The PLASTICBUG project
Understanding the role of microplastics in the spread and trophic transfer of antibiotic-resistant pathogens
ABOUT
PLASTICBUG explores how microplastics in the environment can act as carriers of harmful bacteria, including those resistant to antibiotics. By combining fieldwork and laboratory studies, the project investigates how these particles contribute to the spread of antimicrobial resistance in freshwater ecosystems and along the food chain, helping to better understand potential risks for environmental and human health.
microplastics
synthetic particles typically <5 mm in size, including , fibres, foams, and pellets derived from primary sources or secondary fragmentation of larger plastic items; they can adsorb chemicals, be ingested across trophic levels, and serve as substrates for biofilm formation
PLASTISPHERE
microbial communities that colonize plastic surfaces, typically organized as biofilms; these can differ from those surrounding and may selectively enrich pathogens and antibiotic‑resistant bacteria
MICROBIOME
the complete assemblage of microorganisms and their collective genomes inhabiting a defined habitat (e.g. gut, rhizosphere, plastisphere); it includes both the taxonomic composition, and the functional potential encoded in these communities
TROPHIC TRANSFER
movement of substances (e.g nutrients, contaminants, or microplastics and their associated microbes) from one trophic level to the next through feeding interactions in a food web
Did you know...
Enjoying a cup of tea might come with more than just flavor. Researchers found that brewing a single plastic tea bag can release around 11.6 billion microplastic particles into one cup of tea.
Abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing gear contributes enormous amounts of plastic to aquatic environments. Lost fishing nets alone are estimated to release around 60,000,0000 kg of microplastics every year.
Your sea salt may contain microplastics. As seawater becomes contaminated, tiny plastic particles can become incorporated into the salt harvested for human consumption.
Microplastics have been detected in a wide range of everyday beverages. In one study, beer contained about 83 microplastic particles per liter, compared with 45 per liter in lemonade, 31 in cola and 8 in wine.
Many urban microplastics come from car tires. In the EU alone, tire wear is estimated to generate more than 500 million kilograms of microplastics annually
Your laundry is a major source of microplastic. A single 5–6 kg load of laundry can release 6–7 million plastic fibers into wastewater.
Toothpaste can contain thousands of tiny plastic particles and a single use can release around 4,000 plastic particles into the environment.
Your cutting board may be adding plastic to your food.When chopping on plastic cutting boards, friction from knives can shave off microscopic plastic particles that mix directly with food.
PARTNER INSTITUTIONS
