Evaluation of pre-treated healthcare wastes during COVID-19 pandemic reveals pathogenic microbiota, antibiotics residues, and antibiotic resistance genes against beta-lactams
The disposal of healthcare waste without prior elimination of pathogens and hazardous contaminants has negative effects on the environment and public health. This study aimed to profile the complete microbial community and correlate it with the antibiotic compounds identified in microwave pre-treate...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English English |
| Published: |
Elsevier Ltd
2023
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/35998/ http://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/35998/1/1-s2.0-S0013935122024665-main.pdf http://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/35998/7/Evaluation%20of%20pre-treated%20healthcare%20wastes%20during%20COVID-19%20.pdf |
| _version_ | 1848824925061644288 |
|---|---|
| author | Siew, Shing Wei Musa, Siti Munirah Sabri, Nurul `Azyyati Asras, Mohd Fazli Farida Ahmad, Hajar Fauzan |
| author_facet | Siew, Shing Wei Musa, Siti Munirah Sabri, Nurul `Azyyati Asras, Mohd Fazli Farida Ahmad, Hajar Fauzan |
| author_sort | Siew, Shing Wei |
| building | UMP Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | The disposal of healthcare waste without prior elimination of pathogens and hazardous contaminants has negative effects on the environment and public health. This study aimed to profile the complete microbial community and correlate it with the antibiotic compounds identified in microwave pre-treated healthcare wastes collected from three different waste operators in Peninsular Malaysia. The bacterial and fungal compositions were determined via amplicon sequencing by targeting the full-length 16S rRNA gene and partial 18S with full-length ITS1–ITS2 regions, respectively. The antibiotic compounds were characterized using high-throughput spectrometry. There was significant variation in bacterial and fungal composition in three groups of samples, with alpha- (p-value = 0.04) and beta-diversity (p-values <0.006 and < 0.002), respectively. FC samples were found to acquire more pathogenic microorganisms than FA and FV samples. Paenibacillus and unclassified Bacilli genera were shared among three groups of samples, meanwhile, antibiotic-resistant bacteria Proteus mirabilis, Enterococcus faecium, and Enterococcus faecalis were found in modest quantities. A total of 19 antibiotic compounds were discovered and linked with the microbial abundance detected in the healthcare waste samples. The principal component analysis demonstrated a positive antibiotic-bacteria correlation for genera Pseudomonas, Aerococcus, Comamonas, and Vagococcus, while the other bacteria were negatively linked with antibiotics. Nevertheless, deep bioinformatic analysis confirmed the presence of blaTEM-1 and penP which are associated with the production of class A beta-lactamase and beta-lactam resistance pathways. Microorganisms and contaminants, which serve as putative indicators in healthcare waste treatment evaluation revealed the ineffectiveness of microbial inactivation using the microwave sterilization method. Our findings suggested that the occurrence of clinically relevant microorganisms, antibiotic contaminants, and associated antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) represent environmental and human health hazards when released into landfills via ARGs transmission. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-15T03:20:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | ump-35998 |
| institution | Universiti Malaysia Pahang |
| institution_category | Local University |
| language | English English |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-15T03:20:46Z |
| publishDate | 2023 |
| publisher | Elsevier Ltd |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | ump-359982023-01-03T04:34:41Z http://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/35998/ Evaluation of pre-treated healthcare wastes during COVID-19 pandemic reveals pathogenic microbiota, antibiotics residues, and antibiotic resistance genes against beta-lactams Siew, Shing Wei Musa, Siti Munirah Sabri, Nurul `Azyyati Asras, Mohd Fazli Farida Ahmad, Hajar Fauzan Q Science (General) QR Microbiology RA Public aspects of medicine The disposal of healthcare waste without prior elimination of pathogens and hazardous contaminants has negative effects on the environment and public health. This study aimed to profile the complete microbial community and correlate it with the antibiotic compounds identified in microwave pre-treated healthcare wastes collected from three different waste operators in Peninsular Malaysia. The bacterial