@article{2-s2.0-85206851123,

title = {Culture-based and molecular investigation of antibiotic and metal resistance in a semi-arid agricultural soil repeatedly amended with urban sewage sludge},

author = { S. Mokni-Tlili and A. Markowicz and S. Sułowicz and H. Hamdi},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85206851123&doi=10.1016%2fj.envres.2024.120182&partnerID=40&md5=6ec26e1803bcbaca8153b9cfe3cf758a},

doi = {10.1016/j.envres.2024.120182},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-01-01},

journal = {Environmental Research},

volume = {263},

publisher = {Academic Press Inc.},

abstract = {Unsustainable agricultural intensification and climate change effects have caused chronic soil depletion in most arid and semi-arid croplands. As such, the land application of urban sewage sludge (USS) has been regulated in several countries as an alternative soil conditioner with recycling benefits. However, the risks of multi-contamination have made its agricultural reuse debatable. Accordingly, this study explored the long-term the impact of repetitive USS applications with increasing rates (0; 40; 80; and 120 t ha−1 year−1) on a sandy soil properties. A special focus was on the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, metal-resistant bacteria and corresponding resistance genes in soil (ARB; MRB; ARGs and MRGs; respectively). The outcomes showed a dose-dependent variation of different soil parameters including the increase of heavy metal content and total heterotrophic bacteria (THB) up to the highest sludge application rate. Besides, the two last sludge lots applied in fall 2019 and 2020 contained cultivable ARB for all addressed antibiotics at much higher counts than in corresponding treated soils. Interestingly, the average index of antibiotic resistance (ARB/THB) increased in the USS used in fall 2020 compared to 2019 (from 6.2% to 9.4%). This indicates that factors such as fluctuations in wastewater quality, treatments operations, and extensive antibiotic use following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 could have caused this variation. The molecular assessment of bacterial resistance resulted in the identification of three ARGs (mefA; sul1 and sul2), one MRG (czcA) and one integron (intI1). This might have implications on resistance co-selection, which can pose a threat to human health via contaminated crops. © 2024 Elsevier Inc.},

note = {0},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{2-s2.0-85164671680,

title = {Nanopesticide risk assessment based on microbiome profiling – Community structure and functional potential as biomarkers in captan@ZnO35–45 nm and captan@SiO220–30 nm treated orchard soil},

author = { S. Sułowicz and S. Borymski and M. Dulski and A. Nowak and K. Bondarczuk and A. Markowicz},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85164671680&doi=10.1016%2fj.jhazmat.2023.131948&partnerID=40&md5=775ca2f5e1913e2a86016ad201e0f52a},

doi = {10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131948},

issn = {03043894},

year  = {2023},

date = {2023-01-01},

journal = {Journal of Hazardous Materials},

volume = {458},

publisher = {Elsevier B.V.},

abstract = {Nanoformulation should minimise the usage of pesticides and limit their environmental footprint. The risk assessment of two nanopesticides with fungicide captan as an active organic substance and ZnO35–45 nm or SiO220–30 nm as nanocarriers was evaluated using the non-target soil microorganisms as biomarkers. The first time for that kind of nanopesticides next-generation sequencing (NGS) of bacterial 16 S rRNA and fungal ITS region and metagenomics functional predictions (PICRUST2) was made to study structural and functional biodiversity. During a 100-day microcosm study in soil with pesticide application history, the effect of nanopesticides was compared to pure captan and both nanocarriers. Nanoagrochemicals affected microbial composition, especially Acidobacteria-6 class, and alpha diversity, but the observed effect was generally more substantial for pure captan. As for beta diversity, the negative impact was detected only in response to captan and still observed on day 100. Fungal community in the orchard soil showed only a decrease in phylogenetic diversity in captan set-up since day 30. PICRUST2 analysis confirmed several times lower impact of nanopesticides considering the abundance of functional pathways and genes encoding enzymes. Furthermore, the overall data indicated that using SiO220–30 nm as a nanocarrier speeds up a recovery process compared to ZnO35–45 nm. © 2023 Elsevier B.V.},

note = {1},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{2-s2.0-85161623278,

title = {Copper-oxide nanoparticles exert persistent changes in the structural and functional microbial diversity: A 60-day mesocosm study of zinc-oxide and copper-oxide nanoparticles in the soil-microorganism-nanoparticle system},

author = { S. Borymski and A. Markowicz and A. Nowak and K. Matus and M. Dulski and S. Sułowicz},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85161623278&doi=10.1016%2fj.micres.2023.127395&partnerID=40&md5=05bde6f84916a21ee1cb12f314fd63eb},

