An Overview of the Impact of Pharmaceuticals on Aquatic Microbial Communities
Pharmaceuticals are present as pollutants in several ecosystems worldwide. Despite the reduced concentrations at which they are detected, their negative impact on natural biota constitutes a global concern. The consequences of pharmaceuticals’ presence in water sources and food have been evaluated w...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-11-01
|
| Series: | Antibiotics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/11/12/1700 |
| _version_ | 1797461805754220544 |
|---|---|
| author | Isabel Pinto Manuel Simões Inês B. Gomes |
| author_facet | Isabel Pinto Manuel Simões Inês B. Gomes |
| author_sort | Isabel Pinto |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Pharmaceuticals are present as pollutants in several ecosystems worldwide. Despite the reduced concentrations at which they are detected, their negative impact on natural biota constitutes a global concern. The consequences of pharmaceuticals’ presence in water sources and food have been evaluated with a higher detail for human health. However, although most of the pharmaceuticals detected in the environment had not been designed to act against microorganisms, it is of utmost importance to understand their impact on the environmental native microbiota. Microbial communities can suffer serious consequences from the presence of pharmaceuticals as pollutants in the environment, which may directly impact public health and ecosystem equilibrium. Among this class of pollutants, the ones that have been studied in more detail are antibiotics. This work aims to provide an overview of the impacts of different pharmaceuticals on environmental biofilms, more specifically in biofilms from aquatic ecosystems and engineered water systems. The alterations caused in the biofilm function and characteristics, as well as bacteria antimicrobial tolerance and consequently the associated risks for public health, are also reviewed. Despite the information already available on this topic, the need for additional data urges the assessment of emerging pollutants on microbial communities and the potential public health impacts. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T17:24:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f871f5f71ca644f0a0606d720b3b88ee |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-6382 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T17:24:35Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Antibiotics |
| spelling | doaj.art-f871f5f71ca644f0a0606d720b3b88ee2023-11-24T12:52:53ZengMDPI AGAntibiotics2079-63822022-11-011112170010.3390/antibiotics11121700An Overview of the Impact of Pharmaceuticals on Aquatic Microbial CommunitiesIsabel Pinto0Manuel Simões1Inês B. Gomes2LEPABE—Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, PortugalLEPABE—Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, PortugalLEPABE—Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, PortugalPharmaceuticals are present as pollutants in several ecosystems worldwide. Despite the reduced concentrations at which they are detected, their negative impact on natural biota constitutes a global concern. The consequences of pharmaceuticals’ presence in water sources and food have been evaluated with a higher detail for human health. However, although most of the pharmaceuticals detected in the environment had not been designed to act against microorganisms, it is of utmost importance to understand their impact on the environmental native microbiota. Microbial communities can suffer serious consequences from the presence of pharmaceuticals as pollutants in the environment, which may directly impact public health and ecosystem equilibrium. Among this class of pollutants, the ones that have been studied in more detail are antibiotics. This work aims to provide an overview of the impacts of different pharmaceuticals on environmental biofilms, more specifically in biofilms from aquatic ecosystems and engineered water systems. The alterations caused in the biofilm function and characteristics, as well as bacteria antimicrobial tolerance and consequently the associated risks for public health, are also reviewed. Despite the information already available on this topic, the need for additional data urges the assessment of emerging pollutants on microbial communities and the potential public health impacts.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/11/12/1700antimicrobial resistancebiofilmsecological interactionsemerging contaminantsmicrobial diversityone health |
| spellingShingle | Isabel Pinto Manuel Simões Inês B. Gomes An Overview of the Impact of Pharmaceuticals on Aquatic Microbial Communities Antibiotics antimicrobial resistance biofilms ecological interactions emerging contaminants microbial diversity one health |
| title | An Overview of the Impact of Pharmaceuticals on Aquatic Microbial Communities |
| title_full | An Overview of the Impact of Pharmaceuticals on Aquatic Microbial Communities |
| title_fullStr | An Overview of the Impact of Pharmaceuticals on Aquatic Microbial Communities |
| title_full_unstemmed | An Overview of the Impact of Pharmaceuticals on Aquatic Microbial Communities |
| title_short | An Overview of the Impact of Pharmaceuticals on Aquatic Microbial Communities |
| title_sort | overview of the impact of pharmaceuticals on aquatic microbial communities |
| topic | antimicrobial resistance biofilms ecological interactions emerging contaminants microbial diversity one health |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/11/12/1700 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT isabelpinto anoverviewoftheimpactofpharmaceuticalsonaquaticmicrobialcommunities AT manuelsimoes anoverviewoftheimpactofpharmaceuticalsonaquaticmicrobialcommunities AT inesbgomes anoverviewoftheimpactofpharmaceuticalsonaquaticmicrobialcommunities AT isabelpinto overviewoftheimpactofpharmaceuticalsonaquaticmicrobialcommunities AT manuelsimoes overviewoftheimpactofpharmaceuticalsonaquaticmicrobialcommunities AT inesbgomes overviewoftheimpactofpharmaceuticalsonaquaticmicrobialcommunities |