Influence of soil characteristics and metal(loid)s on antibiotic resistance genes in green stormwater infrastructure in Southern California

Wei-Cheng Hung; Megyn Rugh; Marina Feraud; Sumant Avasarala; Jessica Kurylo; Mathew Gutierrez; Karina Jimenez; Nhi Truong; Patricia A Holden; Stanley B Grant; Haizhou Liu; Richard F Ambrose; Jennifer A Jay

doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.127469

Influence of soil characteristics and metal(loid)s on antibiotic resistance genes in green stormwater infrastructure in Southern California

J Hazard Mater. 2022 Feb 15;424(Pt B):127469. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.127469. Epub 2021 Oct 7.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
² Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, UC Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA.
³ Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37916, USA.
⁴ Department of Environmental Health Sciences, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
⁵ Occoquan Watershed Monitoring Laboratory, The Charles E. Via Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, 9408 Prince William Street, Manassas, VA 20110, USA; Center for Coastal Studies, Virginia Tech, 1068A Derring Hall (0420), Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.
⁶ Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Bourns Hall A239, UC Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA.
⁷ Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA. Electronic address: jennyjay@ucla.edu.

PMID: 34655877
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.127469

Abstract

The synergetic effects of metal(loid)s and soil characteristics on bacterial antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) has been relatively understudied. Surface soil samples from six GSIs in Southern California over three time periods were assessed for selected ARGs, class 1 integron-integrase genes (intI1), 16S rRNA genes, and bioavailable and total concentrations of nine metal(loid)s, to investigate the relationships among ARGs, soil characteristics, and co-occurring metal(loid)s. Significant correlations existed among relative gene abundances (sul1, sul2, tetW, and intI1), total metal(loid)s (arsenic, copper, lead, vanadium, and zinc), and bioavailable metal(loid) (arsenic) (r = 0.29-0.61, p_adj < 0.05). Additionally, soil texture, organic matter, and nutrients within GSI appeared to be significantly correlated with relative gene abundances of sul1, sul2, and tetW (r = -0.57 to 0.59, p_adj < 0.05). Multiple regression models significantly improved the estimation of ARGs in GSI when considering multiple effects of soil characteristics and metal(loid)s (r = 0.74, p_adj < 0.001) compared to correlation results. Total arsenic was a significant (positive) correlate in all the regression models of relative gene abundances. This work provides new insights into co-dependencies between GSI ARGs and co-occurring metal(loid)s, indicating the need for risk assessment of metal(loid)-influenced ARG proliferation.

Keywords: Antibiotic resistance; Antibiotic resistance genes; Co-selection; Green stormwater infrastructure; Metal(loid)s.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Anti-Bacterial Agents* / pharmacology
Drug Resistance, Bacterial
Genes, Bacterial
RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
Soil Microbiology
Soil*

Substances

Anti-Bacterial Agents
RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
Soil