MSGID: 1:317/3 646ee4bc   
   PID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
   TID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
    Microplastics are harming gut health    
    Microplastic pollution is altering the gut microbiomes of wild seabirds,   
   and humans should be wary too    
      
     Date:   
         May 24, 2023   
     Source:   
         McGill University   
     Summary:   
         Scientists have found evidence that microplastics in the digestive   
         tract of seabirds altered the microbiome of the gut -- increasing   
         the presence of pathogens and antibiotic-resistant microbes,   
         while decreasing the beneficial bacteria found in the intestines.   
      
      
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   FULL STORY   
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   Scientists have been worried about the potential harms of microplastics   
   for years. These small plastic particles less than 5 mm in length have   
   been found everywhere because of plastic pollution -- from the Earth's   
   deep oceans to remote regions in Antarctica, and even the seafood we   
   eat. But, are microplastics really harmful?  An international team of   
   scientists, including researchers from McGill University, have found   
   evidence that microplastics in the digestive tract of seabirds altered   
   the microbiome of the gut -- increasing the presence of pathogens and   
   antibiotic-resistant microbes, while decreasing the beneficial bacteria   
   found in the intestines.   
      
   "Our findings reflect the circumstances of animals in the wild. Since   
   humans also uptake microplastics from the environment and through food,   
   this study should act as a warning for us," say the authors.   
      
   "The gut microbiome encompasses all the microbes in the gastrointestinal   
   tract, which help control the digestion of food, immune system, central   
   nervous system, and other bodily processes. It's a key indicator of   
   health and well- being," says Julia Baak, co-author of the study and a   
   PhD Candidate in the Department of Natural Resource Sciences at McGill   
   University.   
      
   To gain a better understanding of how species are affected by diets   
   chronically contaminated with microplastics, the scientists examined the   
   gut microbiome of two seabird species, the northern fulmar (Fulmarus   
   glacialis) and the Cory's shearwater (Calonectris borealis) that live   
   mainly on the high seas and feed on marine mollusks, crustaceans,   
   and fish.   
      
   "Until now there was little research on whether the amounts of   
   microplastics present in the natural environment have a negative impact   
   on the gut microbial health of affected species," says Gloria Fackelmann,   
   who conducted the study as part of her doctoral thesis at the Institute   
   of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics at Ulm University   
   in Germany.   
      
   In studying the seabirds, the researchers discovered that   
   microplastic ingestion changed the microbial communities throughout   
   the gastrointestinal tract of both seabird species. "The more   
   microplastics found in the gut, the fewer commensal bacteria could be   
   detected. Commensal bacteria supply their host with essential nutrients   
   and help defend the host against opportunistic pathogens. Disturbances   
   can impair many health-related processes and may lead to diseases in   
   the host," says Fackelmann.   
      
   According to the researchers, most studies exploring the impact of   
   microplastics on the microbiome are done in labs using very high   
   concentrations of microplastics. "By studying animals in the wild,   
   our research shows that changes in the microbiome can occur at lower   
   concentrations that are already present in the natural environment,"   
   says Fackelmann.   
      
       * RELATED_TOPICS   
             o Health_&_Medicine   
                   # Gastrointestinal_Problems # Ulcers # Colitis #   
                   Medical_Topics   
             o Earth_&_Climate   
                   # Ecology # Environmental_Awareness # Pollution #   
                   Environmental_Issues   
       * RELATED_TERMS   
             o Microorganism o Gastrointestinal_tract o Pathogen o   
             Antibiotic_resistance o Colostrum o Escherichia_coli o Bacteria   
             o Flatulence   
      
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   Story Source: Materials provided by McGill_University. Note: Content   
   may be edited for style and length.   
      
      
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   Journal Reference:   
      1. Gloria Fackelmann, Christopher K. Pham, Yasmina Rodri'guez, Mark L.   
      
         Mallory, Jennifer F. Provencher, Julia E. Baak, Simone   
         Sommer. Current levels of microplastic pollution impact wild   
         seabird gut microbiomes.   
      
         Nature Ecology & Evolution, 2023; 7 (5): 698 DOI:   
         10.1038/s41559-023- 02013-z   
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   Link to news story:   
   https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/05/230524181926.htm   
      
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