doi = {10.1016/j.micres.2023.127395},

issn = {09445013},

year  = {2023},

date = {2023-01-01},

journal = {Microbiological Research},

volume = {274},

publisher = {Elsevier GmbH},

abstract = {Recent advances in nanotechnology and development of nanoformulation methods, has enabled the emergence of precision farming – a novel farming method that involves nanopesticides and nanoferilizers. Zinc-oxide nanoparticles serve as a Zn source for plants, but they are also used as nanocarriers for other agents, whereas copper-oxide nanoparticles possess antifungal activity, but in some cases may also serve as a micronutrient providing Cu ions. Excessive application of metal-containing agents leads to their accumulation in soil, where they pose a threat to non-target soil organisms. In this study, soils obtained from the environment were amended with commercial zinc-oxide nanoparticles: Zn-OxNPs(10−30), and newly-synthesized copper-oxide nanoparticles: Cu-OxNPs(1−10). Nanoparticles (NPs) in 100 and 1000 mg kg-1 concentrations were added in separate set-ups, representing a soil-microorganism-nanoparticle system in a 60-day laboratory mesocosm experiment. To track environmental footprint of NPs on soil microorganisms, a Phospholipd Fatty Acid biomarker analysis was employed to study microbial community structure, whereas Community-Level Physiological Profiles of bacterial and fungal fractions were measured with Biolog Eco and FF microplates, respectively. The results revealed a prominent and persistent effects exerted by copper-containing nanoparticles on non-target microbial communities. A severe loss of Gram-positive bacteria was observed in conjunction with disturbances in bacterial and fungal CLPPs. These effects persisted till the end of a 60-day experiment, demonstrating detrimental rearrangements in microbial community structure and functions. The effects imposed by zinc-oxide NPs were less pronounced. As persistent changes were observed for newly synthesized Cu-containing NPs, this work stresses the need for obligatory testing of nanoparticle interactions with non-target microbial communities in long-term experiments, especially during the approval procedures of novel nano-substances. It also underlines the role of in-depth physical and chemical studies of NP-containing agents, which may be tweaked to mitigate the unwanted behavior of such substances in the environment and preselect their beneficial characteristics. © 2023 Elsevier GmbH},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{2-s2.0-85147438876,

title = {The significance of metallic nanoparticles in the emerging, development and spread of antibiotic resistance},

author = { A. Markowicz},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85147438876&doi=10.1016%2fj.scitotenv.2023.162029&partnerID=40&md5=8d4cf6b16b21d80d7877f29351f472d7},

doi = {10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162029},

issn = {00489697},

year  = {2023},

date = {2023-01-01},

journal = {Science of the Total Environment},

volume = {871},

publisher = {Elsevier B.V.},

abstract = {An ever-increasing number of newly synthesised nanoparticles have a constantly expanding range of applications. The large-scale implementation of nanoparticles will inevitably lead to intentional or accidental contamination of various environments. Since the major benefit of using several metallic nanoparticles is antimicrobial activity, these emerging contaminants may have a potentially hazardous impact on the development and spread of antibiotic resistance – a challenge that threats infection therapy worldwide. Few studies underline that metallic nanoparticles may affect the emergence and evolution of resistance via mutations and horizontal transfer between different bacterial species. Due to the complexity of factors and mechanisms involved in disseminating antibiotic resistance, it is crucial to investigate if metallic nanoparticles play a significant role in this process through co-selection ability and pressure exerted on bacteria. The aim of this review is to summarise the current research on mutations and three main horizontal gene transfer modes facilitated by nanoparticles. Here, the current results in the field are presented, major knowledge gaps and the necessity for more environmentally relevant studies are discussed. © 2023 Elsevier B.V.},

note = {4},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{2-s2.0-85147712076,

title = {The influence of ZnO nanoparticles on horizontal transfer of resistance genes in lab and soil conditions},

author = { A. Markowicz and S. Borymski and A. Adamek and S. Sułowicz},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85147712076&doi=10.1016%2fj.envres.2023.115420&partnerID=40&md5=7abb3a3fddc76ef4a505203ea0d75a7b},

