| Title | Tossed 'good luck' coins as vectors for anthropogenic pollution into aquatic environment |
| Abstract | Superstition has it that tossing coins into wells or fountains brings good luck, thereby causing a potential accumulation of microbially contaminated metal particles in the water. Here, we characterized the microbiota and the resistance profile in biofilm on such coins and their surrounding sediments. The study site was a tidal marine lake within a touristic center located in a natural reserve area. Notwithstanding the fact that coin-related biofilms were dominated by typical marine taxa, coin biofilms had specific microbial communities that were different from the communities of the surrounding sediment. Moreover, the communities were different depending on whether the coin were made mainly of steel or of copper. Sequences affiliated with putative pathogens were found on every third coin but were not found in the surrounding sediment. Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) were detected on most of the coins, and interestingly, sediments close to the area where coins accumulate had a higher frequency of ARGs.We suggest that the surface of the coins might offer a niche for ARGs and faecal bacteria to survive, and, thus, tossed coins are a potential source and vector for ARGs into the surrounding environment. |
| Source | Environmental pollution (1987) 259 |
| Keywords | antibiotic resistance genesanchialine cavelanzarote |
| Journal | Environmental pollution (1987) |
| Editor | Elsevier Applied Science Publishers, Barking, Regno Unito |
| Year | 2020 |
| Type | Articolo in rivista |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113800 |
| Authors | Alejandro Martínez, Andrea Di Cesare, Neus Mari-Mena, Guillermo García-Gomez, Alvaro Garcia-Herrero, Gianluca Corno, Diego Fontaneto, Ester M. Eckert |
| Text | 414503 2020 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113800 antibiotic resistance genes anchialine cave lanzarote Tossed good luck coins as vectors for anthropogenic pollution into aquatic environment Alejandro Martinez, Andrea Di Cesare, Neus Mari Mena, Guillermo Garcia Gomez, Alvaro Garcia Herrero, Gianluca Corno, Diego Fontaneto, Ester M. Eckert a MEG Molecular Ecology Group, Water Research Institute, National Research Council of Italy CNR IRSA , Verbania, Italy b AllGenetics Biology SL. Edificio CICA, A Coru na, Spain c School of Environment Sciences Earth, Ocean Ecology Sciences Department, University of Liverpool, United Kingdom Superstition has it that tossing coins into wells or fountains brings good luck, thereby causing a potential accumulation of microbially contaminated metal particles in the water. Here, we characterized the microbiota and the resistance profile in biofilm on such coins and their surrounding sediments. The study site was a tidal marine lake within a touristic center located in a natural reserve area. Notwithstanding the fact that coin related biofilms were dominated by typical marine taxa, coin biofilms had specific microbial communities that were different from the communities of the surrounding sediment. Moreover, the communities were different depending on whether the coin were made mainly of steel or of copper. Sequences affiliated with putative pathogens were found on every third coin but were not found in the surrounding sediment. Antibiotic resistance genes ARGs were detected on most of the coins, and interestingly, sediments close to the area where coins accumulate had a higher frequency of ARGs.We suggest that the surface of the coins might offer a niche for ARGs and faecal bacteria to survive, and, thus, tossed coins are a potential source and vector for ARGs into the surrounding environment. 259 Published version https //www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749119358002 ale 1 s2.0 S0269749119358002 main.pdf Articolo in rivista Elsevier Applied Science Publishers 0269 7491 Environmental pollution 1987 Environmental pollution 1987 Environ. pollut. 1987 Environmental pollution 1987 gianluca.corno CORNO GIANLUCA diego.fontaneto FONTANETO DIEGO andrea.dicesare DI CESARE ANDREA estermaria.eckert ECKERT ESTER MARIA alejandro.martinezgarcia MARTINEZ GARCIA ALEJANDRO |
