Effect of dissolved biochar on the transfer of antibiotic resistance genes between bacteria

The spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) is a global environmental issue. Dissolved biochar is more likely to contact bacteria in water, producing ecological risks. This study explored the effects of dissolved biochar on ARGs transfer in bacteria. Conjugative transfer efficiency was significantly different following treatment with different types of dissolved biochar. Typically, humic acid-like substance in dissolved biochar can significantly improve the transfer efficiency of ARGs between bacteria. When the concentration of dissolved biochar was ≤10 mg biochar/mL, humic acid-like substance substantially promoted ARGs transfer. An increase in dissolved biochar concentration weakened the ARGs transfer from humic acid-like substance. The inhibitory effects of small-molecule matters dominated, decreasing conjugative transfer frequency. At a concentration of 100 mg biochar/mL, the conjugative transfer efficiency of all treatments was lower than that of control. Compared with corn straw dissolved biochar, there were more transconjugants in pine sawdust dissolved biochar. Following treatment with 10 mg biochar/mL pine sawdust dissolved biochar, the number of transconjugants was at its maximum; approximately 7.3 folds higher than the control. We also explored mechanisms by which dissolved biochar impacts conjugative transfer. Due to the complex composition of dissolved biochar, its effects on the expression of conjugative transfer-related genes were also dynamic. This study investigates the ecological risk of biochar and guides its scientific application.