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854900.9942Current perspectives on microalgae and extracellular polymers for reducing antibiotic resistance genes in livestock wastewater. Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in livestock wastewater resulting from excessive antibiotics used in animal farming pose significant environmental and public health risks. Conventional treatment methods are often costly, inefficient, and may inadvertently promote ARG transmission. Microalgae, with their long genetic distance from bacteria and strong ability to utilize wastewater nutrients, offer a sustainable solution for ARG mitigation. This review studied the abundance and characterization of ARGs in livestock wastewater, highlighted microalgal-based removal mechanisms of ARGs, including phagocytosis, competition, and absorption by extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), and explored factors influencing their efficacy. Notably, the microalgae-EPS system reduced ARGs by 0.62-3.00 log, demonstrating significant potential in wastewater treatment. Key challenges, such as optimizing algal species, understanding EPS-ARG interactions, targeted reduction of host bacteria, and scaling technologies, were discussed. This work provides critical insights for advancing microalgal-based strategies for ARG removal, promoting environmentally friendly and efficient wastewater management.202540324729
855210.9942Sustainable material platforms for multi-log removal of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and genes from wastewater: A review. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and the associated resistance genes (ARGs) are now recognized as emerging contaminants that can disseminate via wastewater streams, posing significant risks to both human and ecosystem health. Conventional physicochemical treatment approaches (e.g., chlorination, ozonation, advanced oxidation processes) typically suppress these contaminants but may also result in the formation of hazardous by-products. This critical review comprehensibly evaluates bio-based and other sustainable materials designed for the removal of ARB and ARGs from aqueous environments. The materials are systematically categorized into (i) biopolymers and their composites (chitosan, alginate, cellulose), (ii) carbon-rich adsorbents and (photo-)catalysts (biochar, activated carbon, graphene), (iii) metal- and semiconductor-based nanomaterials, and (iv) nature-based treatment solutions (constructed wetlands, soil-aquifer treatment, clay sorbents). Observed log-reduction value range from 2 to 7 for ARB with platforms such as zinc oxide/activated-carbon alginate beads, Fe/N-doped biochars, and graphene-supramolecular-porphyrin hybrids demonstrating high multifunctional efficacy. Mechanistic studies reveal that removal involves synergistic adsorption, photodynamic or Fenton-like oxidation, cell-membrane disruption, and inhibition of horizontal gene transfer. This review emphasizes the advancing potential of sustainable material solutions for mitigating antibiotic resistance and highlights the urgent need to develop scalable, environmentally sustainable treatment methods for protecting water resources and public health.202540763861
811120.9940Effect of alkaline-thermal pretreatment on biodegradable plastics degradation and dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes in co-compost system. Biodegradable plastics (BDPs) are an eco-friendly alternative to traditional plastics in organic waste, but their microbial degradation and impact on antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) transmission during co-composting remain poorly understood. This study examines how alkaline-thermal pretreatment enhances BDPs degradation and influences the fate of ARGs and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) in co-composting. Pretreatment with 0.1 mol/L NaOH at 100℃ for 40 minutes increased the surface roughness and hydrophilicity of BDPs while reducing their molecular weight and thermal stability. Incorporating pretreated BDPs film (8 g/kg-TS) into the compost reduced the molecular weight of the BDPs by 59.70 % during the maturation stage, facilitating compost heating and prolonging the thermophilic stage. However, incomplete degradation of BDPs releases numerous smaller-sized microplastics, which can act as carriers for microorganisms, facilitating the dissemination of ARGs across environments and posing significant ecological and public health risks. Metagenomic analysis revealed that pretreatment enriched plastic-degrading bacteria, such as Thermobifida fusca, on BDPs surfaces and accelerated microbial plastic degradation during the thermophilic stage, but also increased ARGs abundance. Although pretreatment significantly reduced MGEs abundance (tnpA, IS19), the risk of ARGs dissemination remained. Three plastic-degrading bacteria (Pigmentiphaga sp002188465, Bacillus clausii, and Bacillus altitudinis) were identified as ARGs hosts, underscoring the need to address the risk of horizontal gene transfer of ARGs associated with pretreatment in organic waste management.202539970645
854830.9940Persulfate salts to combat bacterial resistance in the environment through antibiotic degradation and biofilm disruption. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic-resistant genes (ARGs) have become a critical topic among researchers because of the excessive use of antibiotics in human and animal health care. Globally, it poses a serious threat to human health and the environment. Antibiotics are often poorly metabolized, with 30-90 % excreted into the environment, contaminating aquatic and ground ecosystems, and fostering resistance. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), particularly sulfate radical-based AOPs (SR-AOPs), offer promising solutions for degrading antibiotics and resistant biofilms. Persulfate (PS) and Peroxymonosulfate (PMS) are key oxidants in these processes, generating sulfate and hydroxyl radicals when activated by heat, UV light, or transition metals. PS with a redox potential of E°=2.01 V is an affordable and effective oxidant. However, PS requires activation for the degradation of contaminants. PMS is stable across a broad pH range and produces both sulfate and hydroxyl radicals, allowing it to function independently without activation. Thus, PMS serving as a versatile agent for environmental treatment. This review broadly describes the degradation mechanisms of different classes of antibiotics and biofilms. Despite these promising developments, SR-AOPs still face challenges in managing complex wastewater systems, which often contain multiple pollutants. Moreover, gaps remain in understanding of the toxicity of reaction intermediates and in optimizing the large-scale application of these processes. Future research should focus on the in-situ generation of sulfate radicals, combining different activation methods to enhance degradation efficiency, and developing sustainable and cost-effective approaches for large-scale wastewater treatment.202540532556
641640.9939Antibiotic resistance in plastisphere. Microbial life on plastic debris, called plastisphere, has invoked special attention on aquatic ecosystems as emerging habitats for antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB). There is scarce information concerning how properties of plastics influence ARGs and ARB, the effect of biofilms on enrichment of ARGs and ARB, and, especially, the influence of plastic transformation on ARGs and ARB. Limited research has shown that microplastic (MP) surfaces influence proliferation of antibiotic resistance (AR), aged MPs exhibit increased toxicity due to more adsorption-desorption of AR, and MP transformation is correlated with disseminating AR. Prevention measures of AR include minimizing MP releasing into aquatic environments and sewage treatment plants. The future research should aim to identify the interface mechanisms of transformed MNPs and antibiotics alone, or mixed with other contaminants, property changes of MNPs, and associated toxicity evaluation.202540265125
858050.9939Mitigation of microplastic-associated emerging pollutants by chlorination using field-collected microplastic: Antimicrobial-resistant genes and pathogens. The ubiquity of microplastics (MPs) in aquatic environments has raised significant concerns regarding their roles as vectors for antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs) and antibiotic-resistant pathogens (ARPs). This study investigated the mitigation of ARGs and ARPs associated with field-collected MPs through chlorination using free available chlorine (FAC) at varying concentrations. FAC effectively reduced the absolute abundance of ARGs on MPs by up to 99.69 %, although the relative abundance of certain ARGs persisted or increased after treatments. Results revealed that the three-dimensional structure of biofilms on MPs significantly influenced FAC efficacy, with interior biofilm bacteria demonstrating greater resistance than outer biofilm. Additionally, FAC induced fragmentation of MPs, particularly increasing the proportion of particles smaller than 100 μm. Notably, ARGs such as sul1 and ermB showed substantial reductions in absolute abundance, whereas ermC and sul2 exhibited less reduction, highlighting the complexity of disinfection in MP-associated biofilms. These findings underscore the need for optimizing disinfection strategies to mitigate ARG dissemination and address environmental risks posed by MPs in wastewater effluents.202540436100
639460.9939Potential Environmental and Human Health Risks Caused by Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria (ARB), Antibiotic Resistance Genes (ARGs) and Emerging Contaminants (ECs) from Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Landfill. The disposal of municipal solid waste (MSW) directly at landfills or open dump areas, without segregation and treatment, is a significant concern due to its hazardous contents of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB), antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), and metal resistance genes (MGEs). The released leachate from landfills greatly effects the soil physicochemical, biological, and groundwater properties associated with agricultural activity and human health. The abundance of ARB, ARGs, and MGEs have been reported worldwide, including MSW landfill sites, animal husbandry, wastewater, groundwater, soil, and aerosol. This review elucidates the occurrence and abundance of ARB, ARGs, and MRGs, which are regarded as emerging contaminants (ECs). Recently, ECs have received global attention because of their prevalence in leachate as a substantial threat to environmental and public health, including an economic burden for developing nations. The present review exclusively discusses the demands to develop a novel eco-friendly management strategy to combat these global issues. This review also gives an intrinsic discussion about the insights of different aspects of environmental and public health concerns caused due to massive leachate generation, the abundance of antibiotics resistance (AR), and the effects of released leachate on the various environmental reservoirs and human health. Furthermore, the current review throws light on the source and fate of different ECs of landfill leachate and their possible impact on the nearby environments (groundwater, surface water, and soil) affecting human health. The present review strongly suggests the demand for future research focuses on the advancement of the removal efficiency of contaminants with the improvement of relevant landfill management to reduce the potential effects of disposable waste. We propose the necessity of the identification and monitoring of potential environmental and human health risks associated with landfill leachate contaminants.202133915892
690770.9939Deciphering the impact of organic loading rate and digestate recirculation on the occurrence patterns of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes in dry anaerobic digestion of kitchen waste. Organic loading rate (OLR) is crucial for determining the stability of dry anaerobic digestion (AD). Digestate recirculation contributes to reactor stability and enhances methane production. Nevertheless, the understanding of how OLR and digestate recirculation affect the abundance and diversity of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), as well as the mechanisms involved in the dissemination of ARGs, remains limited. This study thoroughly investigated this critical issue through a long-term pilot-scale experiment. The metabolome analyses revealed the enrichment of various antibiotics, such as aminoglycoside, tetracycline, and macrolide, under low OLR conditions (OLR ≤ 4.0 g·VS/L·d) and the reactor instability. Antibiotics abundance decreased by approximately 19.66-31.69 % during high OLR operation (OLR ≥ 6.0 g·VS/L·d) with digestate recirculation. The metagenome analyses demonstrated that although low OLR promoted reactor stability, it facilitated the proliferation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, such as Pseudomonas, and triggered functional profiles related to ATP generation, oxidative stress response, EPS secretion, and cell membrane permeability, thereby facilitating horizontal gene transfer (HGT) of ARGs. However, under stable operation at an OLR of 6.0 g·VS/L·d, there was a decrease in ARGs abundance but a notable increase in human pathogenic bacteria (HPB) and mobile genetic elements (MGEs). Subsequently, during reactor instability, the abundance of ARGs and HPB increased. Notably, during digestate recirculation at OLR levels of 6.0 and 7.0 g·VS/L·d, the process attenuated the risk of ARGs spread by reducing the diversity of ARGs hosts, minimizing interactions among ARGs hosts, ARGs, and MGEs, and weakening functional profiles associated with HGT of ARGs. Overall, digestate recirculation aids in reducing the abundance of antibiotics and ARGs under high OLR conditions. These findings provide advanced insights into how OLR and digestate recirculation affect the occurrence patterns of antibiotics and ARGs in dry AD.202438968733
762080.9939Higher chlorine dosage does not consistently enhance antibiotic resistance mitigation in the Cl(2)-UV process. Health problems arising from antibiotic resistance are a global concern. The Cl(2)-UV disinfection process has shown potential for controlling antibiotic resistance in water; however, the influence of disinfectant dosage on its effectiveness remains insufficiently understood. Can antibiotic resistance be controlled by simply increasing the disinfectant dosage? This study demonstrated that higher disinfectant levels improved antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) removal, with certain ARGs reaching 1.82 log removal under conventional conditions. Nevertheless, higher disinfectant dosages also led to an increase in the relative abundance of multidrug resistance genes (MRGs), aminoglycoside resistance genes (AmRGs), and fosmidomycin resistance genes (FRGs). Correlation analysis of ARGs with mobile genetic elements (MGEs) and ARG-host bacteria indicated that this enrichment was primarily driven by enhanced horizontal gene transfer (HGT). Notably, increases in UV fluence and chlorine dose had distinct impacts on the total relative abundance of ARGs: higher UV fluence reduced total relative abundance, whereas higher chlorine dose increased it. These contrasting trends are likely linked to differences in the dominant HGT pathways under each condition. Greater UV fluence tended to promote conjugative transfer among surviving bacteria, while higher chlorine dosages more effectively facilitated natural transformation. Considering both the absolute and relative abundances of ARGs, along with calculated health-risk indices for each treatment condition, the findings indicated that increasing UV fluence is more effective for controlling ARGs in water. These results provide valuable insights for optimizing the Cl(2)-UV disinfection process to better manage antibiotic resistance in aquatic environments.202540914041
784890.9939Simultaneous Removal of Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria, Antibiotic Resistance Genes, and Micropollutants by FeS(2)@GO-Based Heterogeneous Photo-Fenton Process. The co-occurrence of various chemical and biological contaminants of emerging concerns has hindered the application of water recycling. This study aims to develop a heterogeneous photo-Fenton treatment by fabricating nano pyrite (FeS(2)) on graphene oxide (FeS(2)@GO) to simultaneously remove antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB), antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), and micropollutants (MPs). A facile and solvothermal process was used to synthesize new pyrite-based composites. The GO coated layer forms a strong chemical bond with nano pyrite, which enables to prevent the oxidation and photocorrosion of pyrite and promote the transfer of charge carriers. Low reagent doses of FeS(2)@GO catalyst (0.25 mg/L) and H(2)O(2) (1.0 mM) were found to be efficient for removing 6-log of ARB and 7-log of extracellular ARG (e-ARG) after 30 and 7.5 min treatment, respectively, in synthetic wastewater. Bacterial regrowth was not observed even after a two-day incubation. Moreover, four recalcitrant MPs (sulfamethoxazole, carbamazepine, diclofenac, and mecoprop at an environmentally relevant concentration of 10 μg/L each) were completely removed after 10 min of treatment. The stable and recyclable composite generated more reactive species, including hydroxyl radicals (HO(•)), superoxide radicals (O(2)(• -)), singlet oxygen ((1)O(2)). These findings highlight that the synthesized FeS(2)@GO catalyst is a promising heterogeneous photo-Fenton catalyst for the removal of emerging contaminants.202235759741
7853100.9939Natural pyrite and ascorbic acid co-enhance periodate activation for inactivation of antibiotic resistant bacteria and inhibition of resistance genes transmission: A green disinfection process dominated by singlet oxygen. The transmission of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and the propagation of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) threaten public health security and human health, and greener and more efficient disinfection technologies are expected to be discovered for wastewater treatment. In this study, natural pyrite and ascorbic acid (AA) were proposed as environmental-friendly activator and reductant for periodate (PI) activation to inactivate ARB. The disinfection treatment of PI/pyrite/AA system could inactivate 5.62 log ARB within 30 min, and the lower pH and higher PI and natural pyrite dosage could further boost the disinfection efficiency. The (1)O(2) and SO(4)(•-) were demonstrated to be crucial for the inactivation of ARB in PI/pyrite/AA system. The disinfection process destroyed the morphological structure of ARB, inducing oxidative stress and stimulating the antioxidant system. The PI/pyrite/AA system effectively reduced the intracellular and extracellular DNA concentration and ARGs abundance, inhibiting the propagation of ARGs. The presence of AA facilitated the activation of PI with natural pyrite and significantly increased the concentration of Fe(2+) in solution. The reusability of natural pyrite, the safety of the disinfection by-products and the inhibition of ARB regeneration indicated the application potential of PI/pyrite/AA system in wastewater disinfection.202439038380
7935110.9938Removal of antibiotic resistance genes by Cl(2)-UV process: Direct UV damage outweighs free radicals in effectiveness. Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) pose significant environmental health problems and have become a major global concern. This study investigated the efficacy and mechanism of the Cl(2)-UV process (chlorine followed by UV irradiation) for removing ARGs in various forms. The Cl(2)-UV process caused irreversible damage to nearly all ARB at typical disinfectant dosages. In solutions containing only extracellular ARGs (eARGs), the Cl₂-UV process achieved over 99.0 % degradation of eARGs. When both eARGs and intracellular ARGs (iARGs) were present, the process reached a 97.2 % removal rate for iARGs. While the abundance of eARGs initially increased due to the release of iARGs from lysed cells during pre-chlorination, subsequent UV irradiation rapidly degraded the released eARGs, restoring their abundance to near-initial levels by the end of the Cl₂-UV process. Analysis of the roles in degrading eARGs and iARGs during the Cl(2)-UV process revealed that UV, rather than free radicals, was the dominant factor causing ARG damage. Pre-chlorination enhanced direct UV damage to eARGs and iARGs by altering plasmid conformation and promoting efficient damage to high UV-absorbing cellular components. Furthermore, no further natural transformation of residual ARGs occurred following the Cl(2)-UV treatment. This study demonstrated strong evidence for the effectiveness of the Cl(2)-UV process in controlling antibiotic resistance.202540048777
6418120.9938Antibiotic resistance genes in anaerobic digestion: Unresolved challenges and potential solutions. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) threatens public health, necessitating urgent efforts to mitigate the global impact of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Anaerobic digestion (AD), known for volatile solid reduction and energy generation, also presents a feasible approach for the removal of ARGs. This review encapsulates the existing understanding of ARGs and antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) during the AD process, highlighting unresolved challenges pertaining to their detection and quantification. The questions raised and discussed include: Do current ARGs detection methods meet qualitative and quantitative requirements? How can we conduct risk assessments of ARGs? What happens to ARGs when they come into co-exposure with other emerging pollutants? How can the application of internal standards bolster the reliability of the AD resistome study? What are the potential future research directions that could enhance ARG elimination? Investigating these subjects will assist in shaping more efficient management strategies that employ AD for effective ARG control.202539826759
8557130.9938Efficient inactivation of antibiotic resistant bacteria by iron-modified biochar and persulfate system: Potential for controlling antimicrobial resistance spread and mechanism insights. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a critical global health threat, further intensified by the widespread dissemination of plasmid-encoded antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), which poses a significant challenge to the "One Health" concept. Persulfate-based advanced oxidation processes (PS-AOPs) have emerged as effective disinfection methods, capable of degrading antibiotics, inactivating bacteria, and eliminating ARGs, whereas their efficacy towards blocking ARGs horizontal transfer remains elusive. This work constructed a series of Fe-modified soybean straw biochar (FeSSB) as persulfate (PS) activators through Fe-modification and temperature regulation. Among the tested systems, FeSSB800/PS achieved complete inactivation of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) with a 7.04-log reduction within 60 min, outperforming others. FeSSB800, featuring the highest exposed-Fe(II) sites, most CO groups, and lowest charge transfer resistance, obtaining optimal PS activation and reactive species generation, which caused irreversible damage to ARB cells and significantly inhibited the transformation and conjugation efficiency of plasmid RP4. The inhibition mechanism is driven by the aggressive action of free radicals, which injure cell envelopes, induce oxidative stress, disrupt ATP synthesis, and alter intercellular adhesion. These findings underscore the potential of PS-AOPs as a promising strategy to mitigate AMR by simultaneously inactivating ARB and impeding ARGs dissemination.202540203758
6506140.9938Mitigating antimicrobial resistance through effective hospital wastewater management in low- and middle-income countries. Hospital wastewater (HWW) is a significant environmental and public health threat, containing high levels of pollutants such as antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB), antibiotic-resistant genes (ARGs), antibiotics, disinfectants, and heavy metals. This threat is of particular concern in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where untreated effluents are often used for irrigating vegetables crops, leading to direct and indirect human exposure. Despite being a potential hotspot for the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), existing HWW treatment systems in LMICs primarily target conventional pollutants and lack effective standards for monitoring the removal of ARB and ARGs. Consequently, untreated or inadequately treated HWW continues to disseminate ARB and ARGs, exacerbating the risk of AMR proliferation. Addressing this requires targeted interventions, including cost-effective treatment solutions, robust AMR monitoring protocols, and policy-driven strategies tailored to LMICs. This perspective calls for a paradigm shift in HWW management in LMIC, emphasizing the broader implementation of onsite treatment systems, which are currently rare. Key recommendations include developing affordable and contextually adaptable technologies for eliminating ARB and ARGs and enforcing local regulations for AMR monitoring and control in wastewater. Addressing these challenges is essential for protecting public health, preventing the environmental spread of resistance, and contributing to a global effort to preserve the efficacy of antibiotics. Recommendations include integrating scalable onsite technologies, leveraging local knowledge, and implementing comprehensive AMR-focused regulatory frameworks.202439944563
6393150.9938A review of the impact of conductive materials on antibiotic resistance genes during the anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge and animal manure. The urgent need to reduce the environmental burden of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) has become even more apparent as concerted efforts are made globally to tackle the dissemination of antimicrobial resistance. Concerning levels of ARGs abound in sewage sludge and animal manure, and their inadequate attenuation during conventional anaerobic digestion (AD) compromises the safety of the digestate, a nutrient-rich by-product of AD commonly recycled to agricultural land for improvement of soil quality. Exogenous ARGs introduced into the natural environment via the land application of digestate can be transferred from innocuous environmental bacteria to clinically relevant bacteria by horizontal gene transfer (HGT) and may eventually reach humans through food, water, and air. This review, therefore, discusses the prospects of using carbon- and iron-based conductive materials (CMs) as additives to mitigate the proliferation of ARGs during the AD of sewage sludge and animal manure. The review spotlights the core mechanisms underpinning the influence of CMs on the resistome profile, the steps to maximize ARG attenuation using CMs, and the current knowledge gaps. Data and information gathered indicate that CMs can profoundly reduce the abundance of ARGs in the digestate by easing selective pressure on ARGs, altering microbial community structure, and diminishing HGT.202336586329
7856160.9938Boosting Low-Dose Ferrate(VI) Activation by Layered FeOCl for the Efficient Removal of Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria and Antibiotic Resistance Genes via Enhancing Fe(IV)/Fe(V) Generation. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in aquatic environments pose threats to ecosystem safety and human health, which could not be efficiently removed by conventional disinfection techniques. Herein, layered FeOCl with coordinatively unsaturated Fe sites were fabricated and used to activate Fe(VI) for the efficient ARB/ARG removal in the present study. We found that highly reactive Fe(IV)/Fe(V) intermediates were generated in the FeOCl/Fe(VI) system, rapidly disinfecting 1 × 10(7) CFU mL(-1) ARB to below the limit of detection within only 6 min. Via the combination of in situ characterization and theoretical calculations, we revealed that Fe(VI) was preferentially adsorbed onto Fe sites on the (010) plane of FeOCl and subsequently activated to produce reactive Fe(IV)/Fe(V) through direct electron transfer. Meanwhile, O(2)(•-) generated from O(2) activation on the FeOCl surface enhanced Fe(VI) conversion to Fe(IV)/Fe(V). During the disinfection process, intracellular/extracellular ARGs and DNA bases were simultaneously degraded, inhibiting the potential horizontal gene transfer process. The FeOCl/Fe(VI) system could effectively disinfect ARB under complex water matrices and in real water samples including tap water, lake water, and groundwater. When integrated into a continuous-flow reactor, the FeOCl/Fe(VI) system with excellent stability successively disinfected ARB. Overall, the FeOCl/Fe(VI) system showed great promise for eliminating ARB/ARGs from water.202540739812
8577170.9938Viral and thermal lysis facilitates transmission of antibiotic resistance genes during composting. While the distribution of extracellular ARGs (eARGs) in the environment has been widely reported, the factors governing their release remain poorly understood. Here, we combined multi-omics and direct experimentation to test whether the release and transmission of eARGs are associated with viral lysis and heat during cow manure composting. Our results reveal that the proportion of eARGs increased 2.7-fold during composting, despite a significant and concomitant reduction in intracellular ARG abundances. This relative increase of eARGs was driven by composting temperature and viral lysis of ARG-carrying bacteria based on metagenome-assembled genome (MAG) analysis. Notably, thermal lysis of mesophilic bacteria carrying ARGs was a key factor in releasing eARGs at the thermophilic phase, while viral lysis played a relatively stronger role during the non-thermal phase of composting. Furthermore, MAG-based tracking of ARGs in combination with direct transformation experiments demonstrated that eARGs released during composting pose a potential transmission risk. Our study provides bioinformatic and experimental evidence of the undiscovered role of temperature and viral lysis in co-driving the spread of ARGs in compost microbiomes via the horizontal transfer of environmentally released DNA. IMPORTANCE: The spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) is a critical global health concern. Understanding the factors influencing the release of extracellular ARGs (eARGs) is essential for developing effective strategies. In this study, we investigated the association between viral lysis, heat, and eARG release during composting. Our findings revealed a substantial increase in eARGs despite reduced intracellular ARG abundance. Composting temperature and viral lysis were identified as key drivers, with thermal lysis predominant during the thermophilic phase and viral lysis during non-thermal phases. Moreover, eARGs released during composting posed a transmission risk through horizontal gene transfer. This study highlights the significance of temperature and phage lysis in ARG spread, providing valuable insights for mitigating antibiotic resistance threats.202439078126
8503180.9938Dual-pathway inhibition of antibiotic resistance genes by ferrate (Fe(VI)): Oxidative inactivation and genetic mobility impairment in anaerobically digested sludge. Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) are emerging environmental contaminants that threaten public health, highlighting the urgent need for effective control strategies. Ferrate (Fe(VI)), a strong and eco-friendly oxidant, shows great potential for this purpose. This study systematically evaluated the efficacy of Fe(VI) in mitigating ARGs and ARB in anaerobically digested sludge, with a particular focus on elucidating the underlying mechanisms by which Fe(VI) effects ARGs dissemination through both vertical gene transfer (VGT) and horizontal gene transfer (HGT). Result shows that Fe(VI) doses of 20 and 60 mg/g-TS reduce ARGs by 9.75 % and 19.12 %, respectively, while inactivating up to 24.7 % of ARB at the higher dose. Pathogenic ARB, such as Escherichia coli and Shigella sonnei, are preferentially removed, with abundances decrease by 63.7 % and 28.0 %. Mechanistically, the structural disruption of bacterial cells caused by Fe(VI) in anaerobically digested sludge, as indicated by a 29 % reduction in extracellular polymeric substances and a 23.7 % increase in cell membrane permeability. Subsequently, a marked release of intracellular ARGs into the extracellular environment is also observed, where they are likely subjected to degradation by Fe(VI). This oxidative killing accounts for the observed ARB decrease, thereby limiting the VGT of ARGs. In addition, Fe(VI) impairs the HGT of ARGs by diminishing their mobility potential, reflected in the reduced co-occurence with mobile genetic elements. Meanwhile, sludge bacterial competence for DNA uptake and recombination is markedly reduced, as evidenced by a 9.8 % decline in the abundance of related functional genes. These findings demonstrate that Fe(VI) effectively inhibits the dissemination of ARGs by targeting both primary transmission pathways. It suppresses VGT, thereby reducing the inheritance of ARB within populations, and limits HGT, curbing the spread of mobile ARGs among competent species. By disrupting these two critical routes, Fe(VI) shows strong potential as an effective strategy for mitigating ARGs propagation in sludge systems.202541138327
6395190.9938Risk control of antibiotics, antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) during sewage sludge treatment and disposal: A review. Sewage sludge is an important reservoir of antibiotics, antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), and antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), and the reclamation of sewage sludge potentially threats human health and environmental safety. Sludge treatment and disposal are expected to control these risks, and this review summarizes the fate and controlling efficiency of antibiotics, ARGs, and ARB in sludge involved in different processes, i.e., disintegration, anaerobic digestion, aerobic composting, drying, pyrolysis, constructed wetland, and land application. Additionally, the analysis and characterization methods of antibiotics, ARGs, and ARB in complicate sludge are reviewed, and the quantitative risk assessment approaches involved in land application are comprehensively discussed. This review benefits process optimization of sludge treatment and disposal, with regard to environmental risks control of antibiotics, ARGs, and ARB in sludge. Furthermore, current research limitations and gaps, e.g., the antibiotic resistance risk assessment in sludge-amended soil, are proposed to advance the future studies.202336933744