy-makers should prioritize the evaluation of both direct and indirect effects of plastic pollution to fully assess the environmental and public health risks …” #PlasticWaste #Microplastics #SingleUsePlastic #FoodPackaging #AntibioticResistance