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Bai H, He LY, Gao FZ, Yao KS, Zhang M, Qiao LK, Chen ZY, He LX, Liu YS, Zhao JL, Ying GG. Airborne antibiotic resistome and microbiome in pharmaceutical factories. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 186:108639. [PMID: 38603815 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108639] [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: 01/26/2024] [Revised: 03/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance is considered to be one of the biggest public health problems, and airborne transmission is an important but under-appreciated pathway for the spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the environment. Previous research has shown pharmaceutical factories to be a major source of ARGs and antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) in the surrounding receiving water and soil environments. Pharmaceutical factories are hotspots of antibiotic resistance, but the atmospheric transmission and its environmental risk remain more concerns. Here, we conducted a metagenomic investigation into the airborne microbiome and resistome in three pharmaceutical factories in China. Soil (average: 38.45%) and wastewater (average: 28.53%) were major contributors of airborne resistome. ARGs (vanR/vanS, blaOXA, and CfxA) conferring resistance to critically important clinically used antibiotics were identified in the air samples. The wastewater treatment area had significantly higher relative abundances of ARGs (average: 0.64 copies/16S rRNA). Approximately 28.2% of the detected airborne ARGs were found to be associated with plasmids, and this increased to about 50% in the wastewater treatment area. We have compiled a list of high-risk airborne ARGs found in pharmaceutical factories. Moreover, A total of 1,043 viral operational taxonomic units were identified and linked to 47 family-group taxa. Different CRISPR-Cas immune systems have been identified in bacterial hosts in response to phage infection. Similarly, higher phage abundance (average: 2451.70 PPM) was found in the air of the wastewater treatment area. Our data provide insights into the antibiotic resistance gene profiles and microbiome (bacterial and non-bacterial) in pharmaceutical factories and reveal the potential role of horizontal transfer in the spread of airborne ARGs, with implications for human and animal health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Bai
- SCNU Environmental Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Liang-Ying He
- SCNU Environmental Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou 510006, China.
| | - Fang-Zhou Gao
- SCNU Environmental Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Kai-Sheng Yao
- Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management group, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Min Zhang
- Pearl River Water Resources Research Institute, Pearl River Water Resources Commission of the Ministry of Water Resources, Guangzhou 510610, China
| | - Lu-Kai Qiao
- SCNU Environmental Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Zi-Yin Chen
- SCNU Environmental Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Lu-Xi He
- SCNU Environmental Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - You-Sheng Liu
- SCNU Environmental Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Jian-Liang Zhao
- SCNU Environmental Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Guang-Guo Ying
- SCNU Environmental Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou 510006, China.
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Cuetero-Martínez Y, Villamizar-Ojeda KN, Hernández-Santiago MJ, De Los Cobos-Vasconcelos D, Aguirre-Garrido JF, López-Vidal Y, Noyola A. Removal of intI1, ARGs, and SARS-CoV-2 and changes in bacterial communities in four sewage treatment facilities. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 903:165984. [PMID: 37574072 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2023] [Revised: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Currently, discharge regulations for wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are based on conventional parameters, but more is needed to ensure safe water reuse. In particular, emerging pollutants, as antimicrobials and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), are not considered. This research focuses on the fate of emerging biological contaminants during wastewater treatment in Mexico City. intI1 and the ARGs cphA-02, OXA-10 and sul1 were analyzed by qPCR; pathogenic bacteria species were characterized by high throughput sequencing of complete 16S rRNA gene, and fragments of SARS-CoV-2 were quantified by RT-qPCR. Conventional parameters (chemical oxygen demand and coliform bacteria) were also determined. Two sampling campaigns (rainy and dry seasons) were carried out in four municipal WWTPs in Mexico City, representing five biological treatment processes: conventional activated sludge, extended aeration activated sludge, membrane bioreactor, direct anaerobic digestion, and constructed wetland, followed by ultraviolet light or chlorine disinfection. In most cases, gene fragments of SARS-CoV-2 were eliminated below the detection limit of RT-qPCR. The abundance of intI1 positively correlated with the sul1, OXA-10, and cphA-02 abundances; intI1 and the ARGs here studied were partially removed in the WWTPs, and in most cases, the number of copies per second discarded in the sludge were higher those in the effluent. The treatment processes decreased the abundance of dominant bacterial groups in the raw wastewater, while enriching bacterial groups in the effluent and the biological sludge, with possible pollutant removal capabilities. Bacterial communities in the raw wastewater showed the predominance of the genus Arcobacter (from 62.4 to 86.0 %) containing potentially pathogenic species. Additionally, DNA of some species persisted after the treatment processes: A. johnsonii, A. junii, A. caviae, A. hydrophila, A. veronii, A. butzleri, A. cryaerophilus, Chryseobacterium indologenes, Hafnia paralvei, M. osloensis, Pseudomonas putida and Vibrio cholerae, which deserves special attention in future regulation for safe water reuse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yovany Cuetero-Martínez
- Subdirección de Hidráulica y Ambiental, Instituto de Ingeniería, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 Cd de, Mexico; Posgrado en Ciencias Bioquímicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 Cd de, Mexico
| | - Karen Natalia Villamizar-Ojeda
- Subdirección de Hidráulica y Ambiental, Instituto de Ingeniería, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 Cd de, Mexico; Posgrado en Ciencias Bioquímicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 Cd de, Mexico
| | | | - Daniel De Los Cobos-Vasconcelos
- Subdirección de Hidráulica y Ambiental, Instituto de Ingeniería, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 Cd de, Mexico
| | - José Félix Aguirre-Garrido
- Departamento de Ciencias Ambientales, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana - Unidad Lerma, 52005 Lerma de Villada, Edo, Mexico
| | - Yolanda López-Vidal
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de México, 04510, Cd de, Mexico
| | - Adalberto Noyola
- Subdirección de Hidráulica y Ambiental, Instituto de Ingeniería, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 Cd de, Mexico.