doi = {10.1016/j.envres.2023.115420},

issn = {00139351},

year  = {2023},

date = {2023-01-01},

journal = {Environmental Research},

volume = {223},

publisher = {Academic Press Inc.},

abstract = {Antibiotic resistance is a severe problem that threatens the achievements of modern medicine. Metallic nanoparticles may promote the horizontal transfer of resistance genes due to their toxicity to bacterial cells and metal-induced co-selection mechanisms. In this study, we investigated the toxicity of ZnO nanoparticles to E. coli DH5α laboratory strain and the abundance of soil microbial community. Moreover, the influence of ZnO nanoparticles on resistance gene transfer in laboratory and soil conditions was evaluated. ZnO nanoparticles at concentrations up to 10 mg L−1 reduced the survival of E. coli cells by 14.6% and increased the transformation frequency by almost 1.8 fold. In soil, ZnO nanoparticles at a concentration of 1000 mg kg−1 affected the total abundance of bacteria, causing a decrease in the 16S rRNA gene copy number. We did not detect the presence of 11 target antibiotic resistance genes (sul1; sul2; imp2; imp5; blaCTX-M; ermB; mefA; strB; aadA1; tetA1; tetB), which confer resistance to five classes of antibiotics in soil treated with ZnO nanoparticles. No elevated conjugation frequency was observed in soil microbial communities treated with ZnO nanoparticles. However, the increase in czcA gene copies indicates the spread of genetic elements harbouring metal resistance. The data shows that metallic nanoparticles promote the spread of antibiotic and metal resistance genes. The broad implication of the present research is that the inevitable nanoparticles environmental pollution may lead to the further dissemination of antibiotic resistance and profoundly influence public health. © 2023 Elsevier Inc.},

note = {3},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{2-s2.0-85144772712,

title = {Assessment of the ecotoxicological impact of captan@ZnO35–45nm and captan@SiO2 20–30nm nanopesticide on non-target soil microorganisms – A 100-day case study},

author = { S. Sułowicz and A. Markowicz and M. Dulski and A. Nowak and D. Środek and S. Borymski},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85144772712&doi=10.1016%2fj.apsoil.2022.104789&partnerID=40&md5=cb952021744fa42dc32a497a08648add},

doi = {10.1016/j.apsoil.2022.104789},

issn = {09291393},

year  = {2023},

date = {2023-01-01},

journal = {Applied Soil Ecology},

volume = {184},

publisher = {Elsevier B.V.},

abstract = {Nanopesticide application should enable efficient pest management with smaller doses of an active ingredient. Nevertheless, the environmental risk assessment of nanopesticides is currently in its initial stages due to limited access to nanopesticides. Therefore, we synthesised nanofungicides with captan as an organic active ingredient and ZnO35–45nm or SiO2 20–30nm as nanocarriers (captan@ ZnO35–45nm and captan@ SiO2 20–30nm) and evaluated their environmental risk by testing different microbial parameters as its potential biomarkers. First, physicochemical analysis (SEM-EDS; XPS; and FTIR) confirmed the presence of captan in nanofungicides, and they maintained 43–61 % antifungal efficiency against pathogen fungi compared to captan. Second, a laboratory toxicity assay (spot test) showed that nanofungicides generally revealed 10–100-fold lower growth inhibition of non-target microbial strains compared to captan. Next, the effect of nanofungicides on the abundance, structure and function of non-target soil microorganisms was evaluated during the 100-day microcosm using orchard soil and compared to control, captan, and nanocarriers. The changes in the total number of bacteria, ammonia-oxidising bacteria (AOB) and fungi were enumerated using the copy number of the qPCR approach based on the copy number of 16S rRNA, amoA and ITS genes. The functional potential and microbial structure were estimated based on Community Level Physiological Profiles (CLPPs) and Phospholipid Fatty Acids (PLFAs) profiles. Generally, results indicated that nanofungicides affected soil microorganisms by changing, in different scale, various microbial parameters, but their negative effect was generally lower than pesticide. Although qPCR results revealed the harmful effect of all tested compounds on total bacteria number (16S rRNA) on day 42, and captan@ZnO35–45nm and nanocarrier SiO2 20–30nm still affected amoA gene copy number on day 100, but the total fungal abundance in orchard soil was not affected. Furthermore, the analyses of functional and structural microbial diversity indicated the recovery process that was the fastest for captan@SiO2 20–30nm nanofungicide. On the contrary, ZnO35–45nm increased and prolonged the negative effect of captan in synthesised nanofungicide and generally exerted a more profound and/or longer effect than SiO2 20–30nm nanocarrier. Therefore we conclude that SiO2 20–30nm has better potential to be used as a nanocarrier compared to ZnO35–45nm. More studies are needed but soil microorganisms as sensitive biomarkers should be used for environmental risk assessment of nanopesticides. © 2022 The Authors},

note = {4},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{2-s2.0-85107610518,

title = {Is sewage sludge a valuable fertilizer? A soil microbiome and resistome study under field conditions},

author = { A. Markowicz and K. Bondarczuk and A. Wiekiera and S. Sułowicz},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85107610518&doi=10.1007%2fs11368-021-02984-1&partnerID=40&md5=1bf943580bb94ecdefc37dbbe684f6c8},

