Time-course biofilm formation and presence of antibiotic resistance genes on everyday plastic items deployed in river waters under different environmental conditions (18S rRNA)

In this study, we characterized the long-term biofilm formation on four types of macroplastics commonly used: a plastic plate, a bottle of water, a pipe and a plastic bag. These macroplastics were incubated for 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and 1 year into two different locations in the same river, characterized for different levels of contamination. The aim of this study is to assess to assess the development of microbial biofilms in these plastics under different pollution exposure conditions in comparison with non-plastics substrates (rock and borosilicate glass) and free-living water bacteria as well as to what extent the different plastics are altered under natural conditions in aquatic ecosystems. We hypothesized that the microorganisms that composed the biofilm formed in the different tested macroplastics might be differ between them and more in comparison with the other proposed substrates and with the free-living water microorganisms. Our hypothesis also considered the effect of the location and time in the biodiversity of the samples. Furthermore, this study evaluated the potential of macroplastics to carry up ARGs in comparison with other substrates.