REVIEW article
Front. Environ. Sci.
Sec. Toxicology, Pollution and the Environment
This article is part of the Research TopicSustainable Solutions for Soil Contamination and Sludge Management: Advances in Geoenvironmental EngineeringView all 3 articles
The Role of Antibiotic-Mercury Interactions in Wetlands: A Review of Methylation Processes and Ecological Implications
Provisionally accepted
- Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, China
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Antibiotics and Hg, as common environmental contaminants, are prevalent in different environmental media, including water and soil. Their collective pollution presents potential hazards to ecosystems and human health. This research comprehensively examines the present state of antibiotic-Hg co-contamination and their interaction mechanisms. Studies demonstrate that their interactions are intricate, encompassing both chemical and biological dimensions. Antibiotic molecular structures, such as carboxyl and amino groups, can chemically create chelating compounds with Hg, influencing its adsorption-desorption dynamics and bioavailability. Specific antibiotics (e.g., methylated varieties) may provide methyl groups during breakdown, thus facilitating Hg methylation and producing very poisonous methylmercury (MeHg). Antibiotics biologically modify microbial community structures, consequently affecting the equilibrium between the biological methylation and demethylation of Hg. Moreover, antibiotic exposure may influence Hg metabolism in organisms and is linked to the co-selection of Hg resistance genes (MRGs) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), hence exacerbating environmental concerns. The present comprehension of the mechanisms by This is a provisional file, not the final typeset article which antibiotics influence Hg transport, transformation, and toxicity is contentious and inadequate, especially in specialized ecosystems such as wetlands. Consequently, a thorough examination of their interconnections is crucial to establish a scientific foundation for evaluating and managing combined pollution hazards.
Keywords: Compound pollution, Ecological risk, Mercury(Hg), Methylation, Migration, transformation
Received: 07 Oct 2025; Accepted: 15 Dec 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 DONG, Yang, Du, Ge, Liao, Hui, Wang and Yao. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Yi Yao
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