Antibiotic Resistance Genes and Associated Microbial Community Conditions in Aging Landfill Systems

Landfills receive about 350 million tons of municipal solid wastes (MSWs) per year globally, including antibiotics and other coselecting agents that impact antimicrobial resistance (AMR). However, little is known about AMR in landfills, especially as a function of landfill ages. Here we quantified antibiotics, heavy metals, and AMR genes (ARGs) in refuse and leachates from landfills of different age (<3, 10, and >20 years). Antibiotics levels were consistently lower in refuse and leachates from older landfills, whereas ARG levels in leachates significantly increased with landfill age (One-way ANOVA, F = 10.8, P < 0.01). Heavy metals whose contents increased as landfills age (one-way ANOVA, F = 12.3, P < 0.01) were significantly correlated with elevated levels of ARGs (Mantel test, R = 0.66, P < 0.01) in leachates, which implies greater AMR exposure risks around older landfills. To further explain ARGs distributional mechanisms with age, microbial communities, mobile genetic elements (MGEs) and environmental factors were contrasted between refuse and leachate samples. Microbial communities in the refuse were closely correlated with ARG contents (Procrustes test; M2 = 0.37, R = 0.86, P < 0.001), whereas ARG in leachates were more associated with MGEs.