doi = {10.1007/s11368-021-02984-1},

issn = {14390108},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-01-01},

journal = {Journal of Soils and Sediments},

volume = {21},

number = {8},

pages = {2882-2895},

publisher = {Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH},

abstract = {Purpose: Sewage sludge land application is strongly recommended to improve soil quality and fertility despite the presence of pollutants, pathogens and antibiotic resistance genes. This study aimed to assess the fertilization value of low and recommended by law sewage sludge dose (15 t ha−1). Materials and methods: In a 540-day field study, the effect of sewage sludge on the soil physicochemical and microbial parameters, emphasising antibiotic and metal resistance spread, was investigated. Results: In contrast to expectations, sewage sludge did not improve the organic matter, nutrient content and microbial activity in the soil; therefore, the fertilization effect was not achieved. Moreover, an increase in the bioavailable Cd, Ni and Cu content was observed. Canonical correspondence analysis revealed that these increases mainly explain the changes in the soil microbial community. Sixteen resistance genes and four integron classes were detected in both the total DNA and on plasmids isolated from sewage sludge. Obtained plasmids confer β-lactam resistance or extreme resistance to tetracycline (> 256 μg mL−1). Two antibiotic resistance genes (blaNPS-2; tetA) were transferred into the fertilized soil and detected up to 6 months after the fertilization. Conclusion: Our results provide evidence that the regulated dose of sewage sludge, even when characterized by low total metal content, may affect soil microbial microbiome and resistome. Therefore, these findings provide critical data that have public health implications, which may raise concerns about the suitability of applying sewage sludge to the soil even at the low regulated dose. © 2021, The Author(s).},

note = {5},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{2-s2.0-85098228627,

title = {Land application of sewage sludge: Response of soil microbial communities and potential spread of antibiotic resistance},

author = { A. Markowicz and K. Bondarczuk and M. Cycoń and S. Sułowicz},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85098228627&doi=10.1016%2fj.envpol.2020.116317&partnerID=40&md5=75c3476abcdf729b9abb1051a5265419},

doi = {10.1016/j.envpol.2020.116317},

issn = {02697491},

year  = {2021},

date = {2021-01-01},

journal = {Environmental Pollution},

volume = {271},

publisher = {Elsevier Ltd},

abstract = {The effect of land application of sewage sludge on soil microbial communities and the possible spread of antibiotic- and metal-resistant strains and resistance determinants were evaluated during a 720-day field experiment. Enzyme activities, the number of oligotrophic bacteria, the total number of bacteria (qPCR), functional diversity (BIOLOG) and genetic diversity (DGGE) were established. Antibiotic and metal resistance genes (ARGs; MRGs) were assessed, and the number of cultivable antibiotic- (ampicillin; tetracycline) and heavy metal- (Cd; Zn; Cu; Ni) resistant bacteria were monitored during the experiment. The application of 10 t ha−1 of sewage sludge to soil did not increase the organic matter content and caused only a temporary increase in the number of bacteria, as well as in the functional and structural biodiversity. In contrast to expectations, a general adverse effect on the tested microbial parameters was observed in the fertilized soil. The field experiment revealed a significant reduction in the activities of alkaline and acid phosphatases, urease and nitrification potential. Although sewage sludge was identified as the source of several ARGs and MRGs, these genes were not detected in the fertilized soil. The obtained results indicate that the effect of fertilization based on the recommended dose of sewage sludge was not achieved. © 2020 Elsevier LtdThe dose of sewage sludge recommended by law did not cause the dissemination of resistance genes in fertilized soil, but the beneficial effect of fertilization on microbial communities was not achieved. © 2020 Elsevier Ltd},

note = {16},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{2-s2.0-85096676877,

title = {Application of erythromycin and/or raoultella sp. Strain mc3 alters the metabolic activity of soil microbial communities as revealed by the community level physiological profiling approach},

author = { M. Cycoń and A. Markowicz and T.J. Wąsik and Z. Piotrowska-Seget},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85096676877&doi=10.3390%2fmicroorganisms8121860&partnerID=40&md5=ff253774567f12d907dba38a841165e6},

doi = {10.3390/microorganisms8121860},

issn = {20762607},

year  = {2020},

date = {2020-01-01},

journal = {Microorganisms},

volume = {8},

number = {12},

pages = {1-16},

publisher = {MDPI AG},

abstract = {Erythromycin (EM), a macrolide antibiotic, by influencing the biodiversity of microorganisms, might change the catabolic activity of the entire soil microbial community. Hence, the goal of this study was to determine the metabolic biodiversity in soil treated with EM (1 and 10 mg/kg soil) using the community-level physiological profiling (CLPP) method during a 90-day experiment. In addition, the effect of soil inoculation with antibiotic-resistant Raoultella sp. strain MC3 on CLPP was evaluated. The resistance and resilience concept as well as multifactorial analysis of data was exploited to interpret the outcomes obtained. EM negatively affected the metabolic microbial activity, as indicated by the values of the CLPP indices, i.e., microbial activity expressed as the average well-color development (AWCD), substrate richness (R), the Shannon–Wiener (H) and evenness (E) indices and the AWCD values for the six groups of carbon substrate present in EcoPlates until 15 days. The introduction of strain MC3 into soil increased the degradative activity of soil microorganisms in comparison with non-inoculated control. In contrast, at the consecutive sampling days, an increase in the values of the CLPP parameters was observed, especially for EM-10 + MC3-treated soil. Considering the average values of the resistance index for all of the measurement days, the resistance of the CLPP indices and the AWCD values for carbon substrate groups were categorized as follows: E > H > R > AWCD and polymers > amino acids > carbohydrates > miscellaneous > amines > carboxylic acids. The obtained results suggest a low level of resistance of soil microorganisms to EM and/or strain MC3 at the beginning of the exposure time, but the microbial community exhibited the ability to recover its initial decrease in catabolic activity over the experimental period. Despite the short-term effects, the balance of the soil ecosystem may be disturbed. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.},