and fungal compositions were determined via amplicon sequencing by targeting the full-length 16S rRNA gene and partial 18S with full-length ITS1–ITS2 regions, respectively. The antibiotic compounds were characterized using high-throughput spectrometry. There was significant variation in bacterial and fungal composition in three groups of samples, with alpha- (p-value = 0.04) and beta-diversity (p-values <0.006 and < 0.002), respectively. FC samples were found to acquire more pathogenic microorganisms than FA and FV samples. Paenibacillus and unclassified Bacilli genera were shared among three groups of samples, meanwhile, antibiotic-resistant bacteria Proteus mirabilis, Enterococcus faecium, and Enterococcus faecalis were found in modest quantities. A total of 19 antibiotic compounds were discovered and linked with the microbial abundance detected in the healthcare waste samples. The principal component analysis demonstrated a positive antibiotic-bacteria correlation for genera Pseudomonas, Aerococcus, Comamonas, and Vagococcus, while the other bacteria were negatively linked with antibiotics. Nevertheless, deep bioinformatic analysis confirmed the presence of blaTEM-1 and penP which are associated with the production of class A beta-lactamase and beta-lactam resistance pathways. Microorganisms and contaminants, which serve as putative indicators in healthcare waste treatment evaluation revealed the ineffectiveness of microbial inactivation using the microwave sterilization method. Our findings suggested that the occurrence of clinically relevant microorganisms, antibiotic contaminants, and associated antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) represent environmental and human health hazards when released into landfills via ARGs transmission. Elsevier Ltd 2023-02-15 Article PeerReviewed pdf en http://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/35998/1/1-s2.0-S0013935122024665-main.pdf pdf en http://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/35998/7/Evaluation%20of%20pre-treated%20healthcare%20wastes%20during%20COVID-19%20.pdf Siew, Shing Wei and Musa, Siti Munirah and Sabri, Nurul `Azyyati and Asras, Mohd Fazli Farida and Ahmad, Hajar Fauzan (2023) Evaluation of pre-treated healthcare wastes during COVID-19 pandemic reveals pathogenic microbiota, antibiotics residues, and antibiotic resistance genes against beta-lactams. Environmental Research, 219 (115139). pp. 1-16. ISSN 0013-9351. (In Press / Online First) (In Press / Online First) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2022.115139 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2022.115139 |
| spellingShingle | Q Science (General) QR Microbiology RA Public aspects of medicine Siew, Shing Wei Musa, Siti Munirah Sabri, Nurul `Azyyati Asras, Mohd Fazli Farida Ahmad, Hajar Fauzan Evaluation of pre-treated healthcare wastes during COVID-19 pandemic reveals pathogenic microbiota, antibiotics residues, and antibiotic resistance genes against beta-lactams |
| title | Evaluation of pre-treated healthcare wastes during COVID-19 pandemic reveals pathogenic microbiota, antibiotics residues, and antibiotic resistance genes against beta-lactams |
| title_full | Evaluation of pre-treated healthcare wastes during COVID-19 pandemic reveals pathogenic microbiota, antibiotics residues, and antibiotic resistance genes against beta-lactams |
| title_fullStr | Evaluation of pre-treated healthcare wastes during COVID-19 pandemic reveals pathogenic microbiota, antibiotics residues, and antibiotic resistance genes against beta-lactams |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evaluation of pre-treated healthcare wastes during COVID-19 pandemic reveals pathogenic microbiota, antibiotics residues, and antibiotic resistance genes against beta-lactams |
| title_short | Evaluation of pre-treated healthcare wastes during COVID-19 pandemic reveals pathogenic microbiota, antibiotics residues, and antibiotic resistance genes against beta-lactams |
| title_sort | evaluation of pre-treated healthcare wastes during covid-19 pandemic reveals pathogenic microbiota, antibiotics residues, and antibiotic resistance genes against beta-lactams |
| topic | Q Science (General) QR Microbiology RA Public aspects of medicine |
| url | http://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/35998/ http://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/35998/ http://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/35998/ http://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/35998/1/1-s2.0-S0013935122024665-main.pdf http://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/35998/7/Evaluation%20of%20pre-treated%20healthcare%20wastes%20during%20COVID-19%20.pdf |