The dangerous transporters : A study of microplastic-associated bacteria passing through municipal wastewater treatment

Antonina Kruglova; Barbara Muñoz-Palazón; Alejandro Gonzalez-Martinez; Anna Mikola; Riku Vahala; Julia Talvitie

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120316

The dangerous transporters : A study of microplastic-associated bacteria passing through municipal wastewater treatment

Antonina Kruglova^*
, Barbara Muñoz-Palazón
, Alejandro Gonzalez-Martinez
, Anna Mikola
, Riku Vahala
, Julia Talvitie

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review

40 Citations (Scopus)

196 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Microplastics (MPs) provide a stable and protective habitat for diverse wastewater bacteria, including pathogenic and antibiotic-resistant species. Therefore, MPs may potentially transport these bacteria through wastewater treatment steps to the environment and far distances. This study investigated bacterial communities of MP-associated bacteria from different stages of municipal wastewater treatment processes to evaluate the potential negative effect of these biofilms on the environment. The results showed a high diversity of bacteria that were strongly attached to MPs. After all treatment steps, the core bacterial groups remained attached to MPs and escaped from the wastewater treatment plant with effluent water. Several pathogenic bacteria were identified in MP samples from all treatment steps, and most of them were found in effluent water. These data provide new insights into the possible impacts of wastewater-derived MPs on the environment. MP-associated biofilms were proved to be important sources of pathogens and antibiotic-resistant genes in natural waters.

Original language	English
Article number	120316
Number of pages	10
Journal	Environmental Pollution
Volume	314
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120316
Publication status	Published - 1 Dec 2022
MoE publication type	A1 Journal article-refereed

Funding

The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Antonina Kruglova reports financial support was provided by Finnish Water Utilities Association .

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 6 Clean Water and Sanitation
SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities

Keywords

Activated sludge
Microplastic biofilms
Microplastics
Plastisphere
Wastewater treatment
Wastewater-derived pathogens

Access to Document

10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120316Licence: CC BY

1-s2.0-S0269749122015305-mainFinal published version, 4.85 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "The dangerous transporters : A study of microplastic-associated bacteria passing through municipal wastewater treatment",

abstract = "Microplastics (MPs) provide a stable and protective habitat for diverse wastewater bacteria, including pathogenic and antibiotic-resistant species. Therefore, MPs may potentially transport these bacteria through wastewater treatment steps to the environment and far distances. This study investigated bacterial communities of MP-associated bacteria from different stages of municipal wastewater treatment processes to evaluate the potential negative effect of these biofilms on the environment. The results showed a high diversity of bacteria that were strongly attached to MPs. After all treatment steps, the core bacterial groups remained attached to MPs and escaped from the wastewater treatment plant with effluent water. Several pathogenic bacteria were identified in MP samples from all treatment steps, and most of them were found in effluent water. These data provide new insights into the possible impacts of wastewater-derived MPs on the environment. MP-associated biofilms were proved to be important sources of pathogens and antibiotic-resistant genes in natural waters.",

keywords = "Activated sludge, Microplastic biofilms, Microplastics, Plastisphere, Wastewater treatment, Wastewater-derived pathogens",

author = "Antonina Kruglova and Barbara Mu{\~n}oz-Palaz{\'o}n and Alejandro Gonzalez-Martinez and Anna Mikola and Riku Vahala and Julia Talvitie",

note = "Funding Information: The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Antonina Kruglova reports financial support was provided by Finnish Water Utilities Association . Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 The Authors",

year = "2022",

month = dec,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120316",

language = "English",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - The dangerous transporters : A study of microplastic-associated bacteria passing through municipal wastewater treatment

AU - Kruglova, Antonina

AU - Muñoz-Palazón, Barbara

AU - Gonzalez-Martinez, Alejandro

AU - Mikola, Anna

AU - Vahala, Riku

AU - Talvitie, Julia

N1 - Funding Information: The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Antonina Kruglova reports financial support was provided by Finnish Water Utilities Association . Publisher Copyright: © 2022 The Authors

PY - 2022/12/1

Y1 - 2022/12/1

N2 - Microplastics (MPs) provide a stable and protective habitat for diverse wastewater bacteria, including pathogenic and antibiotic-resistant species. Therefore, MPs may potentially transport these bacteria through wastewater treatment steps to the environment and far distances. This study investigated bacterial communities of MP-associated bacteria from different stages of municipal wastewater treatment processes to evaluate the potential negative effect of these biofilms on the environment. The results showed a high diversity of bacteria that were strongly attached to MPs. After all treatment steps, the core bacterial groups remained attached to MPs and escaped from the wastewater treatment plant with effluent water. Several pathogenic bacteria were identified in MP samples from all treatment steps, and most of them were found in effluent water. These data provide new insights into the possible impacts of wastewater-derived MPs on the environment. MP-associated biofilms were proved to be important sources of pathogens and antibiotic-resistant genes in natural waters.

AB - Microplastics (MPs) provide a stable and protective habitat for diverse wastewater bacteria, including pathogenic and antibiotic-resistant species. Therefore, MPs may potentially transport these bacteria through wastewater treatment steps to the environment and far distances. This study investigated bacterial communities of MP-associated bacteria from different stages of municipal wastewater treatment processes to evaluate the potential negative effect of these biofilms on the environment. The results showed a high diversity of bacteria that were strongly attached to MPs. After all treatment steps, the core bacterial groups remained attached to MPs and escaped from the wastewater treatment plant with effluent water. Several pathogenic bacteria were identified in MP samples from all treatment steps, and most of them were found in effluent water. These data provide new insights into the possible impacts of wastewater-derived MPs on the environment. MP-associated biofilms were proved to be important sources of pathogens and antibiotic-resistant genes in natural waters.

KW - Activated sludge

KW - Microplastic biofilms

KW - Microplastics

KW - Plastisphere

KW - Wastewater treatment

KW - Wastewater-derived pathogens

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85139277076

U2 - 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120316

DO - 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120316

M3 - Article

C2 - 36191797

AN - SCOPUS:85139277076

SN - 0269-7491

VL - 314

JO - Environmental Pollution

JF - Environmental Pollution

M1 - 120316

ER -

The dangerous transporters : A study of microplastic-associated bacteria passing through municipal wastewater treatment

Abstract

Funding

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

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