Riverine microplastics and associated microbial assemblages

Plastic pollution in aquatic environments, particularly small particles (<5mm) called microplastics that are manufactured industrially or generated when larger plastic debris break apart, is an emerging health threat. The buoyancy, hydrophobic hard surfaces, novel polymer carbon sources and long distance transport make microplastic a unique substrate for biofilm-forming microorganisms, potentially harbouring pathogens and enabling antimicrobial resistance (AMR) gene exchange.Taxon-selecting mechanisms drive microplastic biofilm formation, varying over seasons, polymer types and particle sizes. Microplastics have distinctive microbial assemblages with reduced diversity and increased carriage of potential pathogens and other health risk-conferring signatures like AMR.