note = {1},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{2-s2.0-85054413580,

title = {Functional diversity of soil microbial communities in response to the application of cefuroxime and/or Antibiotic-resistant Pseudomonas putida strain MC1},

author = { K. Orlewska and A. Markowicz and Z. Piotrowska-Seget and J. Smoleń-Dzirba and M. Cycoń},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85054413580&doi=10.3390%2fsu10103549&partnerID=40&md5=cc3a57be52885ff8a3c4b654eed24bc5},

doi = {10.3390/su10103549},

issn = {20711050},

year  = {2018},

date = {2018-01-01},

journal = {Sustainability (Switzerland)},

volume = {10},

number = {10},

publisher = {MDPI},

abstract = {Cefuroxime (XM), the most commonly prescribed antibiotic from the cephalosporin group, may cause changes in the structure of the soil microbial community, and these changes may also be reflected in the alteration of its functionality. Therefore, due to the lack of studies on this topic, the scope of this study was to assess the functional diversity and catabolic activity of the microbial community in soil treated with XM (1 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg soil) using the community-level physiological profile (CLPP) approach during a 90-day experiment. In addition, the effect of antibiotic-resistant Pseudomonas putida strain MC1 (Ps) was also evaluated. The resistance/resilience concept and multifactorial analysis were used to interpret the data. The results showed that the introduction of XM and/or Ps into the soil caused changes in the catabolic activity and functional diversity of the microbial community. A decrease in the values of the CLPP indices (i.e.; microbial activity expressed as the average well-color development (AWCD); substrate richness (R); the Shannon-Wiener (H) and evenness (E) indices and the AWCD values for the six carbon substrate groups) for the XM-treated soil was generally detected up to 30 days. In turn, at the same time, the activity measured in the Ps-inoculated soil was higher compared to the control soil. A stimulatory effect of XM at 10 mg/kg (XM10) and XM10+Ps on the utilization pattern of each substrate group was found at the following sampling times (days 60 and 90). The AWCD values for the utilization of amines, amino acids, carbohydrates, carboxylic acids, miscellaneous compounds and polymers for these treatments were found to be up to 2.3-, 3.1-, 2.3-, 13-, 3.4- and 3.3-fold higher compared to the values for the nontreated control, respectively. The resistance of the CLPP indices and the AWCD values for the carbon substrate groups were categorized as follows: E > H > R > AWCD and amino acids = carbohydrates > polymers > amines > miscellaneous > carboxylic acids, respectively. The results suggest a low initial resistance of the soil microbial community to XM and/or Ps, and despite the short-term negative effect, the balance of the soil ecosystem may be disturbed. © 2018 by the authors.},

note = {9},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{2-s2.0-85047296763,

title = {Vancomycin and/or multidrug-resistant Citrobacter Freundii altered the metabolic pattern of soil microbial community},

author = { M. Cycoń and K. Orlewska and A. Markowicz and A. Żmijowska and J. Smoleń-Dzirba and J. Bratosiewicz-Wąsik and T.J. Wąsik and Z. Piotrowska-Seget},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85047296763&doi=10.3389%2ffmicb.2018.01047&partnerID=40&md5=0db1de08bc9a069f674bf3dae722c3c2},

