title: Co-occurrence of mobile genetic elements and antibiotic resistance genes in municipal solid waste landfill leachates: A preliminary insight into the role of landfill age.
abstract: Since municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill harbours miscellaneous wastes, pollutants and microorganisms, it gradually becomes a huge potential reservoir for breeding antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and diversity of ARGs associated with various mobile genetic elements (MGEs) in MSW landfill leachates. The relationship of ARGs with leachate characteristics was also studied to explore the influence of landfill age. Seven sulfonamides (sulfapyridine, sulfadiazine, sulfathiazole, sulfamethoxazole, sulfamerazine, sulfamethazine and sulfaquinoxaline), three encoded ARGs (sul-I, sul-II and sul-III) and four types of MGEs (plasmids, transposons, integrons and insertion sequences) were quantified in leachates with landfill ages ranging from 3 months-6 years. ARGs increased to an absolute concentration of 106copies/μL and were positively correlated (p < 0.05) to MGEs. Significant correlations (p < 0.05) were also discovered among ARGs and the increasing humic acids, heavy metals (Zn, Cu and Co) and antibiotics (except for sulfathiazole and sulfaquinoxaline), implying landfilling might contribute to the enrichment of ARGs in the long-term. Non-target full scans revealed the role of persistent unknown compounds in stimulating the ARGs dissemination. Overall, this study demonstrates the exacerbation of ARGs pollution in landfill environment and a detailed delineation of the complex inter-relationships between ARGs and the substances harbouring in landfills is badly required.
authors: State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, PR China; Institute of Waste Treatment and Reclamation, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, PR China.
authors: Zhuofeng
authors: Z
authors: Yu
authors: Institute of Waste Treatment and Reclamation, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, PR China; Centre for the Technology Research and Training on Household Waste in Small Towns & Rural Area, Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of PR China (MOHURD), PR China.
authors: Pinjing
authors: P
authors: He
authors: Institute of Waste Treatment and Reclamation, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, PR China; Centre for the Technology Research and Training on Household Waste in Small Towns & Rural Area, Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of PR China (MOHURD), PR China.
authors: Liming
authors: L
authors: Shao
authors: State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, PR China; Institute of Waste Treatment and Reclamation, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, PR China.
authors: Hua
authors: H
authors: Zhang
authors: State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, PR China; Institute of Waste Treatment and Reclamation, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, PR China. Electronic address: lvfan.rhodea@tongji.edu.cn.
authors: Fan
authors: F
authors: Lü
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial / Q000235:genetics; D012037:Refuse Disposal; D062611:Solid Waste; D064091:Waste Disposal Facilities; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D062611:Solid Waste; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Antibiotic resistance genes; Horizontal gene transfer; Landfill age; Mobile genetic elements; Municipal solid waste landfill leachates