Polyvinyl chloride microplastics disseminate antibiotic resistance genes in Chinese soil: A metagenomic analysis

Abstract Microplastics (MPs) are becoming progressively widespread in the surrounding and are regarded as vectors of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Soils of various properties carry large amounts of microplastics and ARGs. However, a thorough research evaluating the impact of different regions of China in evolving antibiotic resistome in soil MPs is insufficient. Here, we engaged a massive investigation by putting Polyvinyl chloride microplastics (PVC) into soil in 20 provinces of China which have different physical and chemical properties. The results showed that PVC could significantly affect soil bacterial community structure and ARGs abundance. Structural equation models showed that the addition of PVC changed the characteristics of the soil, which in turn influenced the bacterial community in the soil (which included ARG-containing bacterial hosts) and, ultimately, the relative abundance of ARGs. This work improves our comprehension of the effects of microplastics on the proliferation and hosts of ARGs in various soil environments, and it serves as a crucial reference for future plastic consumption and disposal.