The consequences of plastic waste pollution have imposed wide global concerns. One of these consequences is the production of micro- and nanosized particles (MNPLs) from aged plastics. The problem of MNPLs is magnified by their potential to transport various contaminants due to their large surface area and other variable physiochemical properties. From this point on, it is important to know the real concentration of MNPLs in our environment and their potential to internalize wild organisms as well as transfer contaminants that are completely highlighted. As a result, our study is the first to detect MP pollution in the upper Egypt wastewater environment. It could be utilized as a baseline to estimate MP wastes and develop management techniques, particularly in Sohag Governorate. The concentration and characterization of MPs in sludge, water, Chironomus sp. larvae, and their tubes were studied in this work. Chironomus sp. is a reliable bioindicator prevalent in such contaminated environments, and it was used to demonstrate how MPs invade biological barriers. Our results found that red and blue polyester fibers are much more prevalent than other polymers, colors, and shapes of MPs. While each dry kilogram of wastewater sludge contains 310 ± 84 particles, this amount is reduced to 1.55 ± 0.7 per liter in the water column. Biologically, the present study succeeded in detecting the MPs inside the wild organism, with concentrations reaching 71 ± 21 and 4.41 ± 1.1 particles per gram wet weight in Chironomus sp. larvae and their tubes (chironomid tubes), respectively. The potential hazard of MPs stems from their propensity to transfer pollutants. At this point, our findings revealed a corresponding and significant concentration of various heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Cd, and Ni) detected in MPs or Chironomus sp. versus sludge. In conclusion, our findings not only proved the presence of MPs in wastewater but also demonstrated their ability to internalize cross-wild organisms, allowing toxins to accumulate inside their bodies, raising concerns about the possible health impacts of plastic pollution.
Microplastics (MPs) have been detected in many freshwater organisms because of increasing plastic contamination within the freshwater environment. However, the correlation between MPs in organisms and their surrounding environment still needs studies. This study investigates MP contamination in one of the wastewater ponds east of Sohag Governorate, Egypt. Four common freshwater insect families representing different feeding guilds were employed to detect MPs contamination. The collector-gatherer (Chironomidae, Chironomus sp.) recorded the highest MP load per gram wet weight. However, predators (Aeshnidae, Aeshna sp.) recorded the lowest one. A reverse trend was observed based on MP load per individual. Polyester fibers were the most common type of MPs followed by fragments (Polyethylene and polypropylene) in both sediment and water. However, only polyester fibers were found in the different insect taxa. The blue color was the predominant color in the water, sediment, and insect fauna. The mean length of fibers in the different insects was a little smaller than those in the surrounding environment. The presence of MPs in some examined insects (lower trophic levels) gives a possibility of transferring to higher levels following predation. Therefore, further studies should be carried out along different feeding groups of higher levels to detect the potential risk of MPs on different freshwater fauna.
Antimicrobial resistance is currently a significant global problem. The medical field is currently suffering from a shortage of effective treatments to prevent infections since the emergence rate of multidrug resistance has exceeded the rate of discovery and creation of new effective drugs. This study evaluates the antibacterial activity of the excretions/secretions of Egyptian calliphorid larvae, Chrysomya albiceps (C. albiceps), in vitro on the development of five pathogenic bacterial species (methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus ATCC BAA-1680, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Salmonella typhi ATCC 19430) via different assays. Resazurin-based 25turbidimetric assay (RTBA) proved that C. albiceps larval exosecretions (ES) was effective against all examined bacterial species, which also determined the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for each bacterium. By using a colony-forming unit (CFU) assay, MICs of C. albiceps ES exhibited bacteriostatic activity against all tested bacteria. All the bacterial models could not recover after 24 hrs of the incubation period. However, high concentration (200 mg/ml) showed bactericidal activity towards P. aeruginosa. The potency of C. albiceps extract toward gram-negative bacteria has been proven by agar disc diffusion assay which failed to show any antibacterial efficiency of ES toward gram-positive bacteria. Synergism between larval ES and commercial antibiotics against all bacterial species was observed. The present data is promising and using these combinations can lead to a reduction in the minimum dose required for effective antimicrobial effects which is important because it may decrease both the risk of side effects and the costs of treatment of infectious diseases.
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