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Meng Q, Zhang Y, He D, Xia Y, Fu J, Dang C. Metagenomic perspectives on antibiotic resistance genes in tap water: The environmental characteristic, potential mobility and health threat. J Environ Sci (China) 2025; 147:582-596. [PMID: 39003073 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2023.12.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2023] [Revised: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2024]
Abstract
As an emerging environmental contaminant, antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in tap water have attracted great attention. Although studies have provided ARG profiles in tap water, research on their abundance levels, composition characteristics, and potential threat is still insufficient. Here, 9 household tap water samples were collected from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) in China. Additionally, 75 sets of environmental sample data (9 types) were downloaded from the public database. Metagenomics was then performed to explore the differences in the abundance and composition of ARGs. 221 ARG subtypes consisting of 17 types were detected in tap water. Although the ARG abundance in tap water was not significantly different from that found in drinking water plants and reservoirs, their composition varied. In tap water samples, the three most abundant classes of resistance genes were multidrug, fosfomycin and MLS (macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin) ARGs, and their corresponding subtypes ompR, fosX and macB were also the most abundant ARG subtypes. Regarding the potential mobility, vanS had the highest abundance on plasmids and viruses, but the absence of key genes rendered resistance to vancomycin ineffective. Generally, the majority of ARGs present in tap water were those that have not been assessed and are currently not listed as high-threat level ARG families based on the World Health Organization Guideline. Although the current potential threat to human health posed by ARGs in tap water is limited, with persistent transfer and accumulation, especially in pathogens, the potential danger to human health posed by ARGs should not be ignored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiyue Meng
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Yibo Zhang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Da He
- Key Laboratory of Ecological Impacts of Hydraulic Projects and Restoration of Aquatic Ecosystem of Ministry of Water Resources, Institute of Hydroecology, Ministry of Water Resources & Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Yu Xia
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Jie Fu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Chenyuan Dang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China.
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2
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Błaszczyk W, Siatecka A, Tlustoš P, Oleszczuk P. Occurrence and dissipation mechanisms of organic contaminants during sewage sludge anaerobic digestion: A critical review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 945:173517. [PMID: 38821290 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
Sewage sludge, a complex mixture of contaminants and pathogenic agents, necessitates treatment or stabilization like anaerobic digestion (AD) before safe disposal. AD-derived products (solid digestate and liquid fraction) can be used as fertilizers. During AD, biogas is also produced, and used for energy purposes. All these fractions can be contaminated with various compounds, whose amount depends on the feedstocks used in AD (and their mutual proportions). This paper reviews studies on the distribution of organic contaminants across AD fractions (solid digestate, liquid fraction, and biogas), delving into the mechanisms behind contaminant dissipation and proposing future research directions. AD proves to be a relatively effective method for removing polychlorinated biphenyls, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, pharmaceuticals, antibiotic resistance genes and hydrocarbons. Contaminants are predominantly removed through biodegradation, but many compounds, especially hydrophobic (e.g. per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), are also sorbed onto digestate particles. The process of sorption is suggested to reduce the bioavailability of contaminants. As a result of sorption, contaminants accumulate in the largest amount in the solid digestate, whereas in smaller amounts in the other AD products. Polar pharmaceuticals (e.g. metformin) are particularly leached, while volatile methylsiloxanes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, characterized by a high Henry's law constant, are volatilized into the biogas. The removal of compounds can be affected by AD operational parameters, the type of sludge, physicochemical properties of contaminants, and the sludge pretreatment used.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wiktoria Błaszczyk
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Food Science and Biotechnology, University of Life Sciences, 15 Akademicka Street, 20-950 Lublin, Poland
| | - Anna Siatecka
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Food Science and Biotechnology, University of Life Sciences, 15 Akademicka Street, 20-950 Lublin, Poland
| | - Pavel Tlustoš
- Department of Agro-Environmental Chemistry and Plant Nutrition, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, 129 Kamýcká Street, Praha 6 - Suchdol 165 00, Czech Republic
| | - Patryk Oleszczuk
- Department of Radiochemistry and Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Chemistry, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, 3 Maria Curie-Sklodowska Square, 20-031 Lublin, Poland.
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Wang X, Li J, Pan X. How micro-/nano-plastics influence the horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes - A review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 944:173881. [PMID: 38871331 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2024] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
Plastic debris such as microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPTs), along with antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), are pervasive in the environment and are recognized as significant global health and ecological concerns. Micro-/nano-plastics (MNPs) have been demonstrated to favor the spread of ARGs by enhancing the frequency of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) through various pathways. This paper comprehensively and systematically reviews the current study with focus on the influence of plastics on the HGT of ARGs. The critical role of MNPs in the HGT of ARGs has been well illustrated in sewage sludge, livestock farms, constructed wetlands and landfill leachate. A summary of the performed HGT assay and the underlying mechanism of plastic-mediated transfer of ARGs is presented in the paper. MNPs could facilitate or inhibit HGT of ARGs, and their effects depend on the type, size, and concentration. This review provides a comprehensive insight into the effects of MNPs on the HGT of ARGs, and offers suggestions for further study. Further research should attempt to develop a standard HGT assay and focus on investigating the impact of different plastics, including the oligomers they released, under real environmental conditions on the HGT of ARGs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaonan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology for Industrial Pollution Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China; Key Laboratory of Pollution Exposure and Health Intervention of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310015, China; School of Environment Science and Spatial Information, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China; Shaoxing Research Institute of Zhejiang University of Technology, Shaoxing 312000, China
| | - Jiahao Li
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology for Industrial Pollution Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China
| | - Xiangliang Pan
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology for Industrial Pollution Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China.
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Yu K, Hei S, Li P, Chen P, Yang J, He Y. Removal of intracellular and extracellular antibiotic resistance genes and virulence factor genes using electricity-intensified constructed wetlands. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 475:134749. [PMID: 38876012 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2024] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024]
Abstract
Constructed wetland (CW) is considered a promising technology for the removal of emerging contaminants. However, its removal performance for antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) is not efficient and influence of virulence factor genes (VFGs) have not been elucidated. Here, removal of intracellular and extracellular ARGs as well as VFGs by electricity-intensified CWs was comprehensively evaluated. The two electrolysis-intensified CWs can improve the removal of intracellular ARGs and MGEs to 0.96- and 0.85-logs, respectively. But cell-free extracellular ARGs (CF-eARGs) were significantly enriched with 1.8-logs in the electrolysis-intensified CW. Interestingly, adding Fe-C microelectrolysis to the electrolysis-intensified CW is conducive to the reduction of CF-eARGs. However, the detected number and relative abundances of intracellular and extracellular VFGs were increased in all of the three CWs. The biofilms attached onto the substrates and rhizosphere are also hotspots of both intracellular and particle-associated extracellular ARGs and VFGs. Structural equation models and correlation analysis indicated that ARGs and VFGs were significantly cooccurred, suggesting that VFGs may affect the dynamics of ARGs. The phenotypes of VFGs, such as biofilm, may act as protective matrix for ARGs, hindering the removal of resistance genes. Our results provide novel insights into the ecological remediation technologies to enhance the removal of ARGs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaifeng Yu
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China; NUS Environmental Research Institute, National University of Singapore, 5A Engineering Drive 1, 117411, Singapore; Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), National University of Singapore, 1 CREATE Way, 138602, Singapore
| | - Shenglei Hei
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Lanzhou Jiao Tong University, 118 West Anning Road, Lanzhou City 730070, China
| | - Peng Li
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Ping Chen
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Jinghan Yang
- Shanghai Waterway Engineering Design and Consulting Co., Ltd., Shanghai 200120, China
| | - Yiliang He
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China; Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), National University of Singapore, 1 CREATE Way, 138602, Singapore; China-UK Low Carbon College, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China.
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Zhang X, Ma L, Zhang XX. Neglected risks of enhanced antimicrobial resistance and pathogenicity in anaerobic digestion during transition from thermophilic to mesophilic. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 475:134886. [PMID: 38878435 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2024] [Revised: 06/05/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
Minimization of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and potential pathogenic antibiotic-resistant bacteria (PARB) during anaerobic digestion (AD) is significantly impacted by temperature. However, knowledge on how ARGs and PARB respond to temperature transition from thermophilic to mesophilic is limited. Here, we combined metagenomic-based with culture-based approaches and revealed the risks of antimicrobial resistance and pathogenicity during transition from 55 °C to 35 °C for AD, with strategies of sharp (ST, one-step by 20 °C/d) and mild (MT, step-wise by 1 °C/d). Results indicated a lower decrease in methane production with MT (by 38.9%) than ST (by 88.8%). Phenotypic assays characterized a significant propagation of multi-resistant lactose-fermenting Enterobacteriaceae and indicator pathogens after both transitions, especially via ST. Further genomic evidence indicated a significant increase of ARGs (29.4-fold), virulence factor genes (1.8-fold) and PARB (65.3-fold) after ST, while slight enrichment via MT. Bacterial succession and enhanced horizontal transfer mediated by mobile genetic elements promoted ARG propagation in AD during transition, which was synchronously exacerbated through horizontal transfer mechanisms mediated by cellular physiological responses (oxidative stress, membrane permeability, bacterial conjugation and transformation) and co-selection mechanisms of biomethanation metabolic functions (acidogenesis and acetogenesis). This study reveals temperature-dependent resistome and pathogenicity development in AD, facilitating microbial risk control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingxing Zhang
- Shanghai Key Lab for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Biotransformation of Organic Solid Waste, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, PR China
| | - Liping Ma
- Shanghai Key Lab for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Biotransformation of Organic Solid Waste, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, PR China; Technology Innovation Center for Land Spatial Eco-restoration in Metropolitan Area, Ministry of Natural Resources, Shanghai 200062, PR China.
| | - Xu-Xiang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, PR China
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Guo J, Qiu X, Xie YG, Hua ZS, Wang Y. Regulation of intracellular process by two-component systems: Exploring the mechanism of plasmid-mediated conjugative transfer. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 259:121855. [PMID: 38838482 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Revised: 05/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Plasmid-mediated conjugative transfer facilitates the dissemination of antibiotic resistance, yet the comprehensive regulatory mechanisms governing this process remain elusive. Herein, we established pure bacteria and activated sludge conjugation system to investigate the regulatory mechanisms of conjugative transfer, leveraging metformin as an exogenous agent. Transcriptomic analysis unveiled that substantial upregulation of genes associated with the two-component system (e.g., AcrB/AcrA, EnvZ/Omp, and CpxA/CpxR) upon exposure to metformin. Furthermore, downstream regulators of the two-component system, including reactive oxygen species (ROS), cytoplasmic membrane permeability, and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production, were enhanced by 1.7, 1.4 and 1.1 times, respectively, compared to the control group under 0.1 mg/L metformin exposure. Moreover, flow sorting and high-throughput sequencing revealed increased microbial community diversity among transconjugants in activated sludge systems. Notably, the antibacterial potential of human pathogenic bacteria (e.g., Bacteroides, Escherichia-Shigella, and Lactobacillus) was augmented, posing a potential threat to human health. Our findings shed light on the spread of antibiotic resistance bacteria and assess the ecological risks associated with plasmid-mediated conjugative transfer in wastewater treatment systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Guo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Xiao Qiu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Yuan-Guo Xie
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Zheng-Shuang Hua
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Yunkun Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China.
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Gao Z, Cao M, Ma S, Geng H, Li J, Xu Q, Sun K, Wang F. Sulfadiazine proliferated antibiotic resistance genes in the phycosphere of Chlorella pyrenoidosa: Insights from bacterial communities and microalgal metabolites. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 473:134679. [PMID: 38795485 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/28/2024]
Abstract
The phycosphere is an essential ecological niche for the proliferation of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). However, how ARGs' potential hosts change and the driving mechanism of metabolites under antibiotic stress in the phycosphere have seldom been researched. We investigated the response of Chlorella pyrenoidosa and the structure and abundance of free-living (FL) and particle-attached (PA) bacteria, ARGs, and metabolites under sulfadiazine by using real-time quantitative PCR, 16 S rRNA high-throughput. The linkage of key bacterial communities, ARGs, and metabolites through correlations was established. Through analysis of physiological indicators, Chlorella pyrenoidosa displayed a pattern of "low-dose promotion and high-dose inhibition" under antibiotic stress. ARGs were enriched in the PA treatment groups by 117 %. At the phylum level, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria as potential hosts for ARGs. At the genus level, potential hosts included Sphingopyxis, SM1A02, Aquimonas, Vitellibacter, and Proteiniphilum. Middle and high antibiotic concentrations induced the secretion of metabolites closely related to potential hosts by algae, such as phytosphingosine, Lysophosphatidylcholine, and α-Linolenic acid. Therefore, changes in bacterial communities indirectly influenced the distribution of ARGs through alterations in metabolic products. These findings offer essential details about the mechanisms behind the spread and proliferation of ARGs in the phycosphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziqi Gao
- School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Manman Cao
- School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Shuai Ma
- School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing 100875, China.
| | - Huanhuan Geng
- School of Energy & Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, 30 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Junhong Li
- School of Energy & Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, 30 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Qing Xu
- School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Ke Sun
- School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Fei Wang
- School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing 100875, China.
