Article ? AI-assigned paper type based on the abstract. Classification may not be perfect — flag errors using the feedback button. Tier 2 ? Original research — experimental, observational, or case-control study. Direct primary evidence. Gut & Microbiome Sign in to save

Different microplastics distinctively enriched the antibiotic resistance genes in anaerobic sludge digestion through shifting specific hosts and promoting horizontal gene flow

Water Research 2022 113 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 60 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.

Wei Wei, Zhijie Chen, Zhijie Chen, Zhijie Chen, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Zhijie Chen, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Zhijie Chen, Zhijie Chen, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Qiuxiang Xu, Qiuxiang Xu, Tian‐Yi Luo, Wei Wei, Tian‐Yi Luo, Tian‐Yi Luo, Tian‐Yi Luo, Zhijie Chen, Zhijie Chen, Zhijie Chen, Bing‐Jie Ni Xiaohu Dai, Xiaohu Dai, Xiaohu Dai, Xiaohu Dai, Lan Wu, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Zhijie Chen, Zhijie Chen, Bing‐Jie Ni Zhijie Chen, Zhijie Chen, Zhijie Chen, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Wei Wei, Zhijie Chen, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Lan Wu, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Zhijie Chen, Bing‐Jie Ni Zhijie Chen, Tian‐Yi Luo, Qiuxiang Xu, Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Xiaohu Dai, Xiaohu Dai, Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Lan Wu, Lan Wu, Lan Wu, Qiuxiang Xu, Bing‐Jie Ni Zhijie Chen, Bing‐Jie Ni Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Xiaohu Dai, Wei Wei, Bing‐Jie Ni Wei Wei, Wei Wei, Bing‐Jie Ni Xiaohu Dai, Xiaohu Dai, Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Wei Wei, Bing‐Jie Ni Xiaohu Dai, Bing‐Jie Ni Xiaohu Dai, Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Xiaohu Dai, Bing‐Jie Ni Xiaohu Dai, Bing‐Jie Ni Xiaohu Dai, Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Zhijie Chen, Bing‐Jie Ni Qiuxiang Xu, Bing‐Jie Ni Qiuxiang Xu, Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Qiuxiang Xu, Xiaohu Dai, Lan Wu, Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Xiaohu Dai, Wei Wei, Xiaohu Dai, Xiaohu Dai, Xiaohu Dai, Xiaohu Dai, Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Xiaohu Dai, Bing‐Jie Ni Wei Wei, Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Zhijie Chen, Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Zhijie Chen, Bing‐Jie Ni Bing‐Jie Ni Xiaohu Dai, Wei Wei, Bing‐Jie Ni

Summary

Researchers examined how polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride microplastics affect antibiotic resistance genes during sewage sludge digestion and found that both plastic types promoted the spread of resistance genes, but through different mechanisms. Polyethylene surfaces attracted specific bacteria that carry resistance genes, while PVC promoted horizontal gene transfer between organisms. The study raises concerns about wastewater treatment plants becoming hotspots for antibiotic resistance when microplastics are present.

Polymers

PE PVC

Both microplastics (MPs) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are intensively detected in waste activated sludge (WAS). However, the distinctive impacts of different MPs on ARGs emergence, dissemination, and its potential mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, long-term semi-continuous digesters were performed to examine the profiles of ARGs and antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) in response to two different typical MPs (polyethylene (PE) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC)) in anaerobic sludge digestion. Metagenomic results show that PE- and PVC-MPs increase ARGs abundance by 14.8% and 23.6% in digester, respectively. ARB are also enriched by PE- and PVC-MPs, Acinetobacter sp. and Salmonella sp. are the dominant ARB. Further exploration reveals that PVC-MPs stimulates the acquisition of ARGs by human pathogen bacteria (HPB) and functional microorganisms (FMs), but PE-MPs doesn't. Network analysis shows that more ARGs tend to co-occur with HBP and FMs after MPs exposure, and more importantly, new bacteria are observed to acquire ARGs possibly via horizontal gene flow (HGF) in MPs-stressed digester. The genes involved in the HGF process, including reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, cell membrane permeability, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) secretion, and ATP synthesis, are also enhanced by MPs, thereby attributing to the promoted ARGs dissemination. These findings offer advanced insights into the distinctive contribution of MPs to fate, host, dissemination of ARGs in anaerobic sludge digestion.

Read via DOI PubMed

Share this paper

Post Share Share Pin Email