Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1893/23271
Appears in Collections:Biological and Environmental Sciences Journal Articles
Peer Review Status: Refereed
Title: Microbial hitchhikers on marine plastic debris: Human exposure risks at bathing waters and beach environments
Author(s): Keswani, Anisha
Oliver, David
Gutierrez, Tony
Quilliam, Richard
Contact Email: david.oliver@stir.ac.uk
Keywords: Marine plastic debris
Microplastics
Biofilms
Pathogens
Bathing water quality
Public health
Issue Date: Jul-2016
Date Deposited: 30-May-2016
Citation: Keswani A, Oliver D, Gutierrez T & Quilliam R (2016) Microbial hitchhikers on marine plastic debris: Human exposure risks at bathing waters and beach environments. Marine Environmental Research, 118, pp. 10-19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2016.04.006
Abstract: Marine plastic debris is well characterized in terms of its ability to negatively impact terrestrial and marine environments, endanger coastal wildlife, and interfere with navigation, tourism and commercial fisheries. However, the impacts of potentially harmful microorganisms and pathogens colonising plastic litter are not well understood. The hard surface of plastics provides an ideal environment for opportunistic microbial colonisers to form biofilms and might offer a protective niche capable of supporting a diversity of different microorganisms, known as the “Plastisphere”. This biotope could act as an important vector for the persistence and spread of pathogens, faecal indicator organisms (FIOs) and harmful algal bloom species (HABs) across beach and bathing environments. This review will focus on the existent knowledge and research gaps, and identify the possible consequences of plastic-associated microbes on human health, the spread of infectious diseases and bathing water quality.
DOI Link: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2016.04.006
Rights: This item has been embargoed for a period. During the embargo please use the Request a Copy feature at the foot of the Repository record to request a copy directly from the author. You can only request a copy if you wish to use this work for your own research or private study. Accepted refereed manuscript of: Keswani A, Oliver D, Gutierrez T & Quilliam R (2016) Microbial hitchhikers on marine plastic debris: Human exposure risks at bathing waters and beach environments, Marine Environmental Research, 118, pp. 10-19. DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2016.04.006 © 2016, Elsevier. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Licence URL(s): http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Files in This Item:
File Description SizeFormat 
Keswani_Corrected_ms_FINAL.pdfFulltext - Accepted Version510.75 kBAdobe PDFView/Open



This item is protected by original copyright



A file in this item is licensed under a Creative Commons License Creative Commons

Items in the Repository are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.

The metadata of the records in the Repository are available under the CC0 public domain dedication: No Rights Reserved https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

If you believe that any material held in STORRE infringes copyright, please contact library@stir.ac.uk providing details and we will remove the Work from public display in STORRE and investigate your claim.