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Lv B, Jiang C, Han Y, Wu D, Jin L, Zhu G, An T, Shi J. Diverse bacterial hosts and potential risk of antibiotic resistomes in ship ballast water revealed by metagenomic binning. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 253:119056. [PMID: 38704005 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.119056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2024] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
Ship ballast water promoting the long-range migration of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) has raised a great concern. This study attempted to reveal ARGs profile in ballast water and decipher their hosts and potential risk using metagenomic approaches. In total, 710 subtypes across 26 ARG types were identified among the ballast water samples from 13 ships of 11 countries and regions, and multidrug resistance genes were the most dominant ARGs. The composition of ARGs were obviously different across samples, and only 5% of the ARG subtypes were shared by all samples. Procrustes analysis showed the bacterial community contributed more than the mobile genetic elements (MGEs) in shaping the antibiotic resistome. Further, 79 metagenome-assembled genomes (46 genera belong to four phyla) were identified as ARG hosts, with predominantly affiliated with the Proteobacteria. Notably, potential human pathogens (Alcaligenes, Mycolicibacterium, Rhodococcus and Pseudomonas) were also recognized as the ARG hosts. Above 30% of the ARGs hosts contained the MGEs simultaneously, supporting a pronounced horizontal gene transfer capability. A total of 43 subtypes (six percent of overall ARGs) of ARGs were assessed with high-risk, of which 23 subtypes belonged to risk Rank I (including rsmA, ugd, etc.) and 20 subtypes to the risk Rank II (including aac(6)-I, sul1, etc.). In addition, antibiotic resistance risk index indicated the risk of ARGs in ballast water from choke points of maritime trade routes was significantly higher than that from other regions. Overall, this study offers insights for risk evaluation and management of antibiotic resistance in ballast water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baoyi Lv
- College of Ocean Science and Engineering, Shanghai Maritime University, Shanghai, 201306, China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Biotransformation of Organic Solid Waste, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Changhai Jiang
- College of Ocean Science and Engineering, Shanghai Maritime University, Shanghai, 201306, China
| | | | - Dong Wu
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Biotransformation of Organic Solid Waste, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Ling Jin
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hung Hom, Hong Kong
| | - Guorong Zhu
- College of Ocean Science and Engineering, Shanghai Maritime University, Shanghai, 201306, China
| | - Tingxuan An
- College of Ocean Science and Engineering, Shanghai Maritime University, Shanghai, 201306, China
| | - Jianhong Shi
- College of Ocean Science and Engineering, Shanghai Maritime University, Shanghai, 201306, China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Biotransformation of Organic Solid Waste, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China.
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9
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Aladekoyi O, Siddiqui S, Hania P, Hamza R, Gilbride K. Accumulation of antibiotics in the environment: Have appropriate measures been taken to protect Canadian human and ecological health? ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2024; 280:116513. [PMID: 38820820 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.116513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
In Canada, every day, contaminants of emerging concern (CEC) are discharged from waste treatment facilities into freshwaters. CECs such as pharmaceutical active compounds (PhACs), personal care products (PCPs), per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and microplastics are legally discharged from sewage treatment plants (STPs), water reclamation plants (WRPs), hospital wastewater treatment plants (HWWTPs), or other forms of wastewater treatment facilities (WWTFs). In 2006, the Government of Canada established the Chemicals Management Plan (CMP) to classify chemicals based on a risk-priority assessment, which ranked many CECs such as PhACs as being of low urgency, therefore permitting these substances to continue being released into the environment at unmonitored rates. The problem with ranking PhACs as a low priority is that CMP's risk management assessment overlooks the long-term environmental and synergistic effects of PhAC accumulation, such as the long-term risk of antibiotic CEC accumulation in the spread of antibiotic resistance genes. The goal of this review is to specifically investigate antibiotic CEC accumulation and associated environmental risks to human and environmental health, as well as to determine whether appropriate legislative strategies are in place within Canada's governance framework. In this research, secondary data on antibiotic CEC levels in Canadian and international wastewaters, their potential to promote antibiotic-resistant residues, associated environmental short- and long-term risks, and synergistic effects were all considered. Unlike similar past reviews, this review employed an interdisciplinary approach to propose new strategies from the perspectives of science, engineering, and law.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oluwatosin Aladekoyi
- Department of Chemistry and Biology, Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University), Canada
| | - Salsabil Siddiqui
- Department of Chemistry and Biology, Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University), Canada
| | - Patricia Hania
- Department of Business and Law, Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University), Canada; TMU Urban Water, Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University), Canada
| | - Rania Hamza
- Department of Civil Engineering, Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University), Canada; TMU Urban Water, Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University), Canada
| | - Kimberley Gilbride
- Department of Chemistry and Biology, Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University), Canada; TMU Urban Water, Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University), Canada.
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Zhou CS, Cao GL, Liu BF, Liu W, Ma WL, Ren NQ. Deciphering the reduction of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) during medium-chain fatty acids production from waste activated sludge: Driven by inhibition of ARGs transmission and shift of microbial community. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 473:134676. [PMID: 38788579 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 02/18/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
Medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) production from waste activated sludge (WAS) by chain extension (CE) is a promising technology. However, the effects and mechanisms of CE process on the fate of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) remain unclear. In this study, the results showed that the removal efficiency of ARGs was 81.15 % in CE process, suggesting its efficacy in reducing environmental risks. Further, the observed decrease in mobile genetic elements (MGEs) indicated that CE process restricted the horizontal gene transfer (HGT). Complementing this, the increase in soluble organic matters and extracellular 16 S rDNA confirmed that MCFAs production caused bacterial damage. Decreased intracellular ARGs and increased extracellular ARGs further revealed that MCFAs production impaired ARGs hosts, thereby limiting the vertical gene transfer (VGT) of ARGs. Shift of microbial community combined with co-occurrence network analysis demonstrated that functional bacteria without host potential for ARGs were enriched, but potential ARGs and MGEs hosts decreased, showing the role of functional bacterial phylogeny and selection pressure of MCFAs in reducing ARGs. Finally, partial least squares path model was used to systematic verify the mechanism of ARGs removal in CE process, which was attributed to the inhibition of ARGs transmission (HGT and VGT) and shift of microbial community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Shuang Zhou
- National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Biomass Energy Development and Utilization, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Guang-Li Cao
- National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Biomass Energy Development and Utilization, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China.
| | - Bing-Feng Liu
- National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Biomass Energy Development and Utilization, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Wei Liu
- Heilongjiang Institute of Energy and Environment, Harbin 150007, China
| | - Wan-Li Ma
- National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Biomass Energy Development and Utilization, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Nan-Qi Ren
- National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Biomass Energy Development and Utilization, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
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11
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Quon H, Jiang S. Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment of Antibiotic-Resistant E. coli, Legionella pneumophila, and Mycobacteria in Nonpotable Wastewater Reuse Applications. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024. [PMID: 39004818 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c01690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) have become a major threat to public health and modern medicine. A simple death kinetics-based dose-response model (SD-DRM) was incorporated into a quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) to assess the risks of exposure to reclaimed wastewater harboring antibiotic-resistant E. coli, Legionella pneumophila, and Mycobacterium avium for multiple exposure scenarios. The fractions of ARB and trace antibiotics present in the body were incorporated to demonstrate their impact on infection risks. Both ARB and antibiotic susceptible bacteria, ASB, are assumed to have the same dose-response in the absence of antibiotics but behave differently in the presence of residual antibiotics in the body. Annual risk of L. pneumophila infection exceeded the EPA 10-4 pppy (per person per year) benchmark at concentrations in reclaimed water greater than 103-104 CFU/L, depending on parameter variation. Enteropathogenic E. coli infection risks meet the EPA annual benchmark at concentrations around 105-106 total E. coli. The results illustrated that an increase in residual antibiotics from 0 to 40% of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) reduced the risk by about 1 order of magnitude for E. coli but was more likely to result in an untreatable infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hunter Quon
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Irvine, California 92697-2175, United States
| | - Sunny Jiang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Irvine, California 92697-2175, United States
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12
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Yuan Y, Gao J, Wang Z, Xu H, Zeng L, Fu X, Zhao Y. Exposure to zinc and dialkyldimethyl ammonium compound alters bacterial community structure and resistance gene levels in partial sulfur autotrophic denitrification coupled with the Anammox process. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 476:135070. [PMID: 38944986 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.135070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2024] [Revised: 06/26/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Dialkyldimethyl ammonium compound (DADMAC) is widely used in daily life as a typical disinfectant and often co-exists with the heavy metal zinc in sewage environments. This study investigated the effects of co-exposure to zinc (1 mg/L) and DADMAC (0.2-5 mg/L) on the performance, bacterial community, and resistance genes (RGs) in a partial sulfur autotrophic denitrification coupled with anaerobic ammonium oxidation (PSAD-Anammox) system in a sequencing batch moving bed biofilm reactor for 150 days. Co-exposure to zinc and low concentration (0.2 mg/L) DADMAC did not affect the nitrogen removal ability of the PASD-Anammox system, but increased the abundance and transmission risk of free RGs in water. Co-exposure to zinc and medium-to-high (2-5 mg/L) DADMAC led to fluctuations in and inhibition of nitrogen removal, which might be related to the enrichment of heterotrophic denitrifying bacteria dominated by Denitratisoma. Co-exposure to zinc and high concentration DADMAC (5 mg/L) stimulated the secretion of extracellular polymeric substances and increased the proliferation risk of intracellular RGs in sludge. This study provided insights into the application of PSAD-Anammox system and the ecological risks of wastewater containing zinc and DADMAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukun Yuan
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Department of Environmental Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Jingfeng Gao
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Department of Environmental Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China.
| | - Zhiqi Wang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Department of Environmental Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China; Institute of NBC Defense, P.O. Box 1048, Beijing 102205, China
| | - Hongxin Xu
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Department of Environmental Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Liqin Zeng
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Department of Environmental Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Xiaoyu Fu
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Department of Environmental Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Yifan Zhao
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Department of Environmental Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
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13
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Brown CL, Maile-Moskowitz A, Lopatkin AJ, Xia K, Logan LK, Davis BC, Zhang L, Vikesland PJ, Pruden A. Selection and horizontal gene transfer underlie microdiversity-level heterogeneity in resistance gene fate during wastewater treatment. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5412. [PMID: 38926391 PMCID: PMC11208604 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49742-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Activated sludge is the centerpiece of biological wastewater treatment, as it facilitates removal of sewage-associated pollutants, fecal bacteria, and pathogens from wastewater through semi-controlled microbial ecology. It has been hypothesized that horizontal gene transfer facilitates the spread of antibiotic resistance genes within the wastewater treatment plant, in part because of the presence of residual antibiotics in sewage. However, there has been surprisingly little evidence to suggest that sewage-associated antibiotics select for resistance at wastewater treatment plants via horizontal gene transfer or otherwise. We addressed the role of sewage-associated antibiotics in promoting antibiotic resistance using lab-scale sequencing batch reactors fed field-collected wastewater, metagenomic sequencing, and our recently developed bioinformatic tool Kairos. Here, we found confirmatory evidence that fluctuating levels of antibiotics in sewage are associated with horizontal gene transfer of antibiotic resistance genes, microbial ecology, and microdiversity-level differences in resistance gene fate in activated sludge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Connor L Brown
- Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, USA
| | | | | | - Kang Xia
- School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, USA
| | - Latania K Logan
- Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, USA
| | | | - Liqing Zhang
- Dept. of Computer Science, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, USA
| | - Peter J Vikesland
- Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, USA.
| | - Amy Pruden
- Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, USA.
