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Volume 20
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Article

Bacterial Colonization of Microplastics at the Beaches of an Oceanic Island, Tenerife, Canary Islands

by
Cintia Hernández-Sánchez
1,2,*,
Ángel Antonio Pestana-Ríos
1,
Cristina Villanova-Solano
2,3,
Cristopher Domínguez-Hernández
2,3,
Francisco Javier Díaz-Peña
4,
Cristobalina Rodríguez-Álvarez
1,
María Lecuona
5 and
Ángeles Arias
1
1
Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Toxicology, Legal and Forensic Medicine and Parasitology, Health Science Faculty, University of La Laguna (ULL), Campus de Ofra s/n, 38071 Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
2
Institute of Tropical Diseases and Public Health of the Canary Islands, University of La Laguna (ULL), Avda, Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez, s/n°, 38206 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
3
Departmental Unit of Analytical Chemistry, Chemistry Department, Science Faculty, University of La Laguna (ULL), Avda Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez, s/n°, 38206 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
4
Department of Animal Biology, Soil Science and Geology, Science Faculty, University of La Laguna (ULL), Avda, Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez, s/n°, 38206 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
5
Microbiology and Infection Control Service of the University Hospital of the Canary Islands (HUC), 38071 Tenerife, Spain
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(5), 3951; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20053951
Submission received: 20 January 2023 / Revised: 17 February 2023 / Accepted: 20 February 2023 / Published: 23 February 2023
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs): Occurrence and Fate in Aquatic Ecosystems)
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Abstract

(1) Isolated systems, such as oceanic islands, are increasingly experiencing important problems related to microplastic debris on their beaches. The formation of microbial biofilm on the surface of microplastics present in marine environments provides potential facilities for microorganisms to survive under the biofilm. Moreover, microplastics act as a vehicle for the dispersion of pathogenic organisms, constituting a new route of exposure for humans. (2) In this study, the microbial content (FIO and Vibrio spp. and Staphylococcus aureus) of microplastics (fragments and pellets) collected from seven beaches of the oceanic island of Tenerife, in the Canary Islands (Spain), was determined. (3) Results showed that Escherichia coli was present in 57.1% of the fragments and 28.5% of the pellets studied. In the case of intestinal Enterococci, 85.7% of the fragments and 57.1% of the pellets tested positive for this parameter. Finally, 100% of the fragments and 42.8% of the pellets analyzed from the different beaches contained Vibrio spp. (4) This study shows that microplastics act as reservoirs of microorganisms that can increase the presence of bacteria indicating faecal and pathogenic contamination in bathing areas.
Keywords: microorganisms; microplastics; beach; public health; emerging pathogenic microorganisms microorganisms; microplastics; beach; public health; emerging pathogenic microorganisms

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MDPI and ACS Style

Hernández-Sánchez, C.; Pestana-Ríos, Á.A.; Villanova-Solano, C.; Domínguez-Hernández, C.; Díaz-Peña, F.J.; Rodríguez-Álvarez, C.; Lecuona, M.; Arias, Á. Bacterial Colonization of Microplastics at the Beaches of an Oceanic Island, Tenerife, Canary Islands. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20, 3951. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20053951

AMA Style

Hernández-Sánchez C, Pestana-Ríos ÁA, Villanova-Solano C, Domínguez-Hernández C, Díaz-Peña FJ, Rodríguez-Álvarez C, Lecuona M, Arias Á. Bacterial Colonization of Microplastics at the Beaches of an Oceanic Island, Tenerife, Canary Islands. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2023; 20(5):3951. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20053951

Chicago/Turabian Style

Hernández-Sánchez, Cintia, Ángel Antonio Pestana-Ríos, Cristina Villanova-Solano, Cristopher Domínguez-Hernández, Francisco Javier Díaz-Peña, Cristobalina Rodríguez-Álvarez, María Lecuona, and Ángeles Arias. 2023. "Bacterial Colonization of Microplastics at the Beaches of an Oceanic Island, Tenerife, Canary Islands" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 20, no. 5: 3951. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20053951

APA Style

Hernández-Sánchez, C., Pestana-Ríos, Á. A., Villanova-Solano, C., Domínguez-Hernández, C., Díaz-Peña, F. J., Rodríguez-Álvarez, C., Lecuona, M., & Arias, Á. (2023). Bacterial Colonization of Microplastics at the Beaches of an Oceanic Island, Tenerife, Canary Islands. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(5), 3951. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20053951

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