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Cheah H, Bae S. Multichannel Microfluidic Platform for Temporal-Spatial Investigation of Niche Roles of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli within a Dual-Species Biofilm. Appl Environ Microbiol 2023; 89:e0065123. [PMID: 37382537 PMCID: PMC10370331 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00651-23] [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: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023] Open
Abstract
In natural or man-made environments, microorganisms exist predominantly as biofilms forming surface-associated bacterial communities embedded in extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs). Often, biofilm reactors used for endpoint and disruptive analyses of biofilm are not suitable for periodic observation of biofilm formation and development. In this study, a microfluidic device designed with multiple channels and a gradient generator was used for high-throughput analysis and real-time monitoring of dual-species biofilm formation and development. We compared the structural parameters of monospecies and dual-species biofilms containing Pseudomonas aeruginosa (expressing mCherry) and Escherichia coli (expressing green fluorescent protein [GFP]) to understand the interactions in the biofilm. The rate of biovolume increase of each species in monospecies biofilm (2.7 × 105 μm3) was higher than those in a dual-species biofilm (9.68 × 104 μm3); however, synergism was still observed in the dual-species biofilm due to overall increases in biovolume for both species. Synergism was also observed in a dual-species biofilm, where P. aeruginosa forms a "blanket" over E. coli, providing a physical barrier against shear stress in the environment. The microfluidic chip was useful for monitoring the dual-species biofilm in the microenvironment, indicating that different species in a multispecies biofilm exhibit different niches for the survival of the biofilm community. Finally, we demonstrated that the nucleic acids can be extracted from the dual-species biofilm in situ after biofilm imaging analysis. In addition, gene expression supported that the activation and suppression of different quorum sensing genes resulted in the different phenotype seen in the biofilm. This study showed that the integration of microfluidic device with microscopy analysis and molecular techniques could be a promising tool for studying biofilm structure and gene quantification and expression simultaneously. IMPORTANCE In natural or man-made environments, microorganisms exist predominantly as biofilms forming surface-associated bacterial communities embedded in extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs). Often, biofilm reactors used for endpoint and disruptive analyses of biofilm are not suitable for periodic observation of biofilm formation and development. Here, we demonstrate that a microfluidic device with multiple channels and a gradient generator can be useful for high-throughput analysis and real-time monitoring of dual-species biofilm formation and development. Our study revealed synergism in the dual-species biofilm, where P. aeruginosa forms a "blanket" over E. coli, providing a physical barrier against shear stress in the environment. Furthermore, different species in a multispecies biofilm exhibit different niches for the survival of the biofilm community. This study showed that the integration of microfluidic device with microscopy analysis and molecular techniques could be a promising tool for studying biofilm structure and gene quantification and expression simultaneously.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hee Cheah
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Sungwoo Bae
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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González-Reguero D, Robas-Mora M, Fernández-Pastrana VM, Probanza-Lobo A, Jiménez-Gómez PA. Reduced Antibiotic Resistance in the Rhizosphere of Lupinus albus in Mercury-Contaminated Soil Mediated by the Addition of PGPB. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:801. [PMID: 37372086 PMCID: PMC10295369 DOI: 10.3390/biology12060801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
The emergence of antibiotic resistance (AR) poses a threat to the "One Health" approach. Likewise, mercury (Hg) pollution is a serious environmental and public health problem. Its ability to biomagnify through trophic levels induces numerous pathologies in humans. As well, it is known that Hg-resistance genes and AR genes are co-selected. The use of plant-growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) can improve plant adaptation, decontamination of toxic compounds and control of AR dispersal. The cenoantibiogram, a technique that allows estimating the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of a microbial community, has been postulated as a tool to effectively evaluate the evolution of a soil. The present study uses the metagenomics of 16S rRNA gene amplicons to understand the distribution of the microbial soil community prior to bacterial inoculation, and the cenoantibiogram technique to evaluate the ability of four PGPB and their consortia to minimize antibiotic resistance in the rhizosphere of Lupinus albus var. Orden Dorado grown in Hg-contaminated soils. Results showed that the addition of A1 strain (Brevibacterium frigoritolerans) and its consortia with A2, B1 and B2 strains reduced the edaphic community´s MIC against cephalosporins, ertapenem and tigecycline. The metagenomic study revealed that the high MIC of non-inoculated soils could be explained by the bacteria which belong to the detected taxa,. showing a high prevalence of Proteobacteria, Cyanobacteria and Actinobacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel González-Reguero
- Department of Pharmaceutical Science and Health, San Pablo University, CEU Universities, Ctra. Boadilla del Monte Km 5.300, 28668 Boadilla del Monte, Spain; (V.M.F.-P.)
| | - Marina Robas-Mora
- Department of Pharmaceutical Science and Health, San Pablo University, CEU Universities, Ctra. Boadilla del Monte Km 5.300, 28668 Boadilla del Monte, Spain; (V.M.F.-P.)