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14
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Gong W, Guo L, Huang C, Xie B, Jiang M, Zhao Y, Zhang H, Wu Y, Liang H. A systematic review of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in mariculture wastewater: Antibiotics removal by microalgal-bacterial symbiotic system (MBSS), ARGs characterization on the metagenomic. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 930:172601. [PMID: 38657817 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Antibiotic residues in mariculture wastewater seriously affect the aquatic environment. Antibiotic Resistance Genes (ARGs) produced under antibiotic stress flow through the environment and eventually enter the human body, seriously affecting human health. Microalgal-bacterial symbiotic system (MBSS) can remove antibiotics from mariculture and reduce the flow of ARGs into the environment. This review encapsulates the present scenario of mariculture wastewater, the removal mechanism of MBSS for antibiotics, and the biomolecular information under metagenomic assay. When confronted with antibiotics, there was a notable augmentation in the extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) content within MBSS, along with a concurrent elevation in the proportion of protein (PN) constituents within the EPS, which limits the entry of antibiotics into the cellular interior. Quorum sensing stimulates the microorganisms to produce biological responses (DNA synthesis - for adhesion) through signaling. Oxidative stress promotes gene expression (coupling, conjugation) to enhance horizontal gene transfer (HGT) in MBSS. The microbial community under metagenomic detection is dominated by aerobic bacteria in the bacterial-microalgal system. Compared to aerobic bacteria, anaerobic bacteria had the significant advantage of decreasing the distribution of ARGs. Overall, MBSS exhibits remarkable efficacy in mitigating the challenges posed by antibiotics and resistant genes from mariculture wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weijia Gong
- School of Engineering, Northeast Agricultural University, 600 Changjiang Street, Xiangfang District, Harbin 150030, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment (SKLUWRE), Harbin Institute of Technology, 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, PR China.
| | - Lin Guo
- School of Engineering, Northeast Agricultural University, 600 Changjiang Street, Xiangfang District, Harbin 150030, PR China
| | - Chenxin Huang
- School of Engineering, Northeast Agricultural University, 600 Changjiang Street, Xiangfang District, Harbin 150030, PR China
| | - Binghan Xie
- School of Marine Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology at Weihai, Weihai 264209, PR China.
| | - Mengmeng Jiang
- School of Engineering, Northeast Agricultural University, 600 Changjiang Street, Xiangfang District, Harbin 150030, PR China
| | - Yuzhou Zhao
- School of Engineering, Northeast Agricultural University, 600 Changjiang Street, Xiangfang District, Harbin 150030, PR China
| | - Haotian Zhang
- School of Engineering, Northeast Agricultural University, 600 Changjiang Street, Xiangfang District, Harbin 150030, PR China
| | - YuXuan Wu
- School of Marine Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology at Weihai, Weihai 264209, PR China
| | - Heng Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment (SKLUWRE), Harbin Institute of Technology, 73 Huanghe Road, Nangang District, Harbin 150090, PR China
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15
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Li WJ, Li HZ, Xu J, Gillings MR, Zhu YG. Sewage Sludge Promotes the Accumulation of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Tomato Xylem. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:10796-10805. [PMID: 38853591 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c02497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Xylem serves as a conduit linking soil to the aboveground plant parts and facilitating the upward movement of microbes into leaves and fruits. Despite this potential, the composition of the xylem microbiome and its associated risks, including antibiotic resistance, are understudied. Here, we cultivated tomatoes and analyzed their xylem sap to assess the microbiome and antibiotic resistance profiles following treatment with sewage sludge. Our findings show that xylem microbes primarily originate from soil, albeit with reduced diversity in comparison to those of their soil microbiomes. Using single-cell Raman spectroscopy coupled with D2O labeling, we detected significantly higher metabolic activity in xylem microbes than in rhizosphere soil, with 87% of xylem microbes active compared to just 36% in the soil. Additionally, xylem was pinpointed as a reservoir for antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), with their abundance being 2.4-6.9 times higher than in rhizosphere soil. Sludge addition dramatically increased the abundance of ARGs in xylem and also increased their mobility and host pathogenicity. Xylem represents a distinct ecological niche for microbes and is a significant reservoir for ARGs. These results could be used to manage the resistome in crops and improve food safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Jing Li
- Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Hong-Zhe Li
- Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China
| | - Jiayang Xu
- Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Michael R Gillings
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia
| | - Yong-Guan Zhu
- Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
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16
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Blanco-Peña K, Quesada-Alvarado F, Salas-González D, Estrada-König S, Salom-Pérez R, Arroyo-Arce S, Villalobos-Araya A, Rivera-Castillo J, Martín-Maldonado B, Corrales-Gutiérrez D, Gallardo-Castro V, Gutiérrez-Espeleta G, Chaves A, Esperón F, Chaverri-Fonseca F. A multidisciplinary approach to analyze the antimicrobial resistance in natural ecosystems. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 251:118549. [PMID: 38412915 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) poses a global threat to both human health and environmental well-being. Our study delved into Costa Rican wildlife reserves, uncovering a substantial human impact on these ecosystems and underscoring the imperative to pinpoint AMR hotspots. Embracing a One Health perspective, we advocated for a comprehensive landscape analysis that intricately intertwined geographic, climatic, forest, and human factors. This study illuminated the link between laboratory results and observed patterns of antimicrobial use, thereby paving the way for sustainable solutions. Our innovative methodology involved deploying open-ended questions to explore antimicrobial usage across livestock activities, contributing to establishing a comprehensive methodology. Non-invasive sampling in wildlife emerged as a critical aspect, shedding light on areas contaminated by AMR. Feline species, positioned at the apex of the food chain, acted as sentinels for environmental health due to heightened exposure to improperly disposed waste. Regarding laboratory findings, each sample revealed the presence of at least one antimicrobial resistance gene (ARG). Notably, genes encoding resistance to tetracyclines dominated (94.9%), followed by beta-lactams (75.6%), sulfonamides (53.8%), aminoglycosides (51.3%), quinolones (44.9%), phenicols (25.6%), and macrolides (20.5%). Genes encoding polymyxins were not detected. Moreover, 66% of samples carried a multi-resistant microbiome, with 15% exhibiting resistance to three antimicrobial families and 51% to four. The absence of a correlation between forest coverage and ARG presence underscored the profound human impact on wildlife reserves, surpassing previous estimations. This environmental pressure could potentially modify microbiomes and resistomes in unknown ways. As not all antimicrobial families encoding ARGs were utilized by farmers, our next step involved evaluating other human activities to identify the primary sources of contamination. This comprehensive study contributed crucial insights into the intricate dynamics of AMR in natural ecosystems, paving the way for targeted interventions and sustainable coexistence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kinndle Blanco-Peña
- Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica. Instituto Regional de Estudios en Sustancias Tóxicas (IRET), Costa Rica.
| | - Francisco Quesada-Alvarado
- Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica. Instituto Regional de Estudios en Sustancias Tóxicas (IRET), Costa Rica
| | - Denis Salas-González
- Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica. Instituto Regional de Estudios en Sustancias Tóxicas (IRET), Costa Rica
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Bárbara Martín-Maldonado
- Veterinary Department, School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Universidad Europea de Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | | | - Andrea Chaves
- School of Biology, Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro, Costa Rica
| | - Fernando Esperón
- Veterinary Department, School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Universidad Europea de Madrid, Spain
| | - Fabio Chaverri-Fonseca
- Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica. Instituto Regional de Estudios en Sustancias Tóxicas (IRET), Costa Rica
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17
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Liu D, Zhang Z, Zhang Z, Yang J, Chen W, Liu B, Lu J. The fate of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in sewer sediments:Adsorption triggering resistance gene proliferation. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 471:134255. [PMID: 38669934 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
In recent years, large quantities of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) have been discharged into sewers, while the mechanisms of PPCPs enrichment in sewer sediments have rarely been revealed. In this study, three PPCPs (tetracycline, sulfamethoxazole, and triclocarban) were added consecutively over a 90-day experimental period to reveal the mechanisms of PPCPs enrichment and the transmission of resistance genes in sewer sediments. The results showed that tetracycline (TC) and triclocarban (TCC) have higher adsorption concentration in sediments compared to sulfamethoxazole (SMX). The absolute abundance of Tets and suls genes increased in sediments under PPCPs pressure. The increase in secretion of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and the loosening of the structure exposed a large number of hydrophobic functional groups, which promoted the adsorption of PPCPs. The absolute abundance of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), EPS and the content of PPCPs in sediments exhibited significant correlations. The enrichment of PPCPs in sediments was attributed to the accumulation of EPS, which led to the proliferation of ARGs. These findings contributed to further understanding of the fate of PPCPs in sewer sediments and opened a new perspective for consideration of controlling the proliferation of resistance genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duoduo Liu
- Environmental and Municipal Engineering Department, Xi' an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Zigeng Zhang
- Environmental and Municipal Engineering Department, Xi' an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Zhiqiang Zhang
- Environmental and Municipal Engineering Department, Xi' an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jing Yang
- Environmental and Municipal Engineering Department, Xi' an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Wentao Chen
- Environmental and Municipal Engineering Department, Xi' an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Bo Liu
- Environmental and Municipal Engineering Department, Xi' an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jinsuo Lu
- Environmental and Municipal Engineering Department, Xi' an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China; Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resources, Environment and Ecology, Ministry of Education, China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Shaanxi, China.
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18
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Asif A, Chen JS, Hussain B, Hsu GJ, Rathod J, Huang SW, Wu CC, Hsu BM. The escalating threat of human-associated infectious bacteria in surface aquatic resources: Insights into prevalence, antibiotic resistance, survival mechanisms, detection, and prevention strategies. JOURNAL OF CONTAMINANT HYDROLOGY 2024; 265:104371. [PMID: 38851127 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconhyd.2024.104371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2024] [Revised: 05/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024]
Abstract
Anthropogenic activities and climate change profoundly impact water quality, leading to a concerning increase in the prevalence and abundance of bacterial pathogens across diverse aquatic environments. This rise has resulted in a growing challenge concerning the safety of water sources, particularly surface waters and marine environments. This comprehensive review delves into the multifaceted challenges presented by bacterial pathogens, emphasizing threads to human health within ground and surface waters, including marine ecosystems. The exploration encompasses the intricate survival mechanisms employed by bacterial pathogens and the proliferation of antimicrobial resistance, largely driven by human-generated antibiotic contamination in aquatic systems. The review further addresses prevalent pathogenic bacteria, elucidating associated risk factors, exploring their eco-physiology, and discussing the production of potent toxins. The spectrum of detection techniques, ranging from conventional to cutting-edge molecular approaches, is thoroughly examined to underscore their significance in identifying and understanding waterborne bacterial pathogens. A critical aspect highlighted in this review is the imperative for real-time monitoring of biomarkers associated with waterborne bacterial pathogens. This monitoring serves as an early warning system, facilitating the swift implementation of action plans to preserve and protect global water resources. In conclusion, this comprehensive review provides fresh insights and perspectives, emphasizing the paramount importance of preserving the quality of aquatic resources to safeguard human health on a global scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aslia Asif
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, National Chung Cheng University, Chiayi County, Taiwan; Doctoral Program in Science, Technology, Environment, and Mathematics, National Chung Cheng University, Chiayi County, Taiwan
| | - Jung-Sheng Chen
- Department of Medical Research, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Bashir Hussain
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, National Chung Cheng University, Chiayi County, Taiwan
| | - Gwo-Jong Hsu
- Division of Infectious Disease and Department of Internal Medicine, Chiayi Christian Hospital, Chiayi, Taiwan
| | - Jagat Rathod
- Department of Environmental Biotechnology, Gujarat Biotechnology University, Near Gujarat International Finance and Tec (GIFT)-City, Gandhinagar 382355, Gujarat, India
| | - Shih-Wei Huang
- Institute of Environmental Toxin and Emerging Contaminant, Cheng Shiu University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Center for Environmental Toxin and Emerging Contaminant Research, Cheng Shiu University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Chin-Chia Wu
- Division of Colorectal Surgery, Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Chiayi, Taiwan
| | - Bing-Mu Hsu
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, National Chung Cheng University, Chiayi County, Taiwan.
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19
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Chen W, Zhang Y, Mi J. Assessing Antibiotic-Resistant Genes in University Dormitory Washing Machines. Microorganisms 2024; 12:1112. [PMID: 38930496 PMCID: PMC11205806 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12061112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2024] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
University dormitories represent densely populated environments, and washing machines are potential sites for the spread of bacteria and microbes. However, the extent of antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) variation in washing machines within university dormitories and their potential health risks are largely unknown. To disclose the occurrence of ARGs and antibiotic-resistant bacteria from university dormitories, we collected samples from washing machines in 10 dormitories and used metagenomic sequencing technology to determine microbial and ARG abundance. Our results showed abundant microbial diversity, with Proteobacteria being the dominant microorganism that harbors many ARGs. The majority of the existing ARGs were associated with antibiotic target alteration and efflux, conferring multidrug resistance. We identified tnpA and IS91 as the most abundant mobile genetic elements (MGEs) in washing machines and found that Micavibrio aeruginosavorus, Aquincola tertiaricarbonis, and Mycolicibacterium iranicum had high levels of ARGs. Our study highlights the potential transmission of pathogens from washing machines to humans and the surrounding environment. Pollution in washing machines poses a severe threat to public health and demands attention. Therefore, it is crucial to explore effective methods for reducing the reproduction of multidrug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenbo Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, College of Veterinary Medicine, Lanzhou University, No. 222 South Tianshui Road, Lanzhou 730000, China;
- Division of Bioscience, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Yu Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Research Center for Environment Pollution Control and Remediation Materials, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China;
| | - Jiandui Mi
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, College of Veterinary Medicine, Lanzhou University, No. 222 South Tianshui Road, Lanzhou 730000, China;
- Gansu Province Research Center for Basic Disciplines of Pathogen Biology, Lanzhou 730046, China
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20
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Sun H, Chang H, Zhu Y, Li X, Yang X, Zhou X, Wu D, Ding J, Liu Y. Strong suppression of silver nanoparticles on antibiotic resistome in anammox process. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 470:134128. [PMID: 38555673 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
This study comprehensively deciphered the effect of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on anammox flocculent sludge, including nitrogen removal performance, microbial community structure, functional enzyme abundance, antibiotic resistance gene (ARGs) dissemination, and horizontal gene transfer (HGT) mechanisms. After long-term exposure to 0-2.5 mg/L AgNPs for 200 cycles, anammox performance significantly decreased (P < 0.05), while the relative abundances of dominant Ca. Kuenenia and anammox-related enzymes (hzsA, nirK) increased compared to the control (P < 0.05). For antibiotic resistome, ARG abundance hardly changed with 0-0.5 mg/L AgNPs but decreased by approximately 90% with 1.5-2.5 mg/L AgNPs. More importantly, AgNPs effectively inhibited MGE-mediated HGT of ARGs. Additionally, structural equation model (SEM) disclosed the underlying relationship between AgNPs, the antibiotic resistome, and the microbial community. Overall, AgNPs suppressed the anammox-driven nitrogen cycle, regulated the microbial community, and prevented the spread of ARGs in anammox flocs. This study provides a theoretical baseline for an advanced understanding of the ecological roles of nanoparticles and resistance elements in engineered ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongwei Sun
- School of Environmental and Material Engineering, Yantai University, Yantai, Shandong 264005, China.
| | - Huanhuan Chang
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Yuliang Zhu
- School of Environmental and Material Engineering, Yantai University, Yantai, Shandong 264005, China; School of Civil Engineering, Yantai University, Yantai, Shandong 264005, China
| | - Xiaoli Li
- School of Environmental and Material Engineering, Yantai University, Yantai, Shandong 264005, China
| | - Xiaoyong Yang
- School of Environmental and Material Engineering, Yantai University, Yantai, Shandong 264005, China
| | - Xin Zhou
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China
| | - Daishun Wu
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Coastal Basin Environment, School of Marine and Biochemical Engineering, Fujian Polytechnic Normal University, Fuqing, Fujiang 350300, China
| | - Jing Ding
- School of Environmental and Material Engineering, Yantai University, Yantai, Shandong 264005, China
| | - Yucan Liu
- School of Environmental and Material Engineering, Yantai University, Yantai, Shandong 264005, China; School of Civil Engineering, Yantai University, Yantai, Shandong 264005, China.