doi = {10.3389/fmicb.2018.01047},

issn = {1664302X},

year  = {2018},

date = {2018-01-01},

journal = {Frontiers in Microbiology},

volume = {9},

number = {MAY},

publisher = {Frontiers Media S.A.},

abstract = {Despite many studies, our knowledge on the impact of antibiotics and antibiotic-resistant bacteria on the metabolic activity of soil microbial communities is still limited. To ascertain this impact, the community level physiological profiles (CLPPs) and the activity of selected enzymes (dehydrogenase; urease; and phosphatases) in soils treated with vancomycin (VA) and/or multidrug resistant Citrobacter freundii were determined during a 90-day experiment. A multivariate analysis and the resistance (RS)/resilience (RL) concept were used to assess the potential of native microorganisms to maintain their catabolic activity under exposure of VA and/or a high level of C. freundii. In addition, the dissipation rate of VA was evaluated in non-sterile (nsS) and sterile (sS) soils. The results revealed a negative impact of VA on the metabolic activity of soil microorganisms on days 1, 15, and 30 as was showed by a decrease in the values of the CLPP indices (10-69%) and the enzyme activities (6-32%) for treated soils as compared to the control. These observations suggested a low initial resistance of soil microorganisms to VA and/or C. freundii but they were resilient in the long term. Considering the mean values of the RS index, the resistance of measured parameters was categorized in the following order: alkaline phosphatase (0.919) > acid phosphatase (0.899) > dehydrogenase (0.853) > the evenness index (0.840) > urease (0.833) > the Shannon-Wiener index (0.735) > substrate richness (0.485) > the AWCD (0.301). The dissipation process of VA was relatively fast and independent of the concentration used. The DT50 values for VA applied at both concentrations were about 16 days. In addition, the dissipation of VA in nsS was three times faster compared to the dissipation of antibiotic in sS. In conclusion, both CLPP and enzyme activities assays appeared to be useful tool for the determination of disturbances within soil microbial communities and used together may be helpful to understand the changes in their catabolic features. The entry of large quantities of VA and/or C. freundii into soil may temporarily change microbial activity thus pose a potential risk for soil functioning. © 2018 Cycon, Orlewska, Markowicz, Zmijowska, Smolen-Dzirba, Bratosiewicz-Wasik, Wasik and Piotrowska-Seget.},

note = {5},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{2-s2.0-85007072461,

title = {Activity and functional diversity of microbial communities in long-term hydrocarbon and heavy metal contaminated soils},

author = { A. Markowicz and G.A. Płaza and Z. Piotrowska-Seget},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85007072461&doi=10.1515%2faep-2016-0041&partnerID=40&md5=02b3df5c9b1d50a144d2330b194f62e2},

doi = {10.1515/aep-2016-0041},

issn = {03248461},

year  = {2016},

date = {2016-01-01},

journal = {Archives of Environmental Protection},

volume = {42},

number = {4},

pages = {3-11},

publisher = {De Gruyter Open Ltd},

abstract = {The impacts of long-term polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metal pollution on soil microbial communities functioning were studied in soils taken from an old coke plant. The concentrations of PAHs in the tested soils ranged from 171 to 2137 mg kg-1. From the group of tested heavy metals, concentrations of lead were found to be the highest, ranging from 57 to 3478 mg kg-1, while zinc concentrations varied from 247 to 704 mg kg-1 and nickel from 10 to 666 mg kg-1. High dehydrogenase, acid and alkaline phosphatase activities were observed in the most contaminated soil. This may indicate bacterial adaptation to long-term heavy metal and hydrocarbon contamination. However, the Community Level Physiological Profiles (CLPPs) analysis showed that the microbial functional diversity was reduced and influenced to a higher extent by some metals (Pb; Ni), moisture and conductivity than by PAHs. © 2016 Polish Academy of Sciences.},

note = {18},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{2-s2.0-84976334412,

title = {Microbial community structure and diversity in long-term hydrocarbon and heavy metal contaminated soils},

author = { A. Markowicz and M. Cycoń and Z. Piotrowska-Seget},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84976334412&partnerID=40&md5=3b6357c3810e7048c0bbf0da6e7397a0},

issn = {17356865},

year  = {2016},

date = {2016-01-01},

journal = {International Journal of Environmental Research},

volume = {10},

number = {2},

pages = {321-323},

publisher = {University of Tehran},

abstract = {The influence of long-term mixed organic and inorganic contamination on soil microbial activity, community structure and genetic diversity was investigated in soil samples from a coke oven plant located in Upper Silesia, Poland. The tested soils were heavily contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals. The microbial communities were characterized using the phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) and the denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) methods. Analysis of the PLFA profiles showed that the biomass of Gram-negative bacteria and fungi was affected by heavy metals but not by PAHs. Similar results were obtained for total microbial activity measured as the rate of fluorescein acetate hydrolysis. Statistical analysis of the obtained results revealed that heavy metals rather than PAHs were primarily responsible for the reduction in microbial activity and the differences in the microbial community structure as showed by PLFA. The DGGE analysis showed that the most contaminated soil had a very low biodiversity and richness but a very high evenness index. The correlation analysis revealed that the biodiversity and richness indices were negatively correlated with PAHs but not with heavy metals. However, there was a positive relationship between the evenness index and tested metals as well as the PAH content. The partial 16S rRNA sequence analysis showed that some of the clones were closely related to the genera Pseudomonas, Sphingomonas and Arthrobacter, which are well-known hydrocarbon degraders. Obtained results indicated that a high level of contamination suppress the some bacterial community member giving finally a reduction in the genetic diversity. © 2016, University of Tehran. All Rights Reserved.},

