Publication
Comparison of culturable antibiotic-resistant bacteria in polluted and non-polluted air in Beijing, China
Mao Y, Ding P, Wang Y, Ding C, Wu L, Zheng P, Zhang X, Li X, Wang L, Sun Z (2019) Comparison of culturable antibiotic-resistant bacteria in polluted and non-polluted air in Beijing, China. Environment International 131: 104936. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2019.104936.
Air pollution is a serious global health issue. Exposure to particulate matter (PM) pollutants in the atmosphere increases risks for diseases in the respiratory and nervous systems and decreases life expectancy. As one of the major components and pathogenic agents, airborne microorganisms, such as bacteria, are considered to be closely related to air pollution that causes human allergic responses and respiratory diseases. The composition and antibiotic resistance pattern of culturable bacterial community and how these are affected by air pollution remain unclear.
This study aimed to compare the compositions and antibiotic resistance patterns of culturable bacteria in polluted and non-polluted weather conditions in Beijing. Air samples were collected indoors and outdoors during polluted and non-polluted weather using six-stage Andersen Samplers. For each isolated bacterium, the 16S ribosomal RNA gene was amplified, sequenced, and blasted against the National Center for Biotechnology Information database. Antibiotic resistance was conducted by antimicrobial susceptibility testing.
The study found bacterial concentration in polluted weather was significantly higher than in non-polluted weather, both indoors and outdoors (P < 0.05). Gram-positive bacteria (GPB) were dominant in both weather conditions but gram-negative bacteria (GNB) were more abundant in polluted weather than non-polluted weather both indoors and outdoors. Multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria occupied 23.7% of all bacterial isolates, 22.4% of isolates from polluted weather and 27.8% of isolates from non-polluted weather. Penicillins were resisted by 72.4% and 83.3% of isolates from polluted and non-polluted weather, respectively.
The study concluded that polluted weather is correlated with changes in the bacterial composition in the air, with a greater abundance of GNB. The abundance of MDR bacteria suggested potential risks for human health.
Total genomic DNA was extracted from each purified culturable bacterium using prepGEM Bacteria.
Download Now will open in new tab
Related Products
prepGEM Bacteria
Suitable for extracting DNA from bacteria (Gram-positive and Gram-negative), protozoa, archaea, colonies and liquid cultures, biofilm and mucosal samples, swabs, and metagenomic DNA including soil, stool and water.
Produces single-stranded DNA suitable for PCR, qPCR, targeted sequencing (amplicon sequencing) from metagenomic samples, 16S rDNA sequencing.
Each kit contains prepGEM, lysozyme, GREEN+ buffer, enhancer and wash.