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21
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Liu H, Zhang Z, Li X, Zhou T, Wang Z, Li J, Li Y, Wang Q. Temperature-phased anaerobic sludge digestion effectively removes antibiotic resistance genes in a full-scale wastewater treatment plant. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 924:171555. [PMID: 38485028 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
Sludge is a major by-product and the final reservoir of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Temperature-phased anaerobic digestion (TPAD), consisting of thermophilic anaerobic digestion (AD) (55 °C) and mesophilic AD processes (37 °C), has been implemented in WWTPs for sludge reduction while improving the biomethane production. However, the impact of TPAD on the ARGs' fate is still undiscovered in lab-scale experiments and full-scale WWTPs. This study, for the first time, investigated the fate of ARGs during the TPAD process across three seasons in a full-size WWTP. Ten typical ARGs and one integrase gene of class 1 integron (intI1) involving ARGs horizontal gene transfer were examined in sludge before and after each step of the TPAD process. TPAD reduced aac(6')-Ib-cr, blaTEM, drfA1, sul1, sul2, ermb, mefA, tetA, tetB and tetX by 87.3-100.0 %. TPAD reduced the overall average absolute abundance of targeted ARGs and intI1 by 92.39 % and 92.50 %, respectively. The abundance of targeted ARGs in sludge was higher in winter than in summer and autumn before and after TPAD. During the TPAD processes, thermophilic AD played a major role in the removal of ARGs, contributing to >60 % removal of ARGs, while the subsequent mesophilic AD contributed to a further 31 % removal of ARGs. The microbial community analysis revealed that thermophilic AD reduced the absolute abundance of ARGs hosts, antibiotic resistant bacteria. In addition, thermophilic AD reduced the abundance of the intI1, while the intI1 did not reproduce during the mesophilic AD, also contributing to a decline in the absolute abundance of ARGs in TPAD. This study demonstrates that TPAD can effectively reduce the abundance of ARGs in sludge, which will suppress the transmission of ARGs from sludge into the natural environment and deliver environmental and health benefits to our society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Liu
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Zehao Zhang
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Xuan Li
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Ting Zhou
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Zhenyao Wang
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Jibin Li
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Yi Li
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Qilin Wang
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia.
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22
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Li Y, Xu Y, Zhou X, Huang L, Wang G, Liao J, Dai R. From "resistance genes expression" to "horizontal migration" as well as over secretion of Extracellular Polymeric Substances: Sludge microorganism's response to the increasing of long-term disinfectant stress. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 469:133940. [PMID: 38457979 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024]
Abstract
Glutaraldehyde-Didecyldimethylammonium bromides (GDs) has been frequently and widely employed in livestock and poultry breeding farms to avoid epidemics such as African swine fever, but its long-term effect on the active sludge microorganisms of the receiving wastewater treatment plant was keep unclear. Four simulation systems were built here to explore the performance of aerobic activated sludge with the long-term exposure of GDs and its mechanism by analyzing water qualities, resistance genes, extracellular polymeric substances and microbial community structure. The results showed that the removal rates of CODCr and ammonia nitrogen decreased with the exposure concentration of GDs increasing. It is worth noting that long-term exposure to GDs can induce the horizontal transfer and coordinated expression of a large number of resistance genes, such as qacE, sul1, tetx, and int1, in drug-resistant microorganisms. Additionally, it promotes the secretion of more extracellular proteins, including arginine, forming a "barrier-like" protection. Therefore, long-term exposure to disinfectants can alter the treatment capacity of activated sludge receiving systems, and the abundance of resistance genes generated through horizontal transfer and coordinated expression by drug-resistant microorganisms does pose a significant threat to ecosystems and health. It is recommended to develop effective pretreatment methods to eliminate disinfectants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxin Li
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yanbin Xu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China.
| | - Xiao Zhou
- Analysis and Test Center, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Lu Huang
- Analysis and Test Center, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Guan Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Jingsong Liao
- Yikangsheng Environmental Science and Technology Limited Company of Guangdong, Yunfu 527400, China
| | - Ruizhi Dai
- Yikangsheng Environmental Science and Technology Limited Company of Guangdong, Yunfu 527400, China
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23
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Lou EG, Fu Y, Wang Q, Treangen TJ, Stadler LB. Sensitivity and consistency of long- and short-read metagenomics and epicPCR for the detection of antibiotic resistance genes and their bacterial hosts in wastewater. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 469:133939. [PMID: 38490149 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
Wastewater surveillance is a powerful tool to assess the risks associated with antibiotic resistance in communities. One challenge is selecting which analytical tool to deploy to measure risk indicators, such as antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and their respective bacterial hosts. Although metagenomics is frequently used for analyzing ARGs, few studies have compared the performance of long-read and short-read metagenomics in identifying which bacteria harbor ARGs in wastewater. Furthermore, for ARG host detection, untargeted metagenomics has not been compared to targeted methods such as epicPCR. Here, we 1) evaluated long-read and short-read metagenomics as well as epicPCR for detecting ARG hosts in wastewater, and 2) investigated the host range of ARGs across the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) to evaluate host proliferation. Results highlighted long-read revealed a wider range of ARG hosts compared to short-read metagenomics. Nonetheless, the ARG host range detected by long-read metagenomics only represented a subset of the hosts detected by epicPCR. The ARG-host linkages across the influent and effluent of the WWTP were characterized. Results showed the ARG-host phylum linkages were relatively consistent across the WWTP, whereas new ARG-host species linkages appeared in the WWTP effluent. The ARG-host linkages of several clinically relevant species found in the effluent were identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther G Lou
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Yilei Fu
- Department of Computer Science, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Qi Wang
- Department of Computer Science, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Todd J Treangen
- Department of Computer Science, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Lauren B Stadler
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005, USA.
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24
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Nahim-Granados S, Quon H, Polo-López MI, Oller I, Agüera A, Jiang S. Assessment of antibiotic-resistant infection risks associated with reclaimed wastewater irrigation in intensive tomato cultivation. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 254:121437. [PMID: 38479171 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
Agricultural irrigation using reclaimed urban wastewater (RWW) represents a sustainable practice to meet the ever-increasing water stress in modern societies. However, the occurrence of residual antibiotics and antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) in RWW is an important human health concern. This study applied for the first time a novel Simple-Death dose-response model to the field data of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas spp. collected from three greenhouses for cultivation of tomatoes irrigated with RWW. The model estimates the risk of infection by enteropathogenic E. coli associated with consumption of tomatoes and the risk of eye-infection caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa in cultivation soil through hand-to-eye contacts. The fraction of antibiotic resistant (AR)-E. coli measured in irrigation water and AR-Pseudomonas spp. in soil was incorporated in the model to estimate the survival of ARB and antibiotic susceptible bacteria in the presence of trace level of antibiotics in human body. The results showed that the risk of E. coli infection through consumption of tomatoes irrigated with RWW is within the WHO and USEPA recommended risk threshold (<10-4); Pseudomonas aeruginosa eye-infection risk is at or below the acceptable risk level. The presence of residual antibiotic in human body reduced the overall risk probabilities of infections but selectively enhanced the survival of ARB in comparison to their susceptible counterparts, which resulted in antibiotic untreatable infection. Therefore, the outcomes of this study call for a new risk threshold for antibiotic untreatable infections and highlight the key importance of adopting work safety measures for better human health protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samira Nahim-Granados
- CIEMAT-Plataforma Solar de Almería, Ctra. Senés km 4, Tabernas, Almería 04200, Spain; Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-2175, USA; CIESOL, Joint Centre of the University of Almería-CIEMAT, Almería 04120, Spain.
| | - Hunter Quon
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-2175, USA
| | - María Inmaculada Polo-López
- CIEMAT-Plataforma Solar de Almería, Ctra. Senés km 4, Tabernas, Almería 04200, Spain; CIESOL, Joint Centre of the University of Almería-CIEMAT, Almería 04120, Spain
| | - Isabel Oller
- CIEMAT-Plataforma Solar de Almería, Ctra. Senés km 4, Tabernas, Almería 04200, Spain; CIESOL, Joint Centre of the University of Almería-CIEMAT, Almería 04120, Spain
| | - Ana Agüera
- CIEMAT-Plataforma Solar de Almería, Ctra. Senés km 4, Tabernas, Almería 04200, Spain; CIESOL, Joint Centre of the University of Almería-CIEMAT, Almería 04120, Spain
| | - Sunny Jiang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-2175, USA.
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25
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Cai Y, Chen C, Sun T, Li G, Wang W, Zhao H, An T. Mariculture waters as yet another hotbed for the creation and transfer of new antibiotic-resistant pathogenome. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 187:108704. [PMID: 38692150 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
With the rapid growth of aquaculture globally, large amounts of antibiotics have been used to treat aquatic disease, which may accelerate induction and spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in aquaculture environments. Herein, metagenomic and 16S rRNA analyses were used to analyze the potentials and co-occurrence patterns of pathogenome (culturable and unculturable pathogens), antibiotic resistome (ARGs), and mobilome (mobile genetic elements (MGEs)) from mariculture waters near 5000 km coast of South China. Total 207 species of pathogens were identified, with only 10 culturable species. Furthermore, more pathogen species were detected in mariculture waters than those in coastal waters, and mariculture waters were prone to become reservoirs of unculturable pathogens. In addition, 913 subtypes of 21 ARG types were also identified, with multidrug resistance genes as the majority. MGEs including plasmids, integrons, transposons, and insertion sequences were abundantly present in mariculture waters. The co-occurrence network pattern between pathogenome, antibiotic resistome, and mobilome suggested that most of pathogens may be potential multidrug resistant hosts, possibly due to high frequency of horizontal gene transfer. These findings increase our understanding of mariculture waters as reservoirs of antibiotic resistome and mobilome, and as yet another hotbed for creation and transfer of new antibiotic-resistant pathogenome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiwei Cai
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China; Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Pollution Control, Key Laboratory of City Cluster Environmental Safety and Green Development (Department of Education), School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Chunliang Chen
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China; Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Pollution Control, Key Laboratory of City Cluster Environmental Safety and Green Development (Department of Education), School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Tong Sun
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China; Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Pollution Control, Key Laboratory of City Cluster Environmental Safety and Green Development (Department of Education), School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Guiying Li
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China; Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Pollution Control, Key Laboratory of City Cluster Environmental Safety and Green Development (Department of Education), School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Wanjun Wang
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China; Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Pollution Control, Key Laboratory of City Cluster Environmental Safety and Green Development (Department of Education), School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Huijun Zhao
- Centre for Clean Environment and Energy, and Griffith School of Environment, Gold Coast Campus, Griffith University, Queensland 4222, Australia
| | - Taicheng An
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China; Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Pollution Control, Key Laboratory of City Cluster Environmental Safety and Green Development (Department of Education), School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China.
