Microplastics Turn Into 'Hubs' for Pathogens and Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria, Says Study

It’s estimated that an average-sized wastewater treatment plant serving roughly 400,000 residents will discharge up to 2 million microplastic particles each day in its effluent. Yet, researchers are still learning the environmental and human health impact of these ultra-fine plastic particles, less than 5 millimeters in length, found in everything from cosmetics, toothpaste and clothing microfibers, to our food, air and drinking water. Now, researchers at New Jersey Institute of Technology have shown that ubiquitous microplastics can become "hubs" for antibiotic-resistant bacteria and pathogens to grow once they wash down household drains and enter wastewater treatment plants — forming a biofilm on their surface that