We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Review of the Effects of Antibiotics on Nitrogen Cycle and Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Aquaculture Water
AI summary Read the abstract
This review synthesized recent research on how common antibiotic classes used in aquaculture—including sulfonamides, tetracyclines, and quinolones—disrupt microbial nitrogen cycling and increase greenhouse gas emissions from aquaculture water. The authors found that even low antibiotic concentrations shift nitrification-denitrification balance and stimulate N2O emissions.
Aquaculture systems face escalating ecological risks due to the widespread use and persistence of antibiotics, which disrupt microbial-mediated nitrogen cycling and exacerbate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This review synthesizes the recent research on how common antibiotics, such as sulfonamides, quinolones, tetracyclines, and macrolides, with the concentration ranging from μg/L to mg/L, alter microbial community structure, functional gene expression (e.g., amoA, nirK, and nosZ), and key nitrogen transformation processes. These disruptions inhibit nitrogen-removal efficiency by 25-55%, promote the accumulation of toxic intermediates (e.g., NH4+ and NO2-), and enhance emissions of potent GHGs of nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4). The effects are influenced by antibiotic type; concentration; environmental conditions; and interactions with co-contaminants such as heavy metals (Cu2+ and Pb2+ at 50-200 μg/L) and microplastics (0.1-10 mg/L), which can synergistically amplify ecological risks by 20-40%. The research in this field has largely focused on the toxicity of individual antibiotics, so significant gaps remain regarding combined pollution effects, long-term microbial adaptation, and molecular-scale mechanisms. This review synthesizes research on the impacts of aquaculture antibiotics on microbial nitrogen cycling and GHG emissions, identifying key mechanisms and research gaps. Its significance lies in laying a scientific foundation for integrated antibiotics pollution control strategies and bridging basic research with practical aquaculture management to advance the sustainability of aquaculture ecosystems.
More Papers Like This
A review of microplastics stress on nitrogen conversion and nitrous oxide emissions from biological wastewater treatment: Efficiency, mechanism and prospects
AI summary Read the abstract
This review analyzes how microplastics affect nitrogen conversion processes and nitrous oxide emissions during biological wastewater treatment. Researchers found that microplastics can disrupt key nitrogen-cycling steps including nitrification and denitrification, potentially increasing emissions of the potent greenhouse gas nitrous oxide. The study highlights the dual environmental concern of microplastics interfering with both water treatment efficiency and climate-relevant gas emissions.
Plastisphere-mediated nitrogen cycling and N2O emissions in inland waters: A systematic review
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers synthesized evidence that microplastic biofilms in freshwater systems selectively enrich nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria while suppressing the gene responsible for converting nitrous oxide to nitrogen gas, creating conditions that amplify N₂O emissions — with biodegradable plastics posing an unexpectedly complex greenhouse gas risk.
Exploring the potential impacts of microplastics on greenhouse gas emissions in wastewater treatment
AI summary Read the abstract
This review analyzed how microplastics in wastewater treatment plants affect greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, focusing on mechanisms by which microplastics alter microbial communities and their metabolic processes. The plastisphere was identified as a key site for altered methane and nitrous oxide production, with implications for climate reporting from the water sector.
The impact of microplastics and nanoplastics on biological nitrogen removal processes: Exacerbating the greenhouse effect
AI summary Read the abstract
This review examines how microplastics and nanoplastics accumulate in wastewater treatment plants and interfere with the biological processes that remove nitrogen from water. The disruption leads to increased emissions of nitrous oxide, a powerful greenhouse gas, making the problem both an environmental health concern and a climate issue. The findings suggest that microplastic contamination in wastewater is undermining treatment effectiveness while simultaneously contributing to global warming.
Effects of microplastics on denitrification and associated N2O emission in estuarine and coastal sediments: insights from interactions between sulfate reducers and denitrifiers
AI summary Read the abstract
This study investigated how microplastics affect nitrogen cycling and greenhouse gas emissions in estuary sediments by altering the interactions between two key types of bacteria. Microplastics disrupted the balance between sulfate-reducing and nitrogen-removing bacteria, with different effects depending on location in the estuary. These changes could worsen water quality in coastal zones where microplastic pollution is severe, potentially affecting fisheries and water resources that communities depend on.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.