Culture-based and molecular investigation of antibiotic and metal resistance in a semi-arid agricultural soil repeatedly amended with urban sewage sludge

Unsustainable agricultural intensification and climate change effects have caused chronic soil depletion in most arid and semi-arid croplands. As such, the land application of urban sewage sludge (USS) has been regulated in several countries as an alternative soil conditioner with recycling benefits. However, the risks of multi-contamination have made its agricultural reuse debatable. Accordingly, this study explored the long-term the impact of repetitive USS applications with increasing rates (0, 40, 80, and 120 t ha