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Li Z, Chen C, Zhang K, Zhang Z, Zhao R, Han B, Yang F, Ding Y. Response of Antibiotic Resistance Genes and Related Microorganisms to Arsenic during Vermicomposting of Cow Dung. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:14475. [PMID: 36361352 PMCID: PMC9658359 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192114475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance pollution in livestock manure is a persistent issue that has drawn public attention. Vermicomposting is an ecofriendly biological process that can render livestock manure harmless and resourceful. However, little is known about the impact of vermicomposting on antibiotic resistance in livestock manure under stress caused by potentially toxic arsenic levels. Herein, lab-scale vermicomposting was performed to comprehensively evaluate the shift in antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and related microorganisms in fresh earthworm casts as well as vermicompost product health (i.e., nutrient availability and enzyme activity) when they were fed on arsenic-contaminated cow manure. The results showed that the earthworms' interaction with cow dung led to a significant reduction in ARG concentrations, especially for tetracycline ARGs (tet-ARGs), β-lactam ARGs (bla-ARGs), and quinolone ARGs (qnr-ARGs). However, arsenic significantly enhanced ARG accumulation in earthworm casts in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, vermicomposting increased the percentage of Bacteroidota in the converted products. Furthermore, arsenic exposure at low concentrations promoted the proliferation of Proteobacteria, whereas high concentrations had little effect on Proteobacteria. Our study provides valuable insight into the changes in the antibiotic resistome and related microorganisms during vermicomposting of arsenic-amended cow manure, and it is crucial to explain the environmental impact of earthworms and improve our understanding of the reciprocal benefits of soil invertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zijun 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
| | - Chen Chen
- China-UK Agro-Environmental Pollution Prevention and Control Joint Research Centre, Agro-Environmental Protection Institute, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Tianjin 300191, China
| | - Keqiang Zhang
- 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
| | - 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
| | - 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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Miao J, Yin Z, Yang Y, Liang Y, Shi H, Xu X. Investigation of the microbial community structure and diversity in the environment surrounding a veterinary antibiotic production factory. RSC Adv 2021; 12:1021-1027. [PMID: 35425125 PMCID: PMC8978860 DOI: 10.1039/d1ra08119e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The ecological toxicity caused by antibiotic residues and resistance genes in the environment affects the community structures and activities of environmental microorganisms; the ecological toxicity effects of a long-term exposure to low doses antibiotic residues on microorganisms have not however been well-studied. In this work, sequence analysis and species annotation of the full-length 16S rRNA gene were carried out on the extracted whole genome by a 3-generation sequencing method to analyze the diversity of the microbial populations and the population differences among different sampling sites in the environment surrounding a veterinary antibiotic production factory. A total of 1720 OTUs (Operational Taxonomic Unit, OTU) were found, of which 1055 OTUs were in the river samples and 993 OTUs were in the soil samples. 643 and 438 bacterial strains were identified in the river water and soil samples respectively. The bacterial populations are classified into 29 phylum, 612 genus, and 849 species. The dominant phylum of bacteria was Proteobacteria, which was also the absolutely dominant phylum. Shannon diversity index of the bacteria showed that the bacterial abundance in downstream river was significantly higher than that in an upstream non-polluted area (P < 0.001), but the difference of bacterial abundance between soil samples was not significant. There were 61 biomarkers in the river water samples from different sampling points, and 14 biomarkers in soil samples. It was found by the difference statistics of the microbial community that there are multiple biomarkers between this veterinary drug production site and the upstream non-polluted area. Significant differences between multiple functional genes were also found in metabolic pathways of the microorganisms. A similar trend was found for the distribution of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). It is concluded that the population composition of microorganisms and diversity are likely related to antibiotic residues and to the distributions of ARGs in the environment surrounding the antibiotic production factory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junjie Miao
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Environment and Human Health, School of Public Health, Hebei Medical University Shijiazhuang 050017 PR China
| | - Zhendong Yin
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Environment and Human Health, School of Public Health, Hebei Medical University Shijiazhuang 050017 PR China
| | - Yuqin Yang
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Environment and Human Health, School of Public Health, Hebei Medical University Shijiazhuang 050017 PR China
| | - Yiwen Liang
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Environment and Human Health, School of Public Health, Hebei Medical University Shijiazhuang 050017 PR China
| | - Hongmei Shi
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Environment and Human Health, School of Public Health, Hebei Medical University Shijiazhuang 050017 PR China
| | - Xiangdong Xu
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Environment and Human Health, School of Public Health, Hebei Medical University Shijiazhuang 050017 PR China
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