DOI: 10.5061/dryad.9zw3r22mx
title: Plastisphere as a vector for pathogens

description: There is growing evidence that plastic particles can accumulate
 microorganisms that are pathogenic to humans or animals. In the current
 study, the composition of the plastispheres that accumulated on
 polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and high-density
 polyethylene (HDPE) pieces submerged in a river in the southeast Norway
 was characterized by 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Seasonal and
 geographical effects on the bacterial composition of the plastispheres
 were identified, in addition to the detection of potential foodborne
 pathogenic bacteria and viruses as part of the plastisphere. The diversity
 and taxonomic composition of the plastispheres were influenced by the
 number of weeks in the river, the season, and the location. The bacterial
 diversity differed significantly in the plastispheres from June and
 September, with a generally higher diversity in June. Also, the community
 composition of the plastispheres was significantly influenced by the
 geographical location, while the type of plastic had less impact. Plastics
 submerged in river water assembled a variety of microorganisms including
 potentially pathogenic bacteria and viruses (noro- and adenovirus)
 detected by qPCR. Cultivation methods detected viable bacteria such as E.
 coli and L. monocytogenes. The results highlight the need for additional
 research on the risk of contaminating food with plastic particles
 colonized with human pathogens through irrigation water.
description: # 16S rRNA amplicon seq The dataset contains reads of 16S RNA amplicon
 sequencing samples from plastic-associated biofilm from a freshwater
 environment. The samples are designated to four variables; plastic types,
 time in the water, location, and month of sampling. ## Description of the
 data and file structure Three different plastic types were used. Biofilms
 were harvested after two and four weeks in the water at two different
 locations. The sampling was repeated in June and September. the data
 consists of 72 samples, and there are three replicates of each samples.
 The table below shows the metadata of each sample. | #Name | #Plastic |
 #Location | #Duration | #Month | | ----- | -------- | --------- |
 --------- | ------ | | A23 | PP | Loc1 | 2 weeks | June  | | A24 | PP |
 Loc1 | 2 weeks | June  | | A25 | PP | Loc1 | 2 weeks | June  | | A26 | PVC
 | Loc1 | 2 weeks | June  | | A27 | PVC | Loc1 | 2 weeks | June  | | A28 |
 PVC | Loc1 | 2 weeks | June  | | A29 | HDPE | Loc1 | 2 weeks | June  | |
 A30 | HDPE | Loc1 | 2 weeks | June  | | A31 | HDPE | Loc1 | 2 weeks |
 June  | | A33 | PP | Loc2 | 2 weeks | June  | | A34 | PP | Loc2 | 2 weeks
 | June  | | A35 | PP | Loc2 | 2 weeks | June  | | A36 | PVC | Loc2 | 2
 weeks | June  | | A37 | PVC | Loc2 | 2 weeks | June  | | A38 | PVC | Loc2
 | 2 weeks | June  | | A39 | HDPE | Loc2 | 2 weeks | June  | | A40 | HDPE |
 Loc2 | 2 weeks | June  | | A41 | HDPE | Loc2 | 2 weeks | June  | | B65 |
 PP | Loc1 | 4 weeks | June  | | B66 | PP | Loc1 | 4 weeks | June  | | B67
 | PP | Loc1 | 4 weeks | June  | | B68 | PVC | Loc1 | 4 weeks | June  | |
 B69 | PVC | Loc1 | 4 weeks | June  | | B70 | PVC | Loc1 | 4 weeks | June 
 | | B71 | HDPE | Loc1 | 4 weeks | June  | | B75 | HDPE | Loc1 | 4 weeks |
 June  | | B76 | HDPE | Loc1 | 4 weeks | June  | | B77 | PP | Loc2 | 4
 weeks | June  | | B78 | PP | Loc2 | 4 weeks | June  | | B79 | PP | Loc2 |
 4 weeks | June  | | B80 | PVC | Loc2 | 4 weeks | June  | | B81 | PVC |
 Loc2 | 4 weeks | June  | | B82 | PVC | Loc2 | 4 weeks | June  | | B85 |
 HDPE | Loc2 | 4 weeks | June  | | B86 | HDPE | Loc2 | 4 weeks | June  | |
 B87 | HDPE | Loc2 | 4 weeks | June  | | C192 | PP | Loc1 | 2 weeks |
 September | | C193 | PP | Loc1 | 2 weeks | September | | C194 | PP | Loc1
 | 2 weeks | September | | C195 | PVC | Loc1 | 2 weeks | September | | C196
 | PVC | Loc1 | 2 weeks | September | | C197 | PVC | Loc1 | 2 weeks |
 September | | C200 | HDPE | Loc1 | 2 weeks | September | | C201 | HDPE |
 Loc1 | 2 weeks | September | | C202 | HDPE | Loc1 | 2 weeks | September |
 | C203 | PP | Loc2 | 2 weeks | September | | C204 | PP | Loc2 | 2 weeks |
 September | | C205 | PP | Loc2 | 2 weeks | September | | C206 | PVC | Loc2
 | 2 weeks | September | | C207 | PVC | Loc2 | 2 weeks | September | | C208
 | PVC | Loc2 | 2 weeks | September | | C210 | HDPE | Loc2 | 2 weeks |
 September | | C211 | HDPE | Loc2 | 2 weeks | September | | C212 | HDPE |
 Loc2 | 2 weeks | September | | D213 | PP | Loc1 | 4 weeks | September | |
 D214 | PP | Loc1 | 4 weeks | September | | D215 | PP | Loc1 | 4 weeks |
 September | | D216 | PVC | Loc1 | 4 weeks | September | | D217 | PVC |
 Loc1 | 4 weeks | September | | D218 | PVC | Loc1 | 4 weeks | September | |
 D219 | HDPE | Loc1 | 4 weeks | September | | D220 | HDPE | Loc1 | 4 weeks
 | September | | D221 | HDPE | Loc1 | 4 weeks | September | | D222 | PP |
 Loc2 | 4 weeks | September | | D223 | PP | Loc2 | 4 weeks | September | |
 D224 | PP | Loc2 | 4 weeks | September | | D225 | PVC | Loc2 | 4 weeks |
 September | | D226 | PVC | Loc2 | 4 weeks | September | | D227 | PVC |
 Loc2 | 4 weeks | September | | D228 | HDPE | Loc2 | 4 weeks | September |
 | D229 | HDPE | Loc2 | 4 weeks | September | | D230 | HDPE | Loc2 | 4
 weeks | September |