Occurrence, persistence and vertical distribution of high-risk antibiotic resistance genes in biogas slurry-amended soils across China.
Zhang L, Li H, Li J, Lu Y, Chai Y
Summary
PubMedWhy it matters This matters because the vegetables and grains grown in soils fertilized with manure-based slurry may be absorbing antibiotic-resistant bacteria, meaning the food on your plate could be a pathway for drug-resistant infections to reach your family.
When farmers use liquid waste from biogas plants — made from animal manure — as fertilizer, they're also spreading bacteria that can resist antibiotics into the soil. This study found those resistant bacteria don't just stay on the surface; they travel deeper into the soil over time, potentially reaching underground water supplies. The type of resistant bacteria that spread depended on the local climate and farming practices, making this a nationwide concern across very different regions of China.
chevron_right Technical Details
Antibiotic-resistant genes from animal manure processed into biogas slurry are spreading widely in Chinese agricultural soils — and sinking deeper into the ground over time, raising concerns about contamination of crops and groundwater.
Key Findings
High-risk antibiotic resistance genes — especially those for tetracycline, aminoglycoside, and phenicol antibiotics — were found to persist and accumulate in farmland soils across four major Chinese provinces after biogas slurry application.
At least 9 specific resistance genes (including tet(L), fexA, erm(A), and floR) became more concentrated at greater soil depths, suggesting active downward migration toward groundwater.
Both regional climate and specific farming conditions (such as how and when slurry is applied) significantly shaped which antibiotic-resistant bacterial communities took hold and spread vertically through the soil.
Abstract Preview
Various multidrug-resistant bacteria carrying high-risk antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) occurred in agricultural soils amended with biogas slurry, threatening human health by exhibiting resistan...
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