note = {12},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{2-s2.0-84961969270,

title = {The urgent need for risk assessment on the antibiotic resistance spread via sewage sludge land application},

author = { K. Bondarczuk and A. Markowicz and Z. Piotrowska-Seget},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84961969270&doi=10.1016%2fj.envint.2015.11.011&partnerID=40&md5=3bd51b4e196ea839327eb4ed82636d9d},

doi = {10.1016/j.envint.2015.11.011},

issn = {01604120},

year  = {2016},

date = {2016-01-01},

journal = {Environment International},

volume = {87},

pages = {49-55},

publisher = {Elsevier Ltd},

abstract = {Sewage sludge is an ever-increasing by-product of the wastewater treatment process frequently used as a soil fertiliser. To control its quality and prevent any possible hazardous impact of fertilisation, some mandatory limits of heavy metal content have been established by the European Commission (Sewage Sludge Directive). However, since the implementation of the limits, new emerging contaminants have been reported worldwide. Regardless of the wastewater treatment process, sewage sludge contains antibiotics, antibiotic-resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes, which can be released into the environment through its land application. Such a practice may even boost the dissemination and further development of antibiotic resistance phenomenon - already a global problem challenging modern medicine. Due to the growing pharmaceutical pollution in the environment, the time is ripe to assess the risk for the human and environmental health of sewage sludge land application in the context of antibiotic resistance spread. In this review we present the current knowledge in the field and we emphasise the necessity for more studies. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd.},

note = {175},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{2-s2.0-84945469350,

title = {Links in the functional diversity between soil microorganisms and plant communities during natural succession in coal mine spoil heaps},

author = { A. Markowicz and G. Woźniak and S. Borymski and Z. Piotrowska-Seget and D. Chmura},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84945469350&doi=10.1007%2fs11284-015-1301-3&partnerID=40&md5=ed2138c5482a3b345d7d8e3a0aef24b9},

doi = {10.1007/s11284-015-1301-3},

issn = {09123814},

year  = {2015},

date = {2015-01-01},

journal = {Ecological Research},

volume = {30},

number = {6},

pages = {1005-1014},

publisher = {Springer Tokyo},

abstract = {The successful establishment of vegetation, soil development and biogeochemical cycling during the restoration process of mine tailings requires a diverse and metabolically active microbial communities. The objective of this study was to test whether there is any link between the functional groups of both the dominant plant species and soil microbial communities on unreclaimed coal mine spoil heaps of different age located in the Silesian Upland (Poland). At each sampling site the dominant plant species were recorded and characterised based on their Raunkiaer’s life form, socio-ecological group and their potential to form mycorrhiza. The functional diversity of the plant-associated microbial communities was assessed using the microbial carbon-utilisation guilds generated using the Biolog method. We observed no differences in the microbial functional diversity, but a gradual increase in the plant functional diversity with the age of the heap. Our results indicate that trees, plants with the potential to form ectomycorrhiza, and deciduous plants strongly affected the carbon-utilisation profiles. The mean proportion of microbe guilds in dominant plant patches accounts for 60 % of the variance while the soil physicochemical parameters explained only 30 % of the variance. This suggest that in post-industrial habitats the biotic features of the soil substratum are more important for the vegetation development than the abiotic parameters. © 2015, The Author(s).},

note = {24},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{2-s2.0-84946717905,

title = {The relationship between successional vascular plant assemblages and associated microbial communities on coal mine spoil heaps},

author = { G. Woźniak and A. Markowicz and S. Borymski and Z. Piotrowska-Seget and D. Chmura and L. Besenyei},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84946717905&doi=10.1556%2f168.2015.16.1.3&partnerID=40&md5=081e835c5d76e5bd2b3f851e1eb3c48b},

doi = {10.1556/168.2015.16.1.3},

issn = {15858553},

year  = {2015},

date = {2015-01-01},

journal = {Community Ecology},

volume = {16},

number = {1},

pages = {23-32},

publisher = {Akademiai Kiado Rt.},

abstract = {The aim of the study was to investigate the relationships between the vascular plant species and the associated soil microbial properties at various stages of vegetation development on unclaimed hard coal mine spoil heaps in Upper Silesia (south Poland). The spontaneous vegetation, soil chemistry as well as the activity and structure of microbial communities were recorded on this specific habitat. The colliery heaps were divided into four age classes and the plant species composition and cover abundance were recorded on established plots (2 m × 2 m). The soil microbial activity under the vegetation patches was assessed using fluorescein diacetate hydrolytic activity (FDHA) and the soil microbial biomass and community composition were determined by phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) biomarkers. Total microbial biomass in soils from the older vegetation plots was significantly higher than those in soils from the younger plots. In all studied samples, microbial communities consisted primarily of bacteria with the dominance of Gram negative bacteria over Gram positive and aerobic microorganisms were more dominant than anaerobic ones. Statistical analysis revealed a correlation between the type of vegetation and microbial community structure.},

