1
|
Hou J, Lam KL, Chiu YT, Kwong KY, Lau HL, Marafa LM, Tsui SKW, Mo IWY, Chan PL. Urban green waste bulking agent is the major source of antimicrobial resistance genes persisted in home compost, not animal manure. Environ Res 2024; 242:117713. [PMID: 38000633 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023]
Abstract
Urban green waste and food waste are often used as bulking agents to prepare home compost in combination with animal manure in urban horticulture and community gardening. Although it is known that antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) persist in home compost, their origins have not been determined. In addition, the factors contributing to ARGs persistence remain unclear. In this study, we aim to (i) characterize the changes in the microbiome and antimicrobial resistome during the composting process of home compost using metagenomics shotgun sequencing, (ii) identify the source of the ARGs persisted in home compost using SourceTracker, and (iii) elucidate the collective effect of compost microbiome and environmental factors, including the physicochemical properties and antibiotics concentration of home compost, in contributing to ARG persistence using Procrustes analysis, co-occurrence network analysis, variation partitioning analysis, and structural equation modeling. SourceTracker analysis indicated that urban green waste bulking agent was the major source of the persisting ARGs in home compost instead of animal manure. Procrustes analysis and co-occurrence network analysis revealed a strong association between microbiome and antimicrobial resistome. Variation partitioning analysis and structural equation modeling suggested that physicochemical properties shaped the antimicrobial resistome directly and indirectly by influencing the microbiome. Our results indicated that the persistence of ARGs in home compost might be due to the succession of microbial species from the urban green waste bulking agent, and the physicochemical properties might have defined the compost environment to shape the microbiome in the compost, thus, in turn, the persisting antimicrobial resistome.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jinpao Hou
- School of Biomedical Sciences, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - K L Lam
- Department of Applied Science, School of Science and Technology, Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Ho Man Tin, Hong Kong
| | - Y T Chiu
- Department of Applied Science, School of Science and Technology, Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Ho Man Tin, Hong Kong
| | - K Y Kwong
- Department of Applied Science, School of Science and Technology, Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Ho Man Tin, Hong Kong
| | - H L Lau
- Department of Geography and Resources Management, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - L M Marafa
- Department of Geography and Resources Management, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - S K W Tsui
- School of Biomedical Sciences, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - I W Y Mo
- Department of Applied Science, School of Science and Technology, Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Ho Man Tin, Hong Kong.
| | - P L Chan
- Department of Applied Science, School of Science and Technology, Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Ho Man Tin, Hong Kong; Department of Health Sciences, School of Nursing and Health Studies, Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Ho Man Tin, Hong Kong.
| |
Collapse
|