Determination of the Antibiotic and Antibiotic Resistance Footprint in Surface Water Environments of a Metropolitan Area: Effects of Anthropogenic Activities

This study investigated geospatial distributions of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in surface waters their associations with anthropogenic activities. During July–October 2020, the concentrations (water sediment) ARGs (sediment) were measured at 39 sites Twin-Cities metropolitan area (Minnesota) that experience a gradient impacts related to human For water samples, number detected certain (e.g., sulfonamides) positively correlated urbanization indicators urban percentage, population density, wastewater discharge points; ρ = 0.32–0.46, p 0.003–0.04) negatively undeveloped land forest; −0.34 −0.62, <0.00001–0.04). Antibiotics sediments exhibited distribution different from corresponding samples no factors. Relative abundances not associated factors, but several blaoxa, mexB, sul2) inversely organic content (ρ −0.38 –0.44, 0.01–0.04). Strong correlations found among relative various intI1 ≥ 0.67, < 0.05), highlighting co-occurrence (sub)urban waters. These results identified promising anthropogenic/environmental factors for predicting useful gene markers monitor