note = {16},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{2-s2.0-84886257604,

title = {Imidacloprid induces changes in the structure, genetic diversity and catabolic activity of soil microbial communities},

author = { M. Cycoń and A. Markowicz and S. Borymski and M. Wójcik and Z. Piotrowska-Seget},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84886257604&doi=10.1016%2fj.jenvman.2013.09.041&partnerID=40&md5=d0547dc811446de6ec4a2d491dabe5c2},

doi = {10.1016/j.jenvman.2013.09.041},

issn = {03014797},

year  = {2013},

date = {2013-01-01},

journal = {Journal of Environmental Management},

volume = {131},

pages = {55-65},

abstract = {This is the first report describing the effect of imidacloprid applied at field rate (FR; 1mg/kg of soil) and 10 times the FR (10*FR; 10mg/kg of soil) on the structural, genetic and physiological diversity of soil bacterial community as determined by the phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA), the denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), and the community level physiological profile (CLPP) approaches. PLFA profiles showed that imidacloprid significantly shifted the microbial community structure and decreased the biomass of the total, bacterial and fungal PLFAs, however, this effect was transient at the FR dosage. The alterations in DGGE patterns caused by imidacloprid application, confirmed considerable changes in the overall richness and diversity of dominant bacteria. Although, as a result of imidacloprid application, the metabolic activity of microbial communities was generally lower, the richness and functional biodiversity of the soil microbial community were not negatively affected. In general, the analysis of the variance indicated that the measured parameters were significantly affected by treatment and the incubation time, however, the incubation time effect explained most of the observed variance. Imidacloprid degradation and the appearance of some new bands in DGGE profiles suggest the evolution of bacteria capable of degrading imidacloprid among indigenous microflora. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.},

note = {68},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{2-s2.0-84882968565,

title = {Structural and functional diversity of bacterial community in soil treated with the herbicide napropamide estimated by the DGGE, CLPP and r/K-strategy approaches},

author = { M. Cycoń and A. Markowicz and Z. Piotrowska-Seget},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84882968565&doi=10.1016%2fj.apsoil.2013.07.015&partnerID=40&md5=898ca9abba807ecd826c4d67af6d4af7},

doi = {10.1016/j.apsoil.2013.07.015},

issn = {09291393},

year  = {2013},

date = {2013-01-01},

journal = {Applied Soil Ecology},

volume = {72},

pages = {242-250},

abstract = {Napropamide is one of the most commonly used herbicide in agricultural practice and can exhibit toxic effect to soil microorganisms. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to examine the genetic and functional diversity of microbial communities in soil treated with napropamide at field rate (FR; 2.25mgkg-1 of soil) and 10 times the FR (10×FR; 22.5mgkg-1 of soil) by the denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and the community level physiological profile (CLPP) methods. In addition, the r/K-strategy approach was used to evaluate the effect of this herbicide on the community structure of the culturable soil bacteria. DGGE patterns revealed that napropamide affected the structure of microbial community; however, the richness (S) and genetic diversity (H) values indicated that the FR dosage of napropamide experienced non-significant changes. In turn, the 10×FR dosage of herbicide caused significant changes in the S and H values of dominant soil bacteria. DGGE profiles suggest an evolution of bacteria capable of degrading napropamide among indigenous microflora. Analysis of the CLPPs indicated that the catabolic activity of microbial community expressed as AWCD (average well-color development) was temporary positively affected after napropamide application and resulted in an increase of the substrate richness (SR) as well as functional biodiversity (H) values. Analysis of the bacterial growth strategy revealed that napropamide affected the r- or K-type bacterial classes (ecotypes). In treated-soil samples K-strategists dominated the population, as indicated by the decreased ecophysiological (EP) index. Napropamide significantly affected the physiological state of culturable bacteria and caused a reduction in the rate of colony formation as well as a prolonged time of growth rate. Obtained results indicate that application of napropamide may poses a potential risk for soil functioning. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.},

note = {26},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{2-s2.0-78049346290,

title = {Response of bacteria to heavy metals measured as changes in FAME profiles},

author = { A. Markowicz and T. Płociniczak and Z. Piotrowska-Seget},

url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-78049346290&partnerID=40&md5=cb3c70e41d46abdaedb116aeb4340f4c},

issn = {12301485},

year  = {2010},

date = {2010-01-01},

journal = {Polish Journal of Environmental Studies},

volume = {19},

number = {5},

pages = {957-965},

abstract = {The effects of Cd, Ni, Cu, or Zