污水处理厂空气介质抗生素抗性基因的分布

考察了污水处理厂空气介质中典型的抗性基因(antibiotic resistance genes,ARGs)污染水平和浓度分布,并通过16S r RNA高通量技术对样品进行亲缘性及溯源研究。结果表明,在污水厂空气样品中8种抗生素抗性基因的检出率均超过50%,其中tet C、sul1、sul2和erm B检出率为100%。在曝气池和污泥脱水车间空气样品中8种抗性基因检出率均为100%。对其中的sul1、sul2、tet G和tet X共4种ARGs的定量分析结果表明,以上4种基因的相对浓度范围在102~105copies·ng~(-1)DNA之间,与邻近居民区空气样品抗性基因浓度处于同一水平;空气样品16S r RNA高通量测序聚类分析结果显示,居民区空气与污水厂园区内空气有较高的种群相似度,污水厂处理单元对其邻近区域的空气介质微生物组成影响较大。     

施用畜禽粪便有机肥土壤抗生素抗性基因污染状况

为研究施用畜禽粪便有机肥农田土壤中抗生素抗性基因的分布状况,采集北京地区9个长期施用有机肥蔬菜基地的温室和大田土壤,对土壤中的抗生素耐药菌和18种抗性基因进行检测分析。结果表明,温室土壤中四环素耐药菌占总菌数的比例显著高于大田土壤(P0.05),但温室土壤中氨苄西林、磺胺甲恶唑和环丙沙星耐药菌占总菌数的比例均与大田土壤无显著性差异(P0.05)。大田土壤和温室土壤中磺胺类抗性基因sulⅠ、sul2和四环素类抗性基因tet L的检出率均为100%。其他抗性基因,如四环素抗性基因tet A、tet A/P、tet C,红霉素抗性基因erm B,以及Ⅰ类整合子(intⅠ1),温室土壤的检出率均高于大田土壤,这可能与温室土壤有机肥施用量较大有关。     

磺胺类耐药菌中抗性基因sul的表达规律

抗生素环境污染是影响抗生素抗性基因传播和扩散的主要因素,然而关于抗生素耐药菌在抗生素暴露下抗性基因的表达机制研究甚少。本研究利用RT-PCR方法检测了土壤中优势耐药菌菌株炭疽芽孢杆菌(Bacillus anthracis SYN201,G+)和弗氏志贺菌菌株(Shigella flexneri NJJN802,G-)在含有不同浓度磺胺类药物的培养基中生长不同时间后抗性基因(sul 1、sul 2、sul 3)的表达变化。结果发现:无论培养基中是否存在磺胺类药物,菌株SYN201和NJJN802中的3种磺胺类抗性基因均分别在培养的第72小时或36小时出现一个明显的表达峰,而在其他培养时间下不表达或表达量处于相对极低的水平;磺胺嘧啶的存在有助于提高菌株在此特征表达时间下抗性基因的表达水平,与未加磺胺嘧啶组相比,暴露于磺胺嘧啶(60μg·m L~(-1))组的sul 1、sul 2和sul 3在菌株SYN201中的相对表达量分别提高了2.5、4.8和3.2倍,而在菌株NJJN802中的相对表达量分别提高了3.7、6.0和5.0倍。通过将耐药菌暴露于不同磺胺嘧啶浓度下考察sul基因相对表达情况,研究发现随着培养基中磺胺嘧啶浓度的升高(0~1 024μg·m L~(-1)),菌株SYN201和NJJN802中sul基因的表达量整体上呈现出明显的上升趋势。本研究对揭示磺胺耐药菌的抗性表达规律及抗生素暴露对其抗性表达发挥的作用具有重要意义。     

初始pH对厌氧环境下污泥中抗生素抗性基因行为特征的影响

污水处理厂产生大量的剩余污泥中含有丰富的抗性基因,给环境带来了潜在风险。以城市污水处理厂的剩余污泥为研究对象,在不同初始p H(对照组、初始p H=3、5、7、9、11)下观察厌氧条件下,8种抗生素浓度以及四环素类抗性基因(tet A、tet G、tet L、tet M、tet O、tet Q、tet W、tet X)、磺胺类抗性基因(sul I、sul II)和Ⅰ类整合子(int I 1)的行为特征。研究结果显示,初始p H对抗生素的降解影响较小,污泥中总抗生素的平均去除率为42%。对照组及初始p H为3、5、7、9、11下的总四环素类抗性基因分别削减0.65 log、0.96 log、0.75 log、0.62 log、0.86 log和0.98 log。不同四环素类抗性基因表现相似,在初始p H=3和初始p H=11下部分抗性基因削减较多,特别是tet A、tet G、tet L、tet O和tet X。2种磺胺类抗性基因均无削减,浓度平均上升0.18log。相关性分析显示,总抗性基因与TN、NH3-N、TP、SCOD(溶解性COD)均存在显著相关性(P0.05)。上述研究结果为污泥厌氧消化中抗生素抗性基因减量条件提供参考依据。     

黄浦江水域抗生素及抗性基因污染初步研究

采用高效液相色谱-质谱法,调查了黄浦江江水及底泥中6种常见兽用抗生素的含量特征,并采用实时荧光定量PCR方法,分别研究了该水域相应的8种代表性抗生素抗性基因(Antibiotics Resistance Genes,ARGs)的存在及丰度水平。结果显示,调查的四环素类、磺胺类及氯霉素抗生素在江水中的质量浓度范围分别在0.44～2.69、0.97～1.96、0.03～0.26μg·L-1之间,在底泥中的质量分数则分别为22.10～72.74、25.98～117.29、nd～50.47μg·kg-1。所有样品中除tet(O)、tet(B/P)未检出外,其他6种抗性基因均有检出。与四环素类抗性基因相比,磺胺类抗性基因的绝对拷贝数及相对丰度较高,为黄浦江水域中的优势抗性基因。相关性分析表明:江水中sul(Ⅲ)、tet(W),以及底泥中的sul(Ⅱ)丰度与对应相中磺胺类抗生素含量显著正相关,江水中sul(A)则与水相中氯霉素、四环素含量显著相关,其他几种抗生素与抗性基因间未见相关性存在。除抗生素外,黄浦江水域ARGs的相对丰度还可能与抗性基因种类及其环境因素(如光照、温度、pH和重金属等)有关。     

温度对厌氧环境下污泥中抗生素抗性基因行为特征的影响

抗性基因的转移传播使得污水处理厂成为其重要的储存库,对人类健康存在潜在风险。实验采用序批式厌氧反应器,温度设定分别为15℃、中温(30℃和36℃)、高温(50℃和60℃),探究温度对污泥厌氧条件下8种抗生素去除效果的影响,以及四环素类抗性基因(tet A、tet G、tet L、tet M、tet O、tet Q、tet W、tet X)、磺胺类抗性基因(sul I、sul II)和Ⅰ类整合子整合酶基因(int I 1)的行为特征。研究发现温度升高有利于抗生素及抗性基因的去除,15℃、中温和高温下总抗生素的平均去除率分别为45%、59%和78%;15℃、中温和高温下四环素类抗性基因分别削减0.52 log、0.90 log和1.50 log,磺胺类抗性基因分别削减0.56log、0.78 log和1.31 log。相关性分析发现,总抗性基因与总氮、氨氮、SCOD(溶解性COD)均存在显著相关性(R2=0.744、0.760、0.315,P0.05),而与总磷无显著相关性(P0.05)。int I 1与总氮、氨氮、SCOD皆存在显著相关性(R2=0.698、0.795、0.269,P0.05),而与总磷无显著相关性(P0.05)。说明微生物生长环境中的营养元素一定程度上影响着抗性基因的传播和扩散。     

东江下游典型饮用水源地抗生素抗性基因分布研究

抗生素抗性基因(AntibioticsResistanceGenes,ARGs)是环境中的一类新型污染物。为了解东江下游地区水源地中ARGs的污染水平及其影响因素,采用实时荧光定量PCR技术,对东江下游地区9个河流型饮用水源地和5个湖泊型饮用水源地8种ARGs[sul1、sul2、sul3、tet(M)、tet(O)、tet(Q)、tet(G)、ermB]的绝对丰度进行检测分析。结果表明:东江下游饮用水源地总ARGs绝对丰度水平偏低,ARGs总丰度范围为2.37×10~7-4.80×10~8 copies?L~(-1),其中抗性基因sul1的丰度相对较高,这可能与磺胺类药品是常用药品有关。磺胺类ARGs(sul1、sul2)在所有饮用水源地中均有检出,而sul3的检出率为85.7%;四环素类ARGs[tet(M)、tet(O)、tet(Q)、tet(G)]的检出率较高,为64.3%-100%;大环内酯类ARGs检出率最低。河流型水源地上游点位ARGs绝对丰度为1.03×108 copies?L~(-1),下游点位绝对丰度为2.89×10~8 copies?L~(-1),因此河流型饮用水源地的ARGs绝对丰度水平随着河流方向呈现逐渐升高趋势。除了一处曾为水产养殖的备用湖泊型水源地外,河流型水源地除sul1外的抗性基因丰度(3.25×10~5 copies?L~(-1))明显高于湖泊型饮用水源地(1.14×10~5 copies?L~(-1))。通过对东江下游典型饮用水源地ARGs进行研究,为该地区ARGs污染现状提供了基础数据,也为水环境中ARGs污染整治提供依据。     

北江河水中抗生素抗性基因污染初步研究（Preliminary Studies on the Pollution Levels of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in the Water of Beijiang River, South China）

环境中细菌的耐药性,尤其是对抗生素的耐药性已成为影响生态环境的重要因素.论文采用抗生素抗性平板法调查了北江河水中四环素、红霉素及磺胺类这3类抗生素耐药性细菌的存在,采用定性PCR及荧光定量PCR方法分别研究了该水域sul1和sul2这2种磺胺类抗生素抗性基因(ARGs)的存在和含量水平.结果表明,所采集北江水域的9个样品中有5个对四环素有耐药性,7个对红霉素有耐药性,8个对磺胺二甲嘧啶有耐药性;定性PCR实验并经基因测序结果证实,5个样品含有sul1,4个样品含有sul2.进一步的PCR定量分析结果显示,7个样品中均检出sul1和sul2磺胺抗性基因,它们与内对照基因16S-rRNA表达量比值分别在10-2.56~10-0.52及10-3.25~10-1.24范围内,该结果显著高于美国科罗拉多州北部河流的研究结果.此外,数据分析也发现,sul1和sul2磺胺抗性基因的含量水平与该区域水中磺胺含量分布具有一定的相关性,表明外源性抗生素对河流的污染是诱导抗性基因的重要因素.     

养殖场废水中磺胺类和四环素抗生素及其抗性基因的定量检测

抗生素滥用及其诱导产生的抗生素抗性基因（antibiotic resistance genes,ARGs）污染已经引起人们的广泛关注。选取上海市某地养殖场作为研究对象,采用高效液相色谱-质谱法和实时荧光定量PCR法,对养殖场污水及附近农田灌溉渠河水中5种四环素及磺胺类抗生素,8种对应的ARGs的含量、特征及相关性进行了研究。研究结果显示,在采集的水样中均含有待检测的5种抗生素,养殖污水中抗生素含量高于农田灌溉河水,各样本中四环素类抗生素含量均略高于磺胺类抗生素,2种四环素抗生素总量为294.0~376.1μg﹒L-1,3种磺胺类抗生素总量为197.7~323.0μg﹒L-1。养殖场污水样本中8种ARGs均有检出,磺胺类抗性基因中sul（A）含量最高,绝对拷贝数为108.4108~1010.3728;四环素类抗性基因中tet（W）含量最高,绝对拷贝数为106.18805~107.8874。农田灌溉渠河水中除tet B（P）外,其它7种ARGs均有检出。样本中ARGs相对表达量总体呈现磺胺类ARGs高于四环素类ARGs的特点。抗生素浓度与ARGs相对表达量的Pearson相关性分析显示,样本中sul（Ⅲ）与磺胺类抗生素浓度存在较明显的正相关性,但其它几种ARGs与抗生素则未见或存在一定负相关性。表明除抗生素外,ARGs在水环境中的丰度可能与ARGs种类及其它环境因子有关。该研究将有助于认识上海地区养殖场废水中抗生素和ARGs污染状况,为进一步开展黄浦江水域抗生素尤其是ARGs的污染研究提供数据基础。     

莱州湾近岸海域中典型抗生素与抗性细菌分布特征及其内在相关性

为了揭示海陆衔接区环境中抗生素与抗性细菌分布特征及其内在相关性,以莱州湾及其主要入海河流为研究区域,利用HPLC-MS/MS分析样品中15种磺胺类抗生素(SAs)和6种喹诺酮类抗生素(QNs)的浓度,并通过改良的Method 1604(US EPA)评估海水与沉积物中2种典型水传病原微生物大肠杆菌(E.coli)与金黄色葡萄球菌(S.aureus)的抗生素抗性水平,进而探讨该区域水体中抗性菌株的分布特点以及微生物抗性率与相应抗生素浓度的相关性。结果显示,莱州湾水体与沉积物中普遍存在磺胺与喹诺酮类抗生素残留及抗性污染问题。两大类抗生素在水体中平均残留浓度分别为3.89 ng·L~(-1)(SAs)和234.68ng·L~(-1)(QNs),在沉积物中分别为0.91 ng·g~(-1)(SAs)和49.37 ng·g~(-1)(QNs),且分布特征基本呈现自河流向海洋逐渐递减的趋势,说明河流输入是莱州湾抗生素污染的主要来源。在水体中,具有磺胺类抗性的E.coli和S.aureus平均检出量分别达到2 018和4 683 CFU·L~(-1),抗性率范围分别在0%~37.3%和10.6%~45.8%之间;而2种喹诺酮类抗性病原微生物的平均检出量则相对较低,分别为1 315 CFU·L~(-1)(E.coli)和1 461 CFU·L~(-1)(S.aureus),抗性率分别为0%~50.0%和0%~20.8%;此外,相比于E.coli,S.aureus为沉积物中的主要抗性病原微生物,磺胺与喹诺酮类抗性S.aureus检出率均高于80%,平均检出量分别为24CFU·g~(-1)和18 CFU·g~(-1)。相关性分析表明,莱州湾近岸海域水体中磺胺类抗生素浓度与磺胺类抗性微生物总量之间具有良好的线性关系,然而其与微生物抗性率之间并未表现出相似的规律,说明近岸海洋环境中抗生素的残留量不是影响抗性菌株丰度的唯一因素。     

牛粪发酵过程中抗生素耐药基因及相关菌群组成变化规律

随着规模化奶牛养殖迅速发展,牛粪带来的环境污染问题日益严重。实验探究牛粪及其堆肥过程中养分变化、抗生素耐药基因消减情况以及细菌群落演替规律,探讨细菌菌群与养分、抗生素耐药基因之间的相关性。采集牛粪及其堆肥过程样品,测定样品中养分、检测抗生素耐药基因相对丰度,采用16S r RNA高通量测序技术研究牛粪堆肥过程细菌群落变化。结果表明,从新鲜牛粪(组FM)到发酵牛粪(组C),样品中有机质含量下降,全氮和全磷含量有不同程度增加,全钾(TK)显著升高(P<0.05)。堆肥发酵后,抗生素耐药基因erm B、tet M、bla CTX-M和aac(6')-Ib-cr的相对丰度呈现不同程度的下降,而基因sul1相对丰度增加。高通量测序结果表明,在门水平,各组均以Firmicutes、Proteobacteria和Bacteroidetes这3个菌门为主,在属水平,各组具有不同的优势物种,其中发现Bacteroides、Paeniclostridium和Pseudomonas等7个潜在病原菌属的相对丰度在堆肥后有效降低。通过相关性分析发现,潜在病原菌属与基因tet M和sul1呈显著正相关(P<0.05),此外,大部分优势菌属与养分TK有显著相关性(P<0.05)。研究结果表明,牛粪经堆肥发酵后,病原菌相对丰度有效降低,抗生素耐药基因相对丰度的下降与细菌菌群结构变化存在相关关系。     

MBR工艺处理螺旋霉素制药废水过程中抗生素耐药菌与抗性基因的研究

抗生素废水含有大量的抗生素耐药菌(antibiotic resistant bacteria,ARB)与抗性基因(antibiotic resistance genes,ARGs),处理排放后可能增强受纳环境的微生物抗性,因此有必要深入研究抗生素废水处理过程中ARB与ARGs的削减效果及其影响因素。本研究采用膜生物反应器(membrane bioreactor,MBR)工艺处理螺旋霉素制药废水,考察了不同水力停留时间(hydraulic retention time,HRT)对ARB与ARGs削减效果的影响。结果表明,虽然在HRT=30 h时MBR对COD与氨氮的去除率略高于HRT=40 h,但HRT=40 h时,不仅总异养菌与肠球菌的去除效果更佳,出水肠球菌耐药率及携带的抗性基因检出率也更低,而且MBR对废水中erm B、erm F、erm X、mef A、ere A、mph B和转移元件ISCR 1、Tn 916/1545相对丰度的削减效果更好。这表明长HRT更有利于MBR工艺削减螺旋霉素废水的耐药菌与抗性基因。     

Air pollution below WHO levels decreases by 40 % the links of terrestrial microbial networks

Air pollution has a deleterious impact on public health and the environment. There is few knowledge on the effect of air pollution on terrestrial microbial communities, despite the major role of microbes in ecosystems. Here, we designed an in situ trial ecosystem to assess the impact of moderate atmospheric pollution, below World Health Organization (WHO) thresholds, on an indigenous microbial communities, including bacteria, fungi, ciliates, algae, cyanobacteria, testate amoebae, rotifers and nematodes, extracted from terrestrial bryophytes. These micro-ecosystems were placed at a rural, an urban and an industrial site in France and were thus exposed to various levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), from 6.6–67.9 μg·m^?3, and particulate matter, from 0.7–7.9 μg·m^?3. Microbial analysis was performed by microscopy. We determined atmospheric temperature, relative humidity and particulate matter with diameter lower than 10 µm (PM₁₀), Cu, Cr, Fe, Ni, Pb, Zn in PM₁₀, and (NO₂). Results show a significant impact of chronic moderate exposure to NO₂ and copper Cu-associated particulate matter on the global microbial network complexity. This is evidenced by a loss of about 40 % of microbial co-occurrence links during incubation. Most lost microbial links are ecologically positive links. Moreover, most changes in community co-occurrence networks are related to testate amoebae, a major top predator of microbes. Overall, our findings demonstrate that air pollution can have strong deleterious effects on microbial interactions, even at levels below WHO thresholds.     

Abundance and distribution of antibiotic resistance genes in a full-scale anaerobic–aerobic system alternately treating ribostamycin,spiramycin and paromomycin production wastewater

The occurrence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) has been intensively investigated for wastewater treatment systems treating single class of antibiotic in recent years. However, the impacts of alternately occurring antibiotics in antibiotic production wastewater on the behavior of ARGs in biological treatment systems were not well understood yet. Herein, techniques including high-capacity quantitative PCR and quantitative PCR (qPCR) were used to investigate the behavior of ARGs in an anaerobic–aerobic full-scale system. The system alternately treated three kinds of antibiotic production wastewater including ribostamycin, spiramycin and paromomycin, which referred to stages 1, 2 and 3. The aminoglycoside ARGs (52.1–79.3%) determined using high-capacity quantitative PCR were the most abundant species in all sludge samples of the three stages. The total relative abundances of macrolide–lincosamide–streptogramin (MLS) resistance genes and aminoglycoside resistance genes measured using qPCR were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in aerobic sludge than in sewage sludge. However, the comparison of ARGs acquired from three alternate stages revealed that MLS genes and the aminoglycoside ARGs did not vary significantly (P > 0.05) in both aerobic and anaerobic sludge samples. In aerobic sludge, one acetyltransferase gene (aacA4) and the other three nucleotidyltransferase genes (aadB, aadA and aadE) exhibited positive correlations with intI1 (r ² = 0.83–0.94; P < 0.05), implying the significance of horizontal transfer in their proliferation. These results and facts will be helpful to understand the abundance and distribution of ARGs from antibiotic production wastewater treatment systems.

     

Occurrence of benzotriazoles (BTRs) in indoor air from Albany,New York,USA, and its implications for inhalation exposure

Despite the widespread use of benzotriazoles as corrosion inhibitors in many household goods, studies on the occurrence of these compounds in indoor air are scarce. In this study, five benzotriazole derivatives were measured in 83 indoor air samples collected from various locations in Albany, New York, USA. Benzotriazoles were found in a majority of the indoor air samples, and the concentrations of their sum in bulk (vapor plus particulate phases) indoor air ranged from below the method limit of quantification to 492 ng·m^?3 (geometric mean: 5.8 ng·m^?3). The highest geometric mean concentration was found in air samples collected in parking garages (155 ng·m^?3), followed by barbershops (13.6), public places (11.5), auto repair shops (5.2), automobiles (4.5), homes (4.5), offices (3.7), and laboratories (2.8). Inhalation exposure to benzotriazoles was calculated on the basis of the measured geometric mean concentrations and air inhalation rate. The highest exposure dose was found for teenagers, with a geometric mean inhalation exposure dose of 79 ng·day^?1. The body-weight normalized exposure dose, however, was the highest for infants, at 3.2 ng·(kg bw)^?1·day^?1.     

Microbial activity and carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus content in a subtropical seagrass estuary (Florida Bay): evidence for limited bacterial use of seagrass production

Bacterial abundance, production, and extracellular enzyme activity were determined in the shallow water column, in the epiphytic community of Thalassia testudinum, and at the sediment surface along with total carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in Florida Bay, a subtropical seagrass estuary. Data were statistically reduced by principle components analysis (PCA) and multidimensional scaling and related to T. testudinum leaf total phosphorus content and phytoplankton biomass. Each zone (i.e., pelagic, epiphytic, and surface sediment community) was significantly dissimilar to each other (Global R = 0.65). Pelagic aminopeptidase and sum of carbon hydrolytic enzyme (esterase, peptidase, and α- and β-glucosidase) activities ranged from 8 to 284 mg N m⁻² day⁻¹ and 113–1,671 mg C m⁻² day⁻¹, respectively, and were 1–3 orders of magnitude higher than epiphytic and sediment surface activities. Due to the phosphorus-limited nature of Florida Bay, alkaline phosphatase activity was similar between pelagic (51–710 mg P m⁻² day⁻¹) and sediment (77–224 mg P m⁻² day⁻¹) zones but lower in the epiphytes (1.1–5.2 mg P m⁻² day⁻¹). Total (and/or organic) C (111–311 g C m⁻²), N (9.4–27.2 g N m⁻²), and P (212–1,623 mg P m⁻²) content were the highest in the sediment surface and typically the lowest in the seagrass epiphytes, ranging from 0.6 to 8.7 g C m⁻², 0.02–0.99 g N m⁻², and 0.5–43.5 mg P m⁻². Unlike nutrient content and enzyme activities, bacterial production was highest in the epiphytes (8.0–235.1 mg C m⁻² day⁻¹) and sediment surface (11.5–233.2 mg C m⁻² day⁻¹) and low in the water column (1.6–85.6 mg C m⁻² day⁻¹). At an assumed 50% bacterial growth efficiency, for example, extracellular enzyme hydrolysis could supply 1.8 and 69% of epiphytic and sediment bacteria carbon demand, respectively, while pelagic bacteria could fulfill their carbon demand completely by enzyme-hydrolyzable organic matter. Similarly, previously measured T. testudinum extracellular photosynthetic carbon exudation rates could not satisfy epiphytic and sediment surface bacterial carbon demand, suggesting that epiphytic algae and microphytobenthos might provide usable substrates to support high benthic bacterial production rates. PCA revealed that T. testudinum nutrient content was related positively to epiphytic nutrient content and carbon hydrolase activity in the sediment, but unrelated to pelagic variables. Phytoplankton biomass correlated positively with all pelagic components and sediment aminopeptidase activity but negatively with epiphytic alkaline phosphatase activity. In conclusion, seagrass production and nutrient content was unrelated to pelagic bacteria activity, but did influence extracellular enzyme hydrolysis at the sediment surface and in the epiphytes. This study suggests that seagrass-derived organic matter is of secondary importance in Florida Bay and that bacteria rely primarily on algal/cyanobacteria production. Pelagic bacteria seem coupled to phytoplankton, while the benthic community appears supported by epiphytic and/or microphytobenthos production.     

Distribution of quinolone and macrolide resistance genes and their co-occurrence with heavy metal resistance genes in vegetable soils with long-term application of manure

The spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) has become an increasingly serious global public health issue. This study investigated the distribution characteristics and influencing factors of ARB and ARGs in greenhouse vegetable soils with long-term application of manure. Five typical ARGs, four heavy metal resistance genes (MRGs), and two mobile genetic elements (MGEs) were quantified by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The amount of ARB in manure-improved soil greatly exceeded that in control soil, and the bacterial resistance rate decreased significantly with increases in antibiotic concentrations. In addition, the resistance rate of ARB to enrofloxacin (ENR) was lower than that of tylosin (TYL). Real-time qPCR results showed that long-term application of manure enhanced the relative abundance of ARGs in vegetable soils, and the content and proportion of quinolone resistance genes were higher than those of macrolide resistance genes. Redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that qepA and qnrS significantly correlated with total and available amounts of Cu and Zn, highlighting that certain heavy metals can influence persistence of ARGs. Integrase gene intI1 correlated significantly with the relative abundance of qepA, qnrS, and ermF, suggesting that intI1 played an important role in the horizontal transfer of ARGs. Furthermore, there was a weakly but not significantly positive correlation between specific detected MRGs and ARGs and MGEs. The results of this study enhance understanding the potential for increasing ARGs in manure-applied soil, assessing ecological risk and reducing the spread of ARGs.

Graphic abstract