Antibiotics have played an important role in the development of human society. However, the extensive use and abuse of antibiotics, plus limited sewage treatment capacity, have resulted in increased antibiotic pollution in the environment. Antibiotics, as a kind of microbiological inhibitor, can not only have a direct toxic impact on the structure and function of biological communities within ecosystems, including plants, animals, especially the microbial community, but also can accelerate the transfer, transmission, and proliferation of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the environment and induce drug-resistant bacteria. Antibiotic resistance has been recognized as one of the most important threats facing humanity in the 21st century by the World Health Organization.
The water environment is the main reservoir of antibiotic and ARG pollution. Antibiotics and ARGs have been detected in surface water, groundwater, and water supply systems, which pose a great threat to both the ecosystem and human health. Research and interest in antibiotics and ARGs in the environment have increased in the scientific community over the past two decades. However, at present and in the future, the pollution mechanisms, ecological and health risks, and the practical degradation and removal technology of antibiotics and ARGs will still be a challenge for the field of antibiotics and ARG research due to the complexity of water systems. Firstly, detailed spatiotemporal variation characteristics and model prediction of antibiotics and ARGs in natural waters and water supply systems are still relatively weak; secondly, the ecological effects and interaction between antibiotics and other factors (e.g. toxic pollutants, climatic conditions, etc.) on different levels of the aquatic ecosystem and ARG transmission are still not very clear, especially with environmental concentration and long-term effects; thirdly, the risks of antibiotics, especially combined with ARGs in water environments are still unclear; and fourthly, the efficient removal technologies of antibiotic and ARGs for low concentrations in the environment is still lacking.
Based on the challenges above, this Research Topic in Frontiers in Environmental Science will provide a comprehensive perspective on antibiotics and ARGs in water environments with an emphasis on pollution, risks, and control. We wish to bring together research papers and reviews on antibiotics and ARGs in the water environment, including water supply systems to gain a better understanding of antibiotic and ARG fate and control to protect our environmental and human health.
This Research Topic includes but is not limited to the following aspects:
1. Pollution characteristics, mechanisms, and modeling of antibiotics and/or ARGs in different water environments, including natural water environments and water supply/treatment systems.
2. Effects of antibiotics and/or interactive effects of antibiotics, water pollution, and climate factors (e.g. light, temperature, pH, etc.) on water ecosystem biota, including aquatic animals, plants, and microorganisms.
3. Fate of antibiotics and/or ARGs in different water environments.
4. Exploration of antibiotic resistance gene risk and methods in different water environments.
5. Contamination control techniques and mechanisms of antibiotic and resistance genes in different water environments.
All article types are welcome, with an emphasis on Original Research, Reviews, Mini-Reviews, and Perspectives.
Antibiotics have played an important role in the development of human society. However, the extensive use and abuse of antibiotics, plus limited sewage treatment capacity, have resulted in increased antibiotic pollution in the environment. Antibiotics, as a kind of microbiological inhibitor, can not only have a direct toxic impact on the structure and function of biological communities within ecosystems, including plants, animals, especially the microbial community, but also can accelerate the transfer, transmission, and proliferation of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the environment and induce drug-resistant bacteria. Antibiotic resistance has been recognized as one of the most important threats facing humanity in the 21st century by the World Health Organization.
The water environment is the main reservoir of antibiotic and ARG pollution. Antibiotics and ARGs have been detected in surface water, groundwater, and water supply systems, which pose a great threat to both the ecosystem and human health. Research and interest in antibiotics and ARGs in the environment have increased in the scientific community over the past two decades. However, at present and in the future, the pollution mechanisms, ecological and health risks, and the practical degradation and removal technology of antibiotics and ARGs will still be a challenge for the field of antibiotics and ARG research due to the complexity of water systems. Firstly, detailed spatiotemporal variation characteristics and model prediction of antibiotics and ARGs in natural waters and water supply systems are still relatively weak; secondly, the ecological effects and interaction between antibiotics and other factors (e.g. toxic pollutants, climatic conditions, etc.) on different levels of the aquatic ecosystem and ARG transmission are still not very clear, especially with environmental concentration and long-term effects; thirdly, the risks of antibiotics, especially combined with ARGs in water environments are still unclear; and fourthly, the efficient removal technologies of antibiotic and ARGs for low concentrations in the environment is still lacking.
Based on the challenges above, this Research Topic in Frontiers in Environmental Science will provide a comprehensive perspective on antibiotics and ARGs in water environments with an emphasis on pollution, risks, and control. We wish to bring together research papers and reviews on antibiotics and ARGs in the water environment, including water supply systems to gain a better understanding of antibiotic and ARG fate and control to protect our environmental and human health.
This Research Topic includes but is not limited to the following aspects:
1. Pollution characteristics, mechanisms, and modeling of antibiotics and/or ARGs in different water environments, including natural water environments and water supply/treatment systems.
2. Effects of antibiotics and/or interactive effects of antibiotics, water pollution, and climate factors (e.g. light, temperature, pH, etc.) on water ecosystem biota, including aquatic animals, plants, and microorganisms.
3. Fate of antibiotics and/or ARGs in different water environments.
4. Exploration of antibiotic resistance gene risk and methods in different water environments.
5. Contamination control techniques and mechanisms of antibiotic and resistance genes in different water environments.
All article types are welcome, with an emphasis on Original Research, Reviews, Mini-Reviews, and Perspectives.