BETA Technological Center

Plastic debris in rivers harbours specific types of bacteria that are potentially pathogenic and may act as reservoirs of antibiotic-resistance genes, according to a study published in Microbiome, which analysed samples collected from the River Sowe in the UK. This mixture of bacteria is different from that found in surrounding water, but similar to that found on wooden surfaces. The team, which includes a Spanish author, highlights the presence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter and Aeromonas bacteria.