Industrial composting of sewage sludge mitigates antimicrobial resistance risks and preserves bacterial dynamics in tropical soils
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View abstract on PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.Industrial composting of sewage sludge effectively reduces antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in soils. This process mitigates antimicrobial resistance risks, though long-term impacts on tropical agroecosystems require further investigation.
Area Of Science
- Environmental microbiology
- Soil science
- Antimicrobial resistance
Background
- Sewage sludge (SS) composting is a potential strategy to reduce antimicrobial resistance (AMR) risks in agricultural soils.
- The impact of applying SS compost on soil microbial communities and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) is not fully understood.
Purpose Of The Study
- To evaluate the effects of thermophilically composted SS, with and without lime, on ARGs, mobile genetic elements (MGEs), and bacterial communities in tropical soils.
- To assess the efficacy of industrial composting in mitigating AMR risks in agroecosystems.
Main Methods
- High-throughput quantitative PCR (qPCR) was used to quantify ARGs and MGEs.
- 16S rRNA gene sequencing analyzed bacterial community composition.
- Experiments were conducted in tropical clay and sandy loam soils over 100 days.
Main Results
- Industrial composting significantly reduced ARGs, particularly sulfonamide-resistance genes.
- Composting altered bacterial community structure, with Actinobacteriota increasing.
- Non-limed compost initially reduced microbial diversity, while lime improved compost stability.
Conclusions
- Industrial-scale thermophilic composting is a viable method for reducing AMR risks in tropical agricultural soils.
- Specific bacterial genera were identified as potential carriers of ARGs.
- Further long-term studies are necessary to understand ARG persistence and environmental transmission under tropical field conditions.
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