Microplastics and antibiotic-resistant bacteria contamination in a river of central Italy

Plastic pollution and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) represent two critical environmental and health threats in aquatic environments. The combined presence in river water of microplastics (MPs), particles smaller 5 mm, and antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB), may enhance the spread of antibiotic resistances, as MPs provide the surface for ARB colonization and their delivery throughout the environment. In this study MPs were collected in a river of central Italy using a Manta-Net at two representative sites, and analyzed by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). Polyethylene (PE) was the most abundant polymer accounting for over 60% of the total detected plastic debris. River water sampled from the same sites was filtered to isolate third-generation cephalosporin (3GC)-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, which showed a high percentage (44%) of multidrug resistance profiles. Findings of this research demonstrate the co-existence of these threats within the Chienti river, suggesting a possible amplification of AMR diffusion in the environment.