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Is our winter experience safe? Micropollutant risks for artificial snowing
Klaudia Stankiewicz1, Piotr Boroń2, Justyna Prajsnar3
1Department of Microbiology and Biomonitoring, Faculty of Agriculture and Economics, University of Agriculture in Kraków, Adam Mickiewicz Ave. 24/28, 30-059 Kraków, Poland.
The Science of the Total Environment
|February 19, 2025
Summary
Artificial snowmaking can spread antibiotic-resistant bacteria and genes. Medical center effluents are key sources of contamination, while wastewater treatment plants contribute bacterial pollutants. Storage reservoirs may reduce pollutant transfer.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Microbiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Climate change drives snow scarcity, leading to increased artificial snowmaking.
- Artificial snowmaking raises concerns about pollutant dissemination, with limited research available.
- Understanding the environmental impact of artificial snow on pollutants is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of artificial snowmaking in disseminating antibiotics, bacterial contaminants, antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB), and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs).
- To identify sources of contamination in artificial snow and production water.
- To assess the effectiveness of storage reservoirs in mitigating pollutant transfer.
Main Methods:
- Sampling and analysis of technical snow and water from 11 ski stations across four river catchments.
- Detection of 14 antimicrobial agents using UHPLC/MS/MS.
- Antimicrobial resistance testing of 158 E. coli strains using disk diffusion and PCR for ARGs.
Main Results:
- Culturable E. coli were present in all water intakes, with reduction during snowmaking.
- Antimicrobial concentrations varied by catchment, with highest contamination downstream of long-term health centers.
- 66.46% of E. coli strains harbored ARGs, with blaTEM being the most frequent.
- Medical center effluents were identified as major sources of antimicrobial agents, while WWTPs contributed bacterial contamination.
Conclusions:
- Artificial snowmaking can contribute to the environmental spread of antibiotics and ARGs.
- Effluents from medical facilities and municipal WWTPs are significant sources of contamination.
- Storage reservoirs show potential for reducing pollutant transfer during artificial snow production.
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