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26
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Bydalek F, Webster G, Barden R, Weightman AJ, Kasprzyk-Hordern B, Wenk J. Microbial community and antimicrobial resistance niche differentiation in a multistage, surface flow constructed wetland. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 254:121408. [PMID: 38442607 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 02/24/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
Free-living (FL) and particulate-associated (PA) communities are distinct bacterioplankton lifestyles with different mobility and dissemination routes. Understanding spatio-temporal dynamics of PA and FL fractions will allow improvement to wastewater treatment processes including pathogen and AMR bacteria removal. In this study, PA, FL and sediment community composition and antimicrobial resistance gene (ARG; tetW, ermB, sul1, intI1) dynamics were investigated in a full-scale municipal wastewater free-water surface polishing constructed wetland. Taxonomic composition of PA and FL microbial communities shifted towards less diverse communities (Shannon, Chao1) at the CW effluent but retained a distinct fraction-specific composition. Wastewater treatment plant derived PA communities introduced the bulk of AMR load (70 %) into the CW. However, the FL fraction was responsible for exporting over 60 % of the effluent AMR load given its high mobility and the effective immobilization (1-3 log removal) of PA communities. Strong correlations (r2>0.8, p < 0.05) were observed between the FL fraction, tetW and emrB dynamics, and amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) of potentially pathogenic taxa, including Bacteroides, Enterobacteriaceae, Aeromonadaceae, and Lachnospiraceae. This study reveals niche differentiation of microbial communities and associated AMR in CWs and shows that free-living bacteria are a primary escape route of pathogenic and ARG load from CWs under low-flow hydraulic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franciszek Bydalek
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY, UK; Water Innovation and Research Centre (WIRC), University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK; GW4 NERC CDT in Freshwater Biosciences and Sustainability, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK; Organisms and Environment Division, School of Biosciences, Microbiomes, Microbes and Informatics Group, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK
| | - Gordon Webster
- Organisms and Environment Division, School of Biosciences, Microbiomes, Microbes and Informatics Group, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK
| | | | - Andrew J Weightman
- Organisms and Environment Division, School of Biosciences, Microbiomes, Microbes and Informatics Group, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK
| | - Barbara Kasprzyk-Hordern
- Water Innovation and Research Centre (WIRC), University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK; Department of Chemistry, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK
| | - Jannis Wenk
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY, UK; Water Innovation and Research Centre (WIRC), University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK.
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27
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Zhao K, Li C, Li F. Research progress on the origin, fate, impacts and harm of microplastics and antibiotic resistance genes in wastewater treatment plants. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9719. [PMID: 38678134 PMCID: PMC11055955 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-60458-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Previous studies reported microplastics (MPs), antibiotics, and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). There is still a lack of research progress on the origin, fate, impact and hazards of MPs and ARGs in WWTPs. This paper fills a gap in this regard. In our search, we used "microplastics", "antibiotic resistance genes", and "wastewater treatment plant" as topic terms in Web of Science, checking the returned results for relevance by examining paper titles and abstracts. This study mainly explores the following points: (1) the origins and fate of MPs, antibiotics and ARGs in WWTPs; (2) the mechanisms of action of MPs, antibiotics and ARGs in sludge biochemical pools; (3) the impacts of MPs in WWTPs and the spread of ARGs; (4) and the harm inflicted by MPs and ARGs on the environment and human body. Contaminants in sewage sludge such as MPs, ARGs, and antibiotic-resistant bacteria enter the soil and water. Contaminants can travel through the food chain and thus reach humans, leading to increased illness, hospitalization, and even mortality. This study will enhance our understanding of the mechanisms of action among MPs, antibiotics, ARGs, and the harm they inflict on the human body.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Songliao Aquatic Environment, Ministry of Education, Jilin Jianzhu University, 5088 Xincheng Street, Changchun, 130118, People's Republic of China
| | - Chengzhi Li
- Key Laboratory of Songliao Aquatic Environment, Ministry of Education, Jilin Jianzhu University, 5088 Xincheng Street, Changchun, 130118, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria at Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Fengxiang Li
- Key Laboratory of Songliao Aquatic Environment, Ministry of Education, Jilin Jianzhu University, 5088 Xincheng Street, Changchun, 130118, People's Republic of China.
- Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria at Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China.
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28
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Vincent J, Tenore A, Mattei MR, Frunzo L. Modelling Plasmid-Mediated Horizontal Gene Transfer in Biofilms. Bull Math Biol 2024; 86:63. [PMID: 38664322 DOI: 10.1007/s11538-024-01289-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024]
Abstract
In this study, we present a mathematical model for plasmid spread in a growing biofilm, formulated as a nonlocal system of partial differential equations in a 1-D free boundary domain. Plasmids are mobile genetic elements able to transfer to different phylotypes, posing a global health problem when they carry antibiotic resistance factors. We model gene transfer regulation influenced by nearby potential receptors to account for recipient-sensing. We also introduce a promotion function to account for trace metal effects on conjugation, based on literature data. The model qualitatively matches experimental results, showing that contaminants like toxic metals and antibiotics promote plasmid persistence by favoring plasmid carriers and stimulating conjugation. Even at higher contaminant concentrations inhibiting conjugation, plasmid spread persists by strongly inhibiting plasmid-free cells. The model also replicates higher plasmid density in biofilm's most active regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Vincent
- Department of Mathematics and Applications "Renato Caccioppoli", University of Naples Federico II, Via Cintia 26, 80126, Monte S. Angelo, Naples, Italy
- Microbial Ecology Laboratory, University of Galway, University Road, Galway, H91 TK33, Ireland
| | - Alberto Tenore
- Department of Mathematics and Applications "Renato Caccioppoli", University of Naples Federico II, Via Cintia 26, 80126, Monte S. Angelo, Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Rosaria Mattei
- Department of Mathematics and Applications "Renato Caccioppoli", University of Naples Federico II, Via Cintia 26, 80126, Monte S. Angelo, Naples, Italy.
| | - Luigi Frunzo
- Department of Mathematics and Applications "Renato Caccioppoli", University of Naples Federico II, Via Cintia 26, 80126, Monte S. Angelo, Naples, Italy
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29
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Lin ZJ, Zhou ZC, Shuai XY, Shan XY, Zhou JY, Chen H. Deciphering Multidrug-Resistant Plasmids in Disinfection Residual Bacteria from a Wastewater Treatment Plant. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:6793-6803. [PMID: 38574343 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c10895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
Current disinfection processes pose an emerging environmental risk due to the ineffective removal of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, especially disinfection residual bacteria (DRB) carrying multidrug-resistant plasmids (MRPs). However, the characteristics of DRB-carried MRPs are poorly understood. In this study, qPCR analysis reveals that the total absolute abundance of four plasmids in postdisinfection effluent decreases by 1.15 log units, while their relative abundance increases by 0.11 copies/cell compared to investigated wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) influent. We obtain three distinctive DRB-carried MRPs (pWWTP-01-03) from postdisinfection effluent, each carrying 9-11 antibiotic-resistant genes (ARGs). pWWTP-01 contains all 11 ARGs within an ∼25 Kbp chimeric genomic island showing strong patterns of recombination with MRPs from foodborne outbreaks and hospitals. Antibiotic-, disinfectant-, and heavy-metal-resistant genes on the same plasmid underscore the potential roles of disinfectants and heavy metals in the coselection of ARGs. Additionally, pWWTP-02 harbors an adhesin-type virulence operon, implying risks of both antibiotic resistance and pathogenicity upon entering environments. Furthermore, some MRPs from DRB are capable of transferring and could confer selective advantages to recipients under environmentally relevant antibiotic pressure. Overall, this study advances our understanding of DRB-carried MRPs and highlights the imminent need to monitor and control wastewater MRPs for environmental security.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ze-Jun Lin
- Institute of Environmental Technology, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Zhen-Chao Zhou
- Institute of Environmental Technology, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Xin-Yi Shuai
- Institute of Environmental Technology, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Xiao-Yu Shan
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Jin-Yu Zhou
- Institute of Environmental Technology, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Hong Chen
- Institute of Environmental Technology, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Key Laboratory of Environment Remediation and Ecological Health, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- International Cooperation Base of Environmental Pollution and Ecological Health, Science and Technology Agency of Zhejiang, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
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30
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Kumar N, Shukla P. Microalgal multiomics-based approaches in bioremediation of hazardous contaminants. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 247:118135. [PMID: 38218523 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
The enhanced industrial growth and higher living standards owing to the incessant population growth have caused heightened production of various chemicals in different manufacturing sectors globally, resulting in pollution of aquatic systems and soil with hazardous chemical contaminants. The bioremediation of such hazardous pollutants through microalgal processes is a viable and sustainable approach. Accomplishing microalgal-based bioremediation of polluted wastewater requires a comprehensive understanding of microalgal metabolic and physiological dynamics. Microalgae-bacterial consortia have emerged as a sustainable agent for synergistic bioremediation and metabolite production. Effective bioremediation involves proper consortium functioning and dynamics. The present review highlights the mechanistic processes employed through microalgae in reducing contaminants present in wastewater. It discusses the multi-omics approaches and their advantages in understanding the biological processes, monitoring, and dynamics among the partners in consortium through metagenomics. Transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics enable an understanding of microalgal cell response toward the contaminants in the wastewater. Finally, the challenges and future research endeavors are summarised to provide an outlook on microalgae-based bioremediation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niwas Kumar
- Enzyme Technology and Protein Bioinformatics Laboratory, School of Biotechnology, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India
| | - Pratyoosh Shukla
- Enzyme Technology and Protein Bioinformatics Laboratory, School of Biotechnology, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India.
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31
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Zhang MQ, Zhang XY, Zhang HC, Qiu HB, Li ZH, Xie DH, Yuan L, Sheng GP. Gamma-ray irradiation as an effective method for mitigating antibiotic resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes in aquatic environments. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 468:133791. [PMID: 38367438 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024]
Abstract
The prevalence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in municipal wastewater treatment plants (MWTPs) has emerged as a significant environmental concern. Despite advanced treatment processes, high levels of ARGs persist in the secondary effluent from MWTPs, posing ongoing environmental risks. This study explores the potential of gamma-ray irradiation as a novel approach for sterilizing antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and reducing ARGs in MWTP secondary effluent. Our findings reveal that gamma-ray irradiation at an absorbed dose of 1.6 kGy effectively deactivates all culturable bacteria, with no subsequent revival observed after exposure to 6.4 kGy and a 96-h incubation in darkness at room temperature. The removal efficiencies for a range of ARGs, including tetO, tetA, blaTEM-1, sulI, sulII, and tetW, were up to 90.5% with a 25.6 kGy absorbed dose. No resurgence of ARGs was detected after irradiation. Additionally, this study demonstrates a considerable reduction in the abundances of extracellular ARGs, with the transformation efficiencies of extracellular tetracycline and sulfadiazine resistance genes decreasing by 56.3-81.8% after 25.6 kGy irradiation. These results highlight the effectiveness of gamma-ray irradiation as an advanced and promising method for ARB sterilization and ARG reduction in the secondary effluent of MWTPs, offering a potential pathway to mitigate environmental risks associated with antibiotic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Qi Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China; Yellow River Institute of Hydraulic Research, Yellow River Conservancy Commission of the Ministry of Water Resources, Zhengzhou 450003, China
| | - Xiao-Yong Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Han-Chao Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Hai-Bin Qiu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Zheng-Hao Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Dong-Hua Xie
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China; Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental and Energy Engineering, Anhui Jianzhu University, Hefei 230601, China
| | - Li Yuan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China.
| | - Guo-Ping Sheng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China.
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32
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Xu Q, Liu S, Lou S, Tu J, Li X, Jin Y, Yin W, Radnaeva LD, Nikitina E, Makhinov AN, Araruna JT, Fedorova IV. Typical antibiotic resistance genes and their association with driving factors in the coastal areas of Yangtze River Estuary. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024:10.1007/s11356-024-33198-w. [PMID: 38607491 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-33198-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
The massive use of antibiotics has led to the escalation of microbial resistance in aquatic environment, resulting in an increasing concern regarding antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), posing a serious threat to ecological safety and human health. In this study, surface water samples were collected at eight sampling sites along the Yangtze River Estuary. The seasonal and spatial distribution patterns of 10 antibiotics and target genes in two major classes (sulfonamides and tetracyclines) were analyzed. The findings indicated a high prevalence of sulfonamide and tetracycline resistance genes along the Yangtze River Estuary. Kruskal-Wallis analysis revealed significant seasonal variations in the abundance of all target genes. The accumulation of antibiotic resistance genes in the coastal area of the Yangtze River Estuary can be attributed to the influence of urban instream runoff and the discharge of effluents from wastewater treatment plants. ANISOM analysis indicated significant seasonal differences in the microbial community structure. VPA showed that environmental factors contribute the most to ARG variation. PLS-PM demonstrate that environmental factors and microbial communities pose direct effect to ARG variation. Analysis of driving factors influencing ARGs in this study may shed new insights into the mechanism of the maintenance and propagation of ARGs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuhong Xu
- Department of Hydraulic Engineering, College of Civil Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shuguang Liu
- Department of Hydraulic Engineering, College of Civil Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment, Ministry of Education, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Sha Lou
- Department of Hydraulic Engineering, College of Civil Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
- Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment, Ministry of Education, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Junbiao Tu
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Geology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xin Li
- Department of Hydraulic Engineering, College of Civil Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuchen Jin
- Department of Hydraulic Engineering, College of Civil Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenjun Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Larisa Dorzhievna Radnaeva
- Laboratory of Chemistry of Natural Systems, Baikal Institute of Nature Management of Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Republic of Buryatia, Russia
| | - Elena Nikitina
- Laboratory of Chemistry of Natural Systems, Baikal Institute of Nature Management of Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Republic of Buryatia, Russia
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Wang C, Yin X, Xu X, Wang D, Liu L, Zhang X, Yang C, Zhang X, Zhang T. Metagenomic absolute quantification of antibiotic resistance genes and virulence factor genes-carrying bacterial genomes in anaerobic digesters. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 253:121258. [PMID: 38359594 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Sewage treatment works have been considered as hotspots for the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Anaerobic digestion (AD) has emerged as a promising approach for controlling the spread of ARGs while destroying biomass in sludge. Evaluating the impact of AD on ARG removal relies on the absolute quantification of ARGs. In this study, we quantified the ARG concentrations in both full-scale and lab-scale AD systems using a cellular spike-ins based absolute quantification approach. Results demonstrated that AD effectively removed 68 ± 18 %, 55 ± 12 %, and 57 ± 19 % of total ARGs in semi-continuous AD digesters, with solid retention times of 15, 20, and 25 days, respectively. The removal efficiency of total ARGs increased as the AD process progressed in the batch digesters over 40 days. A significant negative correlation was observed between digestion time and the concentrations of certain ARG types, such as beta-lactam, sulfonamide, and tetracycline. However, certain potential pathogenic antibiotic resistant bacteria (PARB) and multi-resistant high-risk ARGs-carrying populations robustly persisted throughout the AD process, regardless of the operating conditions. This study highlighted the influence of the AD process and its operating parameters on ARG removal, and revealed the broad spectrum and persistence of PARB in AD systems. These findings provided critical insights for the management of microbial hazards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunxiao Wang
- Environmental Microbiome Engineering and Biotechnology Laboratory, Centre for Environmental Engineering Research, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xiaole Yin
- Environmental Microbiome Engineering and Biotechnology Laboratory, Centre for Environmental Engineering Research, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xiaoqing Xu
- Environmental Microbiome Engineering and Biotechnology Laboratory, Centre for Environmental Engineering Research, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Dou Wang
- Environmental Microbiome Engineering and Biotechnology Laboratory, Centre for Environmental Engineering Research, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Lei Liu
- Environmental Microbiome Engineering and Biotechnology Laboratory, Centre for Environmental Engineering Research, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xuanwei Zhang
- Environmental Microbiome Engineering and Biotechnology Laboratory, Centre for Environmental Engineering Research, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Chao Yang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology for Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Xiangru Zhang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Tong Zhang
- Environmental Microbiome Engineering and Biotechnology Laboratory, Centre for Environmental Engineering Research, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; Macau Institute for Applied Research in Medicine and Health, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau SAR, China.
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34
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Li Z, Yuan D, Kou Y, Li X, Du C. Metagenome sequencing to unveil the occurrence and distribution of antibiotic resistome and in a wastewater treatment plant. ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY 2024; 45:1933-1942. [PMID: 36812908 DOI: 10.1080/09593330.2022.2158758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The emergence and persistence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) has aroused growing public concern for its risk to human health and ecological safety. Moreover, heavy metals concentrated in sewage and sludge could potentially favour co-selection of ARGs and heavy metal resistance genes (HMRGs). In this study, the profile and abundance of antibiotic and metal resistance genes in influent, sludge and effluent were characterized based on the Structured ARG Datebase (SARG) and Antibacterial Biocide and Metal Resistance Gene Datebase (BacMet) by metagenomic analysis. Sequences were aligning against the INTEGRALL, ISFinder, ICEberg and NCBI RefSeq databases to obtain the diversity and abundance of mobile genetic elements (MGEs, e.g.plasmid and transposon). Among them, 20 types of ARGs and 16 types of HMRG were detected in all samples, the influent metagenomes contained many more resistance genes (both ARGs and HMRGs) than the sludge and the influent sample, large reductions in the relatively abundance and diversity of ARG were achieved by biological treatment. ARGs and HMRGs cannot be completely eliminated during the oxidation ditch. A total of 32 species of the potential pathogens were detected, relative abundances of pathogens had no obvious changes. It is suggested that more specific treatments are required to limit their proliferation in the environment. This study can be helpful for further understanding the removal of antibiotic resistance genes in the sewage treatment process via metagenomic sequencing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhonghong Li
- Key Laboratory of Urban Stormwater System and Water Environment, Ministry of Education, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Donghai Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Urban Stormwater System and Water Environment, Ministry of Education, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yingying Kou
- Key Laboratory of Urban Stormwater System and Water Environment, Ministry of Education, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoguang Li
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Simulation and Control of Groundwater Pollution, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Caili Du
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Simulation and Control of Groundwater Pollution, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
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Itzhari D, Shuai W, Hartmann EM, Ronen Z. Heterogeneous Antibiotic Resistance Gene Removal Impedes Evaluation of Constructed Wetlands for Effective Greywater Treatment. Antibiotics (Basel) 2024; 13:315. [PMID: 38666991 PMCID: PMC11047525 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics13040315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Microorganisms carrying antimicrobial resistance genes are often found in greywater. As the reuse of greywater becomes increasingly needed, it is imperative to determine how greywater treatment impacts antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs). Using qPCR and SmartChip™ qPCR, we characterized ARG patterns in greywater microbial communities before, during, and after treatment by a recirculating vertical flow constructed wetland. In parallel, we examined the impact of greywater-treated irrigation on soil, including the occurrence of emerging micropollutants and the taxonomic and ARG compositions of microbial communities. Most ARGs in raw greywater are removed efficiently during the winter season, while some ARGs in the effluents increase in summer. SmartChip™ qPCR revealed the presence of ARGs, such as tetracycline and beta-lactam resistance genes, in both raw and treated greywater, but most abundantly in the filter bed. It also showed that aminoglycoside and vancomycin gene abundances significantly increased after treatment. In the irrigated soil, the type of water (potable or treated greywater) had no specific impact on the total bacterial abundance (16S rRNA gene). No overlapping ARGs were found between treated greywater and greywater-irrigated soil. This study indicates ARG abundance and richness increased after treatment, possibly due to the concentration effects of the filter beds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniella Itzhari
- Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research, The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beersheba 8499000, Israel;
| | - Weitao Shuai
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; (W.S.); (E.M.H.)
| | - Erica M. Hartmann
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; (W.S.); (E.M.H.)
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Zeev Ronen
- Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research, The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beersheba 8499000, Israel;
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Bombaywala S, Bajaj A, Dafale NA. Oxygen mediated mobilization and co-occurrence of antibiotic resistance in lab-scale bioreactor using metagenomic binning. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 40:142. [PMID: 38519761 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-024-03952-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
Sub-lethal levels of antibiotic stimulate bacteria to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) that promotes emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance mediated by mobile genetic elements (MGEs). Nevertheless, the influence of dissolved oxygen (DO) levels on mobility of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in response to ROS-induced stress remains elusive. Thus, the study employs metagenomic assembly and binning approaches to decipher mobility potential and co-occurrence frequency of ARGs and MGEs under hyperoxic (5.5-7 mgL- 1), normoxic (2.5-4 mgL- 1), and hypoxic (0.5-1 mgL- 1) conditions in lab-scale bioreactor for 6 months. Among 163 high-quality metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) recovered from 13 metagenomes, 42 MAGs harboured multiple ARGs and were assigned to priority pathogen group. Total ARG count increased by 4.3 and 2.5% in hyperoxic and normoxic, but decreased by 0.53% in hypoxic conditions after 150 days. On contrary, MGE count increased by 7.3-1.3% in all the DO levels, with only two ARGs showed positive correlation with MGEs in hypoxic compared to 20 ARGs under hyperoxic conditions. Opportunistic pathogens (Escherichia, Klebsiella, Clostridium, and Proteus) were detected as potential hosts of ARGs wherein co-localisation of critical ARG gene cassette (sul1, dfr1,adeF, and qacC) were identified in class 1 integron/Tn1 family transposons. Thus, enhanced co-occurrence frequency of ARGs with MGEs in pathogens suggested promotion of ARGs mobility under oxidative stress. The study offers valuable insights into ARG dissemination and hosts dynamics that is essential for controlling oxygen-related stress for mitigating MGEs and ARGs in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sakina Bombaywala
- Environmental Biotechnology & Genomics Division, CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), Nehru Marg, Nagpur, 440020, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Abhay Bajaj
- Environmental Biotechnology & Genomics Division, CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), Nehru Marg, Nagpur, 440020, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
- Environmental Toxicology Group, FEST Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, 31 Mahatma Gandhi Marg, Lucknow, 226001, India
| | - Nishant A Dafale
- Environmental Biotechnology & Genomics Division, CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), Nehru Marg, Nagpur, 440020, India.
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India.
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37
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Yu J, Lu H, Zhu L. Mutation-driven resistance development in wastewater E. coli upon low-level cephalosporins: Pharmacophore contribution and novel mechanism. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 252:121235. [PMID: 38310801 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/28/2024] [Indexed: 02/06/2024]
Abstract
Cephalosporins have been widely applied in clinical and veterinary settings and detected at increasing concentrations in water environments. They potentially induce high-level antibiotic resistance at environmental concentrations. This study characterized how typical wastewater bacteria developed heritable antibiotic resistance under exposure to different cephalosporins, including pharmacophore-resistance correlation, resistance mechanism, and occurrence of resistance-relevant mutations in different water environments. Wastewater-isolated E. coli JX1 was exposed to eight cephalosporins individually at 25 µg/L for 60 days. Multidrug resistance developed and diverse mutations arose in selected mutants, where a single mutation in ATP phosphoribosyltransferase encoding gene (hisG) resulted in up to 128-fold increase in resistance to meropenem. Molprint2D pharma RQSAR analysis revealed that hydrogen-bond acceptors and hydrophobic groups in the R1 and R2 substituents of cephalosporins contributed positively to antibiotic resistance. Some of these pharmacophores may persist during bio- or photo-degradation in the environment. hisG mutation confers a novel resistance mechanism by inhibiting fatty acid degradation, and its variants were more abundant in water-related E. coli (especially in the effluent of wastewater treatment plants) compared with those in non-water environments. These results suggest that specific degradation of particular pharmacophores in cephalosporins could be useful for controlling resistance development, and mutations in previously unreported resistance genes (e.g., hisG) can lead to overlooked antibiotic resistance risks in water environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinxian Yu
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Organic Pollution Process and Control, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Huijie Lu
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Lizhong Zhu
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Organic Pollution Process and Control, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
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38
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Bombaywala S, Bajaj A, Dafale NA. Deterministic effect of oxygen level variation on shaping antibiotic resistome. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 465:133047. [PMID: 38000281 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.133047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023]
Abstract
An increase in acquisition of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) by pathogens under antibiotic selective pressure poses public health threats. Sub-inhibitory antibiotics induce bacteria to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) dependent on dissolved oxygen (DO) levels, while molecular connection between ROS-mediated ARG emergence through DNA damage and metabolic changes remains elusive. Thus, the study investigates antibiotic resistome dynamics, microbiome shift, and pathogen distribution in hyperoxic (5-7 mg L-1), normoxic (2-4 mg L-1), and hypoxic (0.5-1 mg L-1) conditions using lab-scale bioreactor. Composite inoculums in the reactor were designed to represent comprehensive microbial community and AR profile from selected activated sludge. RT-qPCR and metagenomic analysis showed an increase in ARG count (100.98 ppm) with enrichment of multidrug efflux pumps (acrAB, mexAB) in hyperoxic condition. Conversely, total ARGs decreased (0.11 ppm) under hypoxic condition marked by a major decline in int1 abundance. Prevalence of global priority pathogens increased in hyperoxic (22.5%), compared to hypoxic (0.9%) wherein major decrease were observed in Pseudomonas, Shigella, and Borrelia. The study observed an increase in superoxide dismutase (sodA, sodB), DNA repair genes (nfo, polA, recA, recB), and ROS (10.4 µmol L-1) in adapted biomass with spiked antibiotics. This suggests oxidative damage that facilitates stress-induced mutagenesis providing evidence for observed hyperoxic enrichment of ARGs. Moreover, predominance of catalase (katE, katG) likely limit oxidative damage that deplete ARG breeding in hypoxic condition. The study proposes a link between oxygen levels and AR development that offers insights into mitigation and intervention of AR by controlling oxygen-related stress and strategic selection of bacterial communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sakina Bombaywala
- Environmental Biotechnology & Genomics Division, CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), Nehru Marg, Nagpur 440020, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Abhay Bajaj
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India; CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, 31 Mahatma Gandhi Marg, Lucknow 226001, India
| | - Nishant A Dafale
- Environmental Biotechnology & Genomics Division, CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), Nehru Marg, Nagpur 440020, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India.
