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Effects of freeze-thaw dynamics and microplastics on the distribution of antibiotic resistance genes in soil aggregates
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Researchers investigated how freeze-thaw cycles and microplastics together affect the spread of antibiotic resistance genes in soil. The study found that repeated freezing and thawing significantly increased antibiotic resistance genes across different soil particle sizes. Interestingly, the presence of polyethylene microplastics actually reduced some of the resistance gene increases caused by freeze-thaw, suggesting a complex interaction between these two environmental stressors.
This is the first study investigating the effects of freeze-thaw (FT) and microplastics (MPs) on the distribution of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in soil aggregates (i.e., soil basic constituent and functional unit) via microcosm experiments. The results showed that FT significantly increased the total relative abundance of target ARGs in different aggregates due to the increase in intI1 and ARG host bacteria. However, polyethylene MPs (PE-MPs) hindered the increase in ARG abundance caused by FT. The host bacteria carrying ARGs and intI1 varied with aggregate size, and the highest number of hosts was observed in micro-aggregates (<0.25 mm). FT and MPs altered host bacteria abundance by affecting aggregate physicochemical properties and bacterial community and enhanced multiple antibiotic resistance via vertical gene transfer. Although the dominant factors affecting ARGs varied with aggregate size, intI1 was a co-dominant factor in various-sized aggregates. Furthermore, other than ARGs, FT, PE-MPs, and their integration promoted the proliferation of human pathogenic bacteria in aggregates. These findings suggested that FT and its integration with MPs significantly affected ARG distribution in soil aggregates. They amplified antibiotic resistance environmental risks, contributing to a profound understanding of soil antibiotic resistance in the boreal region.
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Freeze-thaw cycles and their interrelation with microplastic contamination affecting the spread and propagation of antibiotic resistant genes in black soil of Northeast China
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Researchers found that freeze-thaw cycling in Northeast China's black soil reduces the abundance of antibiotic resistance genes, and that adding polyethylene or biodegradable microplastics amplifies this suppression — particularly at high cycle frequencies — by disrupting horizontal gene transfer and decreasing populations of host bacteria carrying ARGs.
Freeze-thaw cycles and their interrelation with microplastic contamination affecting the spread and propagation of antibiotic resistant genes in black soil of Northeast China
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that freeze-thaw cycling in Northeast China's black soil reduces the abundance of antibiotic resistance genes, and that adding polyethylene or biodegradable microplastics amplifies this suppression — particularly at high cycle frequencies — by disrupting horizontal gene transfer and decreasing populations of host bacteria carrying ARGs.
Freeze-thaw cycles and their interrelation with microplastic contamination affecting the spread and propagation of antibiotic resistant genes in black soil of Northeast China
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Scientists studying farmland soil in Northeast China found that repeated freezing and thawing, something happening more often due to climate change, actually reduces antibiotic-resistant bacteria genes in soil, and adding microplastics reduces them even further. This is somewhat good news, since antibiotic resistance is a growing public health threat that makes infections harder to treat, but the study also found that under milder freeze-thaw conditions, microplastics can boost harmful bacteria carrying multiple resistance genes, showing the relationship is complicated and still needs more research before drawing firm conclusions about human health impacts.
Deciphering the carrier potential of microplastics aged in freeze-thaw soils: Multiscale insights into mechanisms for antibiotic adsorption amplification
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Freeze-thaw cycles (the natural freezing and thawing soil goes through in cold seasons) roughen the surface of microplastics and make them better at soaking up antibiotics from soil, like a sponge with more nooks and crannies to trap chemicals. This matters because it means microplastics in cold-climate farmland could become more effective carriers of antibiotic pollutants, potentially spreading them further through soil, water, and crops than previously thought, an overlooked risk as climate change alters freeze-thaw patterns.
Microplastic aging mediates bacterial and antibiotic resistance gene composition in plastisphere and the associated soil solution
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Researchers ran a microcosm experiment comparing how pristine versus aged microplastics influenced bacterial communities and antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) composition in the plastisphere and surrounding soil solution. Aged MPs enriched distinct ARGs and microbial taxa compared to pristine MPs, suggesting MP weathering intensifies the spread of antibiotic resistance in soils.
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