Visualization and assessment of the microbial colonization process of disposable surgical masks in a typical natural aquatic environment

Liu, Li; Tang, Peng; Li, Ruitong

doi:10.1039/d2ew00154c

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…Microplastic pollution poses significant risks to environmental health. Extensive research has been conducted to investigate its effects on various ecological systems, in terms of cytotoxicity, , growth inhibition of organisms, , inhibition of anaerobic digestion systems, , and the horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). − In recent years, ARG dissemination has recently gained increasing attention as a major environmental issue; thus, it is important to elucidate the impact of microplastics on the horizontal gene transfer (HGT) of ARGs. ,,− However, there is an ongoing debate surrounding the influence of micro- and nanosized microplastics on HGT, particularly in the size range of 100–1000 nm. ,,,, Further investigation is needed to address the controversy surrounding the impact of microplastics on microbial growth and HGT.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

In Situ and Individual-Based Analysis of the Influence of Polystyrene Microplastics on Escherichia coli Conjugative Gene Transfer at the Single-Cell Level

Liu,

Zhang,

2023

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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The impact of microplastic particles of micro-and nanometer sizes on microbial horizontal gene transfer (HGT) remains a controversial topic. Existing studies rely on traditional approaches, which analyze population behavior, leading to conflicting conclusions and a limited understanding. The present study addressed these limitations by employing a novel microfluidic chamber system for in situ visualization and precise quantification of the effects of different concentrations of polystyrene (PS) microbeads on microbial HGT at the single-cell level. The statistical analysis indicated no significant difference in the division times of both the donor and recipient bacteria across different PS microbead concentrations. However, as the concentration of PS microbeads increased from 0 to 2000 mg L −1 , the average conjugation frequency of Escherichia coli decreased from 0.028 ± 0.015 to 0.004 ± 0.003. Our observations from the microfluidic experiments revealed that 500 nm PS microbeads created a barrier effect on bacterial conjugative transfer. The presence of microbeads resulted in reduced contact and interaction between the donor and recipient strains, thereby causing a decrease in the conjugation transfer frequency. These findings were validated by an individual-based modeling framework parameterized by the data from the individual-level microfluidic experiments. Overall, this study offers a fresh perspective and strategy for investigating the risks associated with the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes related to microplastics.

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