Plastic Polymers and Antibiotic Resistance in an Antarctic Environment (Ross Sea): Are We Revealing the Tip of an Iceberg?

• Published in: Microorganisms
• Main Authors: Gabriella Caruso, Maurizio Azzaro, Ombretta Dell’Acqua, Maria Papale, Angelina Lo Giudice, Pasqualina Lagana'
• Other Authors: Caruso, Gabriella, Azzaro, Maurizio, Dell’Acqua, Ombretta, Papale, Maria, LO GIUDICE, Angelina, Lagana', Pasqualina
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: MPDI 2024
• Subjects: microbial biofilm; plastic pollution; antibiotic-resistant bacteria; Ross Sea; Antarctica; Antarctic; Tethys Bay; Road Bay; Antarc*; Iceberg*
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/11570/3317049; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12102083; https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/12/10/2083

Microbial colonization of plastic polymers in Antarctic environments is an under-investigated issue. While several studies are documenting the spread of plastic pollution in the Ross Sea, whether the formation of a plastisphere (namely the complex microbial assemblage colonizing plastics) may favor...