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39
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Zhao R, Han B, Yang F, Zhang Z, Sun Y, Li X, Liu Y, Ding Y. Analysis of extracellular and intracellular antibiotic resistance genes in commercial organic fertilizers reveals a non-negligible risk posed by extracellular genes. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 354:120359. [PMID: 38359629 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Livestock manure is known to be a significant reservoir of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), posing a major threat to human health and animal safety. ARGs are found in both intracellular and extracellular DNA fractions. However, there has been no comprehensive analysis of these fractions in commercial organic fertilizers (COFs). The present study conducted a systematic survey of the profiles of intracellular ARGs (iARGs) and extracellular ARGs (eARGs) and their contributing factor in COFs in Northern China. Results showed that the ARG diversity in COFs (i.e., 57 iARGs and 53 eARGs) was significantly lower than that in cow dung (i.e., 68 iARGs and 69 eARGs). The total abundance of iARGs and eARGs decreased by 85.7% and 75.8%, respectively, after compost processing, and there were no significant differences between iARGs and eARGs in COFs (P > 0.05). Notably, the relative abundance of Campilobacterota decreased significantly (99.1-100.0%) after composting, while that of Actinobacteriota and Firmicutes increased by 21.1% and 29.7%, respectively, becoming the dominant bacteria in COFs. Co-occurrence analysis showed that microorganisms and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) were more closely related to eARGs than iARGs in COFs. And structural equation models (SEMs) further verified that microbial community was an essential factor regulating iARGs and eARGs variation in COFs, with a direct influence (λ = 0.74 and 0.62, P < 0.01), following by similar effects of MGEs (λ = 0.59 and 0.43, P < 0.05). These findings indicate the need to separate eARGs and iARGs when assessing the risk of dissemination and during removal management in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ran Zhao
- China-UK Agro-Environmental Pollution Prevention and Control Joint Research Centre, Agro-Environmental Protection Institute, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Tianjin 300191, China
| | - Bingjun Han
- China-UK Agro-Environmental Pollution Prevention and Control Joint Research Centre, Agro-Environmental Protection Institute, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Tianjin 300191, China
| | - Fengxia Yang
- China-UK Agro-Environmental Pollution Prevention and Control Joint Research Centre, Agro-Environmental Protection Institute, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Tianjin 300191, China.
| | - Zulin Zhang
- The James Hutton Institute, Aberdeen AB15 8QH, UK
| | - Yutao Sun
- Tianjin Zhongtao Earthworm Breeding Professional Cooperative, Tianjin 300191, China
| | - Xue Li
- China-UK Agro-Environmental Pollution Prevention and Control Joint Research Centre, Agro-Environmental Protection Institute, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Tianjin 300191, China
| | - Yiming Liu
- China-UK Agro-Environmental Pollution Prevention and Control Joint Research Centre, Agro-Environmental Protection Institute, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Tianjin 300191, China
| | - Yongzhen Ding
- China-UK Agro-Environmental Pollution Prevention and Control Joint Research Centre, Agro-Environmental Protection Institute, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Tianjin 300191, China.
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Qin Y, Ren X, Zhang Y, Ju H, Liu J, Xie J, Altaf MM, Diao X. Distribution characteristics of antibiotic resistance genes and microbial diversity in the inshore aquaculture area of Wenchang, Hainan, China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 914:169695. [PMID: 38160829 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
The rapid development of marine aquaculture has led to the increased use and release of antibiotics into the marine environment, consequently contributing to the emergence of antibiotic resistance. Information on antibiotic resistance in nearshore marine aquaculture areas remains limited, and research on the microbial composition and potential hosts of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in marine aquaculture areas is scarce. This study used SmartChip real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR and qPCR to quantitatively analyze 44 ARGs and 10 mobile genetic elements (MGEs) genes in 12 sampling points in the nearshore aquaculture area of Wenchang. High-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA was used to study microbial diversity in the study area, to clarify the correlation between ARGs, MGEs, and microbial diversity, and to determine the possible sources and potential hosts of ARGs. The results showed that a total of 37 ARGs and 8 MGEs were detected in the study area. The detection rate of 9 ARGs (aac(6')-Ib(aka aacA4)-02, catA1, cmlA, cfr, sul1, sul2, sulA/folP-01, tetC, tetX) was 100 %. The absolute abundance of ARGs in the 12 sampling points ranged from 2.75 × 107 to 3.79 × 1010 copies·L-1, and the absolute abundance of MGEs was 1.30 × 105 to 2.54 × 107 copies·L-1, which was relatively high compared to other research areas. ARGs and MGEs were significantly correlated, indicating that MGEs play an important role as a mediator in the spread of ARGs. At the phylum level, Proteobacteria and Cyanobacteria were the dominant bacteria in the study area, with HIMB11 and unidentifiedChloroplast being the dominant levels, respectively. Network analysis of ARGs and microorganisms (genus level) revealed that Cognatishimia, Thalassobius, Aestuariicoccus, Thalassotalea, and Vibrio were significantly correlated with multiple ARGs and were the main potential hosts of ARGs in the nearshore waters of Wenchang.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongqiang Qin
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Ecology of Tropical Islands, Hainan Normal University, Haikou 571158, China; College of Life Science Hainan Normal University, Haikou, Hainan 571158, China
| | - Xiaoyu Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resources Utilization in South China Sea, Haikou, Hainan 570228, China
| | - Yankun Zhang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Ecology of Tropical Islands, Hainan Normal University, Haikou 571158, China; College of Life Science Hainan Normal University, Haikou, Hainan 571158, China
| | - Hanye Ju
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Ecology of Tropical Islands, Hainan Normal University, Haikou 571158, China; College of Life Science Hainan Normal University, Haikou, Hainan 571158, China
| | - Jin Liu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Ecology of Tropical Islands, Hainan Normal University, Haikou 571158, China; College of Life Science Hainan Normal University, Haikou, Hainan 571158, China
| | - Jia Xie
- School of Marine Biology and Fisheries Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan 570228, China
| | - Muhammad Mohsin Altaf
- Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Xiaoping Diao
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Ecology of Tropical Islands, Hainan Normal University, Haikou 571158, China; State Key Laboratory of Marine Resources Utilization in South China Sea, Haikou, Hainan 570228, China.
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41
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Felis E, Sochacki A, Bajkacz S, Łuczkiewicz A, Jóźwiakowski K, García J, Vymazal J. Removal of selected sulfonamides and sulfonamide resistance genes from wastewater in full-scale constructed wetlands. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:169195. [PMID: 38081427 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 10/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Sulfonamides are high-consumption antibiotics that reach the aquatic environment. The threat related to their presence in wastewater and the environment is not only associated with their antibacterial properties, but also with risk of the spread of drug resistance in bacteria. Therefore, the aim of this work was to evaluate the occurrence of eight commonly used sulfonamides, sulfonamide resistance genes (sul1-3) and integrase genes intI1-3 in five full-scale constructed wetlands (CWs) differing in design (including hybrid systems) and in the source of wastewater (agricultural drainage, domestic sewage/surface runoff, and animal runs runoff in a zoo). The CWs were located in low-urbanized areas in Poland and in Czechia. No sulfonamides were detected in the CW treating agricultural tile drainage water. In the other four systems, four sulfonamide compounds were detected. Sulfamethoxazole exhibited the highest concentration in those four CWs and its highest was 12,603.23 ± 1000.66 ng/L in a CW treating a mixture of domestic sewage and surface runoff. Despite the high removal efficiencies of sulfamethoxazole in the tested CWs (86 %-99 %), it was still detected in the treated wastewater. The sul1 genes occurred in all samples of raw and treated wastewater and their abundance did not change significantly after the treatment process and it was, predominantly, at the level 105 gene copies numbers/mL. Noteworthy, sul2 genes were only found in the influents, and sul3 were not detected. The sulfonamides can be removed in CWs, but their elimination is not complete. However, hybrid CWs treating sewage were superior in decreasing the relative abundance of genes and the concentration of SMX. CWs may play a role in the dissemination of sulfonamide resistance genes of the sul1 type and other determinants of drug resistance, such as the intI1 gene, in the environment, however, the magnitude of this phenomenon is a matter of further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewa Felis
- Silesian University of Technology, Faculty of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Environmental Biotechnology Department, ul. Akademicka 2, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland
| | - Adam Sochacki
- Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Department of Applied Ecology, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Prague 6, Czech Republic.
| | - Sylwia Bajkacz
- Silesian University of Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, ul. M. Strzody 7, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland
| | - Aneta Łuczkiewicz
- Gdańsk University of Technology, Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Department of Environmental Engineering Technology, ul. Narutowicza 11/12, 80-233 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Jóźwiakowski
- University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Faculty of Production Engineering, Department of Environmental Engineering and Geodesy, ul. Leszczyńskiego 7, 20-069 Lublin, Poland
| | - Joan García
- GEMMA-Group of Environmental Engineering and Microbiology, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya-BarcelonaTech, c/ Jordi Girona 1-3, Building D1, E-08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jan Vymazal
- Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Department of Applied Ecology, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Prague 6, Czech Republic
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Gunarathne V, Phillips AJ, Zanoletti A, Rajapaksha AU, Vithanage M, Di Maria F, Pivato A, Korzeniewska E, Bontempi E. Environmental pitfalls and associated human health risks and ecological impacts from landfill leachate contaminants: Current evidence, recommended interventions and future directions. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:169026. [PMID: 38056656 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
The improper management of solid waste, particularly the dumping of untreated municipal solid waste, poses a growing global challenge in both developed and developing nations. The generation of leachate is one of the significant issues that arise from this practice, and it can have harmful impacts on both the environment and public health. This paper presents an overview of the primary waste types that generate landfill leachate and their characteristics. This includes examining the distribution of waste types in landfills globally and how they have changed over time, which can provide valuable insights into potential pollutants in a given area and their trends. With a lack of specific regulations and growing concerns regarding environmental and health impacts, the paper also focuses on emerging contaminants. Furthermore, the environmental and ecological impacts of leachate, along with associated health risks, are analyzed. The potential applications of landfill leachate, suggested interventions and future directions are also discussed in the manuscript. Finally, this work addresses future research directions in landfill leachate studies, with attention, for the first time to the potentialities that artificial intelligence can offer for landfill leachate management, studies, and applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viraj Gunarathne
- Ecosphere Resilience Research Centre, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, CO 10250, Sri Lanka; University of Wuppertal, School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Institute of Foundation Engineering, Water- and Waste-Management, Laboratory of Soil- and Groundwater-Management, Pauluskirchstraße 7, 42285 Wuppertal, Germany
| | - Ankur J Phillips
- Department of Microbiology, College of Basic Sciences and Humanities, Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, 263145, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Alessandra Zanoletti
- INSTM and Chemistry for Technologies Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, Via Branze, 38, 25123 Brescia, Italy
| | - Anushka Upamali Rajapaksha
- Ecosphere Resilience Research Centre, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, CO 10250, Sri Lanka; Instrument Center, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda 10250, Sri Lanka
| | - Meththika Vithanage
- Ecosphere Resilience Research Centre, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, CO 10250, Sri Lanka
| | - Francesco Di Maria
- LAR5 Laboratory, Dipartimento di Ingegneria, University of Perugia, via G. Duranti 93, 06125 Perugia, Italy
| | - Alberto Pivato
- DICEA - Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, University of Padova, Via Marzolo 9, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Ewa Korzeniewska
- Department of Water Protection Engineering and Environmental Microbiology, The Faculty of Geoengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Prawocheńskiego 1 Str., 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Elza Bontempi
- INSTM and Chemistry for Technologies Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Brescia, Via Branze, 38, 25123 Brescia, Italy.
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Yang T, Wang X, Jiang L, Sui X, Bi X, Jiang B, Zhang Z, Li X. Antibiotic resistance genes associated with size-segregated bioaerosols from wastewater treatment plants: A review. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 343:123169. [PMID: 38128715 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.123169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
The antibiotic-resistant pollution in size-segregated bioaerosols from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is of increasing concern due to its public health risks, but an elaborate review is still lacking. This work overviewed the profile, mobility, pathogenic hosts, source, and risks of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in size-segregated bioaerosols from WWTPs. The dominant ARG type in size-segregated bioaerosols from WWTPs was multidrug resistance genes. Treatment units that equipped with mechanical facilities and aeration devices, such as grilles, grit chambers, biochemical reaction tanks, and sludge treatment units, were the primary sources of bioaerosol antibiotic resistome in WWTPs. Higher enrichment of antibiotic resistome in particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of <2.5 μm, was found along the upwind-downwind-WWTPs gradient. Only a small portion of ARGs in inhalable bioaerosols from WWTPs were flanked by mobile genetic elements. The pathogens with multiple drug resistance had been found in size-segregated bioaerosols from WWTPs. Different ARGs or antibiotic resistant bacteria have different aerosolization potential associated with bioaerosols from various treatment processes. The validation of pathogenic antibiotic resistance bacteria, deeper investigation of ARG mobility, emission mechanism of antibiotic resistome, and development of treatment technologies, should be systematically considered in future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tang Yang
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao, 266033, PR China.
| | - Xuyi Wang
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao, 266033, PR China.
| | - Lu Jiang
- College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266100, PR China.
| | - Xin Sui
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao, 266033, PR China.
| | - Xuejun Bi
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao, 266033, PR China.
| | - Bo Jiang
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao, 266033, PR China.
| | - Zhanpeng Zhang
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao, 266033, PR China.
| | - Xinlong Li
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao, 266033, PR China.
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Larsson Y, Mongelli A, Kisielius V, Bester K. Microbial biofilm metabolization of benzalkonium compounds (benzyl dimethyl dodecyl ammonium & benzyl dimethyl tetradecyl ammonium chloride). JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 463:132834. [PMID: 37918070 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
Benzalkonium chlorides (BACs) are quaternary ammonium compounds (QUATs) that are used as biocides. The degradation of these compounds in wastewater treatment plants is essential to reduce their spread into the environment and thus prevent the development of QUAT-resistant genes. The biodegradation of two BACs (BAC-12 and BAC-14) was investigated in moving bed biofilm reactors (MBBRs). Degradation half-lives of 12 and 20 h for BAC-12 and - 14, respectively, were detected as well as the formation of 42 metabolites. Two new degradation pathways for the BACs were identified in this study: 1) one involving an ω-oxidation, followed by β-oxidation and 2) one via an ω-oxidation followed by an α-oxidation that was succeeded by β-oxidation. Similar metabolites were detected for both BAC-12 and BAC-14. Additional metabolites were detected in the study, that could not be assigned to the above-mentioned pathways, revealing even more metabolic pathways in the MBBR which is probably due to the complexity of the microbial community in the biofilm. Interestingly, both TP194 (Benzyl-(carboxymethyl)-dimethylazanium) and TP208B (Benzyl-(2-carboxyethyl)-dimethylazanium) were identified as end products of the ω/β-pathway and the α/β-pathway. TP208B, TP152 and TP250 that were identified in this study, as well as the known BDMA were discovered in the effluent of a wastewater treatment plant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yrsa Larsson
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, Roskilde 4000, Denmark
| | - Andrea Mongelli
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, Roskilde 4000, Denmark
| | - Vaidotas Kisielius
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, Roskilde 4000, Denmark
| | - Kai Bester
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, Roskilde 4000, Denmark.
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Xiao T, Chen R, Cai C, Yuan S, Dai X, Dong B, Xu Z. Abatement of antibiotics and resistance genes during catalytic ozonation enhanced sludge dewatering process: Synchronized in volume and hazardousness reduction. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 463:132912. [PMID: 37944236 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Based on the efficiency of the catalytic ozonation techniques (HDWS+O3 and MnFe2O4 @SBC+O3) in enhancing the sludge dewaterability, the effectiveness in synchronized abatement antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) was conducted to determine. The results revealed that catalytic ozonation conditioning altered the distribution of target antibiotics (tetracycline (TC), oxytetracycline (OTC), norfloxacin (NOR), ofloxacin (OFL)) in the dewatered filtrate, the dewatered sludge cake and the extra-microcolony/cellular polymers (EMPS/ECPS) layers, achieving the redistribution from solid-phase adsorption to liquid-phase dissolution. The total degradation rate was over 90% for TC and OTC, 72-78% for NOR and OFL; the abatement efficiency of eleven ARGs reached 1.47-3.01 log and 1.64-3.59 log, respectively, and more than four eARGs were eliminated. The effective abatement of the absolute abundance of Mobile genetic elements (MGEs) (0.91-1.89 log) demonstrated that catalytic ozonation conditioning could also significantly inhibit horizontal gene transfer (HGT). The abundance of resistant bacteria was greatly reduced and the signal transduction of the typical ARGs host bacteria was inhibited. The highly reactive oxidation species (ROS) generated were responsible for the abatement of antibiotics and ARGs. These findings provided new insights into the sludge conditioning for ideal and synchronized reduction in volume and hazardousness by catalytic ozonation processes in sludge treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Renjie Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Chen Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Shijie Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Xiaohu Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Bin Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; YANGTZE Eco-Environment Engineering Research Center, China Three Gorges Corporation, Beijing 100038, China.
| | - Zuxin Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
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Rungjaeng C, Ratanatamskul C. Effect of antibiotics addition on nutrient removal stability and microbial community change of the solar-powered oxidation ditch-membrane bioreactor in treating building wastewater. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 349:140786. [PMID: 38013026 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2023] [Revised: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
The solar-powered oxidation ditch-membrane bioreactors (SOD-MBR) system was developed and operated with long solid retention times (SRTs) of 80 and 160 days. The aim was to investigate the effects of using a long SRT and antibiotics in building wastewater on the stability of nutrient removal, as well as membrane fouling. An increase in the SRT from 80 days to 160 days did not significantly affect the performance of the SOD-MBR system. Ciprofloxacin and Sulfamethoxazole removal efficiencies were 94.47 ± 1.54% and 87.54 ± 24.7%. However, the presence of antibiotics resulted in lower removal efficiencies for NH4+-nitrogen and phosphorus and stimulated the production of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), particularly proteins in L-EPS and T-EPS of the foulant. FTIR and FEEM analysis revealed that the microbial sludge primarily consisted of proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids. Furthermore, the relative abundance analysis of microbial communities identified bacteria associated with nitrogen removal in the SOD-MBR system, including Anammox, AOB (ammonia oxidizing bacteria), DNB (denitrifying bacteria), and NOB (nitrite oxidizing bacteria), with a total of 25 genera. The majority of these bacteria were stimulated by the presence of antibiotics, resulting in higher relative abundance. Finally, the SOD-MBR system achieved energy savings of 97.38% by utilizing photovoltaic (PV) technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chanissara Rungjaeng
- Center of Excellence in Innovative Waste Treatment and Water Reuse, Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
| | - Chavalit Ratanatamskul
- Center of Excellence in Innovative Waste Treatment and Water Reuse, Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand; Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand.
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Fayaz T, Renuka N, Ratha SK. Antibiotic occurrence, environmental risks, and their removal from aquatic environments using microalgae: Advances and future perspectives. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 349:140822. [PMID: 38042426 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2023] [Revised: 10/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/04/2023]
Abstract
Antibiotic pollution has caused a continuous increase in the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and antibiotic-resistant genes (ARGs) in aquatic environments worldwide. Algae-based bioremediation technology is a promising eco-friendly means to remove antibiotics and highly resistant ARGs, and the generated biomass can be utilized to produce value-added products of industrial significance. This review discussed the prevalence of antibiotics and ARGs in aquatic environments and their environmental risks to non-target organisms. The potential of various microalgal species for antibiotic and ARG removal, their mechanisms, strategies for enhanced removal, and future directions were reviewed. Antibiotics can be degraded into non-toxic compounds in microalgal cells through the action of extracellular polymeric substances, glutathione-S-transferase, and cytochrome P450; however, antibiotic stress can alter microalgal gene expression and growth. This review also deciphered the effect of antibiotic stress on microalgal physiology, biomass production, and biochemical composition that can impact their commercial applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tufail Fayaz
- Algal Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Botany, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, 151401, India
| | - Nirmal Renuka
- Algal Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Botany, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, 151401, India.
| | - Sachitra Kumar Ratha
- Algology Laboratory, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow, 226001, India
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Wei L, Zheng J, Han Y, Xu X, Li M, Zhu L. Insights into the roles of biochar pores toward alleviating antibiotic resistance genes accumulation in biofiltration systems. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2024; 394:130257. [PMID: 38151208 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2023.130257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
Biofiltration systems would harbor and spread various antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) when treating antibiotic micro-pollution, constituting a potential ecological risk. This study aimed to investigate the effects of biochar pores on ARG emergence and related microbial response mechanisms in bench-scale biofiltration systems. Results showed that biochar pores effectively reduced the absolute copies of the corresponding ARGs sul1 and sul2 by 54.1% by lowering the sorbed-SMX's bioavailability compared to non-porous anthracite. An investigation of antimicrobial resistomes revealed a considerable decrease in the abundance and diversity of ARGs and mobile gene elements. Metagenomic and metaproteomic analysis demonstrated that biochar pores induced the changeover of microbial defense strategy against SMX from blocking SMX uptake by EPS absorbing to SMX biotransformation. Microbial SOS response, antibiotic efflux pump, EPS secretion, and biofilm formation were decreased. Functions related to SMX biotransformation, such as sadABC-mediated transformation, xenobiotics degradation, and metabolism, were significantly promoted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lecheng Wei
- Institute of Environment Pollution Control and Treatment, College of Environmental and Resource Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta, Zhejiang University, China
| | - Jingjing Zheng
- Institute of Environment Pollution Control and Treatment, College of Environmental and Resource Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta, Zhejiang University, China
| | - Yutong Han
- Institute of Environment Pollution Control and Treatment, College of Environmental and Resource Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta, Zhejiang University, China
| | - Xiangyang Xu
- Institute of Environment Pollution Control and Treatment, College of Environmental and Resource Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory for Water Pollution Control and Environmental Safety, Hangzhou 310058, China; Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Water Pollution Control, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Mengyan Li
- Department of Chemistry and Environmental Science, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, 07102, USA
| | - Liang Zhu
- Institute of Environment Pollution Control and Treatment, College of Environmental and Resource Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory for Water Pollution Control and Environmental Safety, Hangzhou 310058, China; Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Water Pollution Control, Hangzhou 310058, China; Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta, Zhejiang University, China.
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Perez-Bou L, Gonzalez-Martinez A, Gonzalez-Lopez J, Correa-Galeote D. Promising bioprocesses for the efficient removal of antibiotics and antibiotic-resistance genes from urban and hospital wastewaters: Potentialities of aerobic granular systems. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 342:123115. [PMID: 38086508 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.123115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
The use, overuse, and improper use of antibiotics have resulted in higher levels of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs), which have profoundly disturbed the equilibrium of the environment. Furthermore, once antibiotic agents are excreted in urine and feces, these substances often can reach wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), in which improper treatments have been highlighted as the main reason for stronger dissemination of antibiotics, ARB, and ARGs to the receiving bodies. Hence, achieving better antibiotic removal capacities in WWTPs is proposed as an adequate approach to limit the spread of antibiotics, ARB, and ARGs into the environment. In this review, we highlight hospital wastewater (WW) as a critical hotspot for the dissemination of antibiotic resistance due to its high level of antibiotics and pathogens. Hence, monitoring the composition and structure of the bacterial communities related to hospital WW is a key factor in controlling the spread of ARGs. In addition, we discuss the advantages and drawbacks of the current biological WW treatments regarding the antibiotic-resistance phenomenon. Widely used conventional activated sludge technology has proved to be ineffective in mitigating the dissemination of ARB and ARGs to the environment. However, aerobic granular sludge (AGS) technology is a promising technology-with broad adaptability and excellent performance-that could successfully reduce antibiotics, ARB, and ARGs in the generated effluents. We also outline the main operational parameters involved in mitigating antibiotics, ARB, and ARGs in WWTPs. In this regard, WW operation under long hydraulic and solid retention times allows better removal of antibiotics, ARB, and ARGs independently of the WW technology employed. Finally, we address the current knowledge of the adsorption and degradation of antibiotics and their importance in removing ARB and ARGs. Notably, AGS can enhance the removal of antibiotics, ARB, and ARGs due to the complex microbial metabolism within the granular biomass.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lizandra Perez-Bou
- Microbiology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Granada, Granada, Andalucía, Spain; Microbiology and Environmental Technology Section, Institute of Water Research, University of Granada, Granada, Andalucía, Spain; Microbial Biotechnology Group, Microbiology and Virology Department, Faculty of Biology, University of Havana, Cuba
| | - Alejandro Gonzalez-Martinez
- Microbiology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Granada, Granada, Andalucía, Spain; Microbiology and Environmental Technology Section, Institute of Water Research, University of Granada, Granada, Andalucía, Spain
| | - Jesus Gonzalez-Lopez
- Microbiology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Granada, Granada, Andalucía, Spain; Microbiology and Environmental Technology Section, Institute of Water Research, University of Granada, Granada, Andalucía, Spain
| | - David Correa-Galeote
- Microbiology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Granada, Granada, Andalucía, Spain; Microbiology and Environmental Technology Section, Institute of Water Research, University of Granada, Granada, Andalucía, Spain.
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50
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Yin S, Gao L, Fan X, Gao S, Zhou X, Jin W, He Z, Wang Q. Performance of sewage sludge treatment for the removal of antibiotic resistance genes: Status and prospects. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 907:167862. [PMID: 37865259 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/23/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) receive wastewater containing antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistant genes (ARGs), which are predominant contributors to environmental pollution in water and soil. Of these sources, sludge is a more significant contributor than effluent. Knowing how sludge treatment affects the fate of ARGs is vital for managing the risk of these genes in both human and natural environments. This review therefore discusses the sources and transmission of ARGs in the environment and highlights the risks of ARGs in sludge. The effects of co-existing constituents (heavy metals, microplastics, etc.) on sludge and ARGs during treatment are collated to highlight the difficulty of treating sludge with complex constituents in ARGs. The effects of various sludge treatment methods on the abundances of ARGs in sludge and in soil from land application of treated sludge are discussed, pointing out that the choice of sludge treatment method should take into account various potential factors, such as soil and soil biology in subsequent land application. This review offers significant insights and explores the abundances of ARGs throughout the process of sludge treatment and disposal. Unintentional addition of antibiotic residues, heavy metals, microplastics and organic matter in sludge could significantly increase the abundance and reduce the removal efficiency of ARGs during treatment, which undoubtedly adds a barrier to the removal of ARGs from sludge treatment. The complexity of the sludge composition and the diversities of ARGs have led to the fact that no effective sludge treatment method has so far been able to completely eliminate the ecological risk of ARGs. In order to reduce risks resulting by transmission of ARGs, technical and management measures need to be implemented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyu Yin
- State Key Lab of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China; Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory of Microalgal Bioenergy, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Le Gao
- State Key Lab of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China; Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory of Microalgal Bioenergy, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Xiumin Fan
- Shenzhen Ecological and Environmental Intelligent Management and Control Center, Shenzhen 518034, China
| | - Shuhong Gao
- State Key Lab of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China; Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory of Microalgal Bioenergy, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Xu Zhou
- State Key Lab of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China; Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory of Microalgal Bioenergy, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China.
| | - Wenbiao Jin
- State Key Lab of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China; Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory of Microalgal Bioenergy, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Zhongqi He
- State Key Lab of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China; Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory of Microalgal Bioenergy, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Qilin Wang
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
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