Antibiotic resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes as contaminants of emerging concern: Occurrences, impacts, mitigations and future guidelines.

Antibiotic resistance, driven by the proliferation of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and antibiotic resistance bacteria (ARBs), has emerged as a pressing global health concern. Antimicrobial resistance is exacerbated by the widespread use of antibiotics in agriculture, aquaculture, and human medicine, leading to their accumulation in various environmental compartments such as soil, water, and sediments. The presence of ARGs in the environment, particularly in municipal water, animal husbandry, and hospital environments, poses significant risks to human health, as they can be transferred to potential human pathogens. Current remediation strategies, including the use of pyroligneous acid, coagulants, advanced oxidation, and bioelectrochemical systems, have shown promising results in reducing ARGs and ARBs from soil and water. However, these methods come with their own set of challenges, such as the need for elevated base levels in UV-activated persulfate and the long residence period required for photocatalysts. The future of combating antibiotic resistance lies in the development of standardized monitoring techniques, global collaboration, and the exploration of innovative remediation methods. Emphasis on combination therapies, advanced oxidation processes, and monitoring horizontal gene transfer can pave the way for a comprehensive approach to mitigate the spread of antibiotic resistance in the environment.

Characterization of Some Efficient Cellulase Producing Bacteria Isolated from Pulp and Paper Mill Effluent Contaminated Soil

ABSTRACT The wide variety of bacteria in the environment permits screening for more efficient cellulases to help overcome current challenges in biofuels production. This study focuses on the isolation of efficient cellulase producing bacteria found in pulp and paper mill effluent contaminated soil which can be considered for use in large scale biorefining. Four different bacterial strains were isolated and screened for cellulase production by using CMC agar medium. All isolates showed cellulase activity these strains were further characterized by morphological, physiological, biochemical and 16S rRNA gene analyses. These isolates were identified as two Bacillus subtilis sub sps, Bacillus mojavensis and Bacillus cereus.