The problematic of microplastics pollution in the marine environment is tightly linked to their colonization by a wide diversity of microorganisms, the so-called plastisphere. The composition of the plastisphere relies on a complex combination of multiple factors including the surrounding environment, the time of incubation along with the polymer type, making it difficult to understand how the biofilm evolves during the microplastic lifetime over the oceans. To better define bacterial community assembly processes on plastics, we performed a 5 months spatio-temporal survey of the plastisphere in an oyster farming area in the Bay of Brest (France). We deployed three types of plastic pellets in two positions in the foreshore and in the water column. Plastic-associated biofilm composition in all these conditions was monitored using 16 S rRNA metabarcoding and compared to free-living and attached bacterial members of seawater. We observed that bacterial families associated to plastic pellets were significantly distinct from the ones found in seawater, with a significant prevalence of filamentous Cyanobacteria on plastics. No convergence towards a unique plastisphere was detected between polymers exposed in the intertidal and subtidal area, emphasizing the central role of the surrounding environment on constantly shaping the plastisphere community diversity. However, we could define a bulk of early-colonizers of marine biofilms such as Alteromonas, Pseudoalteromonas or Vibrio. These early-colonizers could reach high abundances in floating microplastics collected in field-sampling studies, suggesting the plastic-associated biofilms could remain at early development stages across large oceanic scales. Our study raises the hypothesis that most members of the plastisphere, including putative pathogens, could result of opportunistic colonization processes and unlikely long-term transport.

Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are emerging contaminants in the environment and have been highlighted as a worldwide environmental and health concern. As important participants in the biogeochemical cycles, mangrove ecosystems are subject to various anthropogenic disturbances, and its microbiota may be affected by various contaminants such as ARGs. This study selected 13 transects of mangrove-covered areas in Hainan, China for sediment sample collection. The abundance and diversity of ARGs and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) were investigated using high-throughput quantitative polymerase chain reaction (HT-qPCR), and high-throughput sequencing was used to study microbial structure and diversity. A total of 179 ARGs belonging to 9 ARG types were detected in the study area, and the detection rates of vanXD and vatE-01 were 100%. The abundance of ARGs was 8.30 × 10⁷–6.88 × 10⁸ copies per g sediment (1.27 × 10⁻²–3.39 × 10⁻² copies per 16S rRNA gene), which was higher than similar studies, and there were differences in the abundance of ARGs in these sampling transects. The multidrug resistance genes (MRGs) accounted for the highest proportion (69.0%), which indicates that the contamination of ARGs in the study area was very complicated. The ARGs significantly positively correlated with MGEs, which showed that the high level of ARGs was related to its self-enhancement. The dominant bacteria at the genus level were Desulfococcus, Clostridium, Rhodoplanes, Bacillus, Vibrio, Enterococcus, Sedimentibacter, Pseudoalteromonas, Paracoccus, Oscillospira, Mariprofundus, Sulfurimonas, Aminobacterium, and Novosphingobium. There was a significant positive correlation between 133 bacterial genera and some ARGs. Chthoniobacter, Flavisolibacter, Formivibrio, Kaistia, Moryella, MSBL3, Perlucidibaca, and Zhouia were the main potential hosts of ARGs in the sediments of Hainan mangrove area, and many of these bacteria are important participants in biogeochemical cycles. The results contribute to our understanding of the distribution and potential hosts of ARGs and provide a scientific basis for the protection and management of Hainan mangrove ecosystem.

The green turtle (Chelonia mydas) is listed as a globally endangered species and is vulnerable to anthropogenic threats, including environmental pollution. This study investigated the antimicrobial resistance of Gram-negative bacteria isolated from wild green turtles admitted to a sea turtle rehabilitation center in Taiwan. For this investigation, cloacal and nasal swab samples were collected from 28 green turtles between 2018 and 2020, from which a total of 47 Gram-negative bacterial isolates were identified. Among these, Vibrio spp. were the most dominant isolate (31.91%), and 89.36% of the 47 isolates showed resistance to at least one of 18 antimicrobial agents tested. Isolates resistant to one (6.38%), two (8.51%), and multiple (74.47%) antimicrobials were observed. The antimicrobial agents to which isolates showed the greatest resistance were penicillin (74.47%), followed by spiramycin, amoxicillin, and cephalexin. The antimicrobial-resistance profiles identified in this study provide useful information for the clinical treatment of sea turtles in rehabilitation facilities. The results of our study also imply that wild green turtles may be exposed to polluting effluents containing antimicrobials when the turtles traverse migratory corridors or forage in feeding habitats. To benefit sea turtle conservation, future research should focus on (1) how to prevent pollution from antimicrobials in major green turtle activity areas and (2) identifying sources of antimicrobial-resistant bacterial strains in coastal waters of Taiwan.

Microplastics (MPs) pollution in the marine environment has attracted considerable global attention. However, the colonization of microorganisms on mariculture-derived MPs and their effects on mariculture remain poorly understood. In this study, the MPs (fishing nets, foams and floats) and a natural substrate, within size ranges (1–4 mm), were then incubated for 21 days in Sungo Bay (China), and the composition and diversity of bacterial communities attached on all substrates were investigated. Results showed that bacterial communities on MPs mainly originated from their surrounding seawater and sediment, with an average contribution on total MPs adherent population of 47.91% and 37.33%, respectively. Principle coordinate analysis showed that community similarity between MPs and surrounding seawater decreased with exposure time. In addition, lower average bacterial community diversity and higher relative abundances of bacteria from the genera Vibrio, Pseudoalteromonas and Alteromonas on MPs than those in their surrounding seawater and sediments indicated that MPs might enrich potential pathogens and bacteria related with carbohydrate metabolism. They are responsible for the significant differences in KEGG Orthology pathways (infectious disease and carbohydrate metabolism) between MPs and seawater. The KO pathway (Infectious Diseases) associated with MPs was also significantly higher than those with feathers in the nearshore area. MPs might be vectors for enrichment of potentially pathogenic Vibrio, and enhance the ecological risk of MPs to mariculture industry.

The rapid emergence and dissemination of antibiotic resistance poses a threat to human health and to the marine environment. We have investigated the abundance and diversity of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB), during the seedling period, rearing period, and harvesting period in seven marine fish cage-culture areas in Guangdong. Spatial and temporal variations of AGRs and ARB were also analyzed. Culture-based methods and quantitative PCR were used to detect ARB and ARGs. Bacterial resistance rates were no significantly different within farming periods. The proportion of antibiotic-resistant bacteria was extremely low (average on 1.15%), except for oxytetracycline-resistant bacteria (average on 34.15%). Vibrio was the most common ARB. Sul1, tetB, and ermB, had the highest relative abundance. The abundance of ARGs in the harvesting period was significant highest. The total abundance of ARGs was highest at Raoping and lowest at Dayawan and Liusha. Most ARGs were associated with opportunistic pathogens. The environmental factors effecting ARB and ARGs are complex, and no key factors were identified. This study provides a theoretical basis for assessing the harmfulness of ARGs and ARB to food safety and human health.

The wide use of antibiotics in aquaculture for prophylactic and therapeutic purposes can potentially lead to the prevalence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). This study reports for the first time the profile of ARGs from effluents of coastal aquaculture located in South Jeolla province and Jeju Island, South Korea. Using quantitative PCR (qPCR), twenty-two ARGs encoding tetracycline resistance (tetA, tetB, tetD, tetE, tetG, tetH, tetM, tetQ, tetX, tetZ, tetBP), sulfonamide resistance (sul1, sul2), quinolone resistance (qnrD, qnrS, aac(6′)-Ib-cr), β-lactams resistance (blaTEM, blaCTX, blaSHV), macrolide resistance (ermC), florfenicol resistance (floR) and multidrug resistance (oqxA) and a class 1 integrons-integrase gene (intI1) were quantified. In addition, Illumina Miseq sequencing was applied to investigate microbial community differences across fish farm effluents. Results from qPCR showed that the total number of detected ARGs ranged from 4.24 × 10⁻³ to 1.46 × 10⁻² copies/16S rRNA gene. Among them, tetB and tetD were predominant, accounting for 74.8%–98.0% of the total ARGs. Furthermore, intI1 gene showed positive correlation with tetB, tetD, tetE, tetH, tetX, tetZ tetQ and sul1. Microbial community analysis revealed potential host bacteria for ARGs and intI1. Two genera, Vibrio and Marinomonas belonging to Gammaproteobacteria, showed significant correlation with tetB and tetD, the most dominant ARGs in all samples. Also, operational taxonomic units (OTUs)-based network analysis revealed that ten OTUs, classified into the phyla Proteobacteria, Cyanobacteria/Chloroplast, Bacteroidetes, Verrucomicrobia and an unclassified phylum, were potential hosts of tetracycline resistance genes (i.e., tetA, tetG, tetH, tetM, tetQ and tetZ). Further systematic monitoring of ARGs is warranted for risk assessment and management of antibacterial resistance from fish farm effluents.

Biochar has potential for application for in situ metal-contaminated sediment remediation, mainly because of its cost-effectiveness. In this study, the effectiveness of Phyllostachys pubescens (PP) biochar for immobilization of cadmium (Cd) chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) by decreasing the bioavailable fraction was investigated using a series of laboratory sediment remediation microcosms. The results demonstrated that biochar could significantly reduce the bioavailable fraction of metals (except for Cr) by diffusive gradients in thin film (DGT) measurement in porewater. Additionally, amended sediment treated with 15% w/w biochar resulted in 79.71%, 73.20%, 54.86%, 49.75%, 31.16% and 0.99% reductions in the acid-soluble fraction for Cu, Pb, Ni, Zn, Cd, and Cr, respectively. Similarly, bioaccumulation of metals (except for Cr) by Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri was reduced by 18.45%–59.15% in biochar amended sediment. PP biochar at 15% could also reduce the inhibition or lethality rate by 37.5%, 18.1% and 36.3% for Chlorella vulgaris, Daphnia magna and luminescent bacteria Vibrio qinghaiensis, respectively. Overall, these results demonstrate the potential for biochar application for in situ sediment remediation.

Transformation products usually differ in environmental behaviors and toxicological properties from the parent contaminants, and probably cause potential risks to the environment. Toxicity evolution of a labile preservative, bronopol, upon primary aquatic degradation processes was investigated. Bronopol rapidly hydrolyzed in natural waters, and primarily produced more stable 2-bromo-2-nitroethanol (BNE) and bromonitromethane (BNM). Light enhanced degradation of the targeted compounds with water site specific photoactivity. The bond order analysis theoretically revealed that the reversible retroaldol reactions were primary degradation routes for bronopol and BNE. Judging from toxicity assays and the relative pesticide toxicity index, these degradation products (i.e., BNE and BNM), more persistent and higher toxic than the parent, probably accumulated in natural waters and resulted in higher or prolonging adverse impacts. Therefore, these transformation products should be included into the assessment of ecological risks of non-persistent and low toxic chemicals such as the preservative bronopol.

Green tide outbreaks caused by overgrowth of Ulva prolifera in the Yellow Sea of China can cause serious ecological stress with concomitant economic hardships, especially to marine fisheries. In this study, short-term effects (14 days) were evaluated using fresh algae U. prolifera (FU), and a 7-day assessment of the effects of decomposing U. prolifera (DU) algal effluent was conducted to determine the effects on the environmental and intestinal microbiota, intestinal transcriptome and mortality of the commercial marine benthic fish, Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus). The results revealed that algal degradation altered the microbial community structure of fish farm water and fish intestines and increased the relative abundance of the pathogens Flavobacteriaceae in water and Vibrio in fish intestines. Fish intestinal tissue structure appeared to be damaged, as indicated in pathological sections, and transcriptome analysis showed intestinal inflammation after exposure, which may have caused an increase in fish mortality. The degradation of U. prolifera led to a bloom of potential pathogenic bacteria and the inflammation of fish intestines, which resulted in disease in the flounder population that reduced fish harvests and might pose a potential health threat.

Microplastics have emerged as a new anthropogenic substrate that can readily be colonized by microorganisms. Nevertheless, microbial community succession and assembly among different microplastics in nearshore mariculture cages remains poorly understood. Using an in situ incubation experiment, 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, and the neutral model, we investigated the prokaryotic communities attached to polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE), and polypropylene (PP) in a mariculture cage in Xiangshan Harbor, China. The α-diversities and compositions of microplastic-attached prokaryotic communities were significantly distinct from free-living and small particle-attached communities in the surrounding water but relatively similar to the large particle-attached communities. Although a distinct prokaryotic community was developed on each type of microplastic, the communities on PE and PP more closely resembled each other. Furthermore, the prokaryotic community dissimilarity among all media (microplastics and water fractions) tended to decrease over time. Hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria Alcanivorax preferentially colonized PE, and the genus Vibrio with opportunistically pathogenic members has the potential to colonize PET. Additionally, neutral processes dominated the prokaryotic community assembly on PE and PP, while selection was more responsible for the prokaryotic assembly on PET. The assembly of Planctomycetaceae and Thaumarchaeota Marine Group I taxa on three microplastics were mainly governed by selection and neutral processes, respectively. Our study provides further understanding of microplastic-associated microbial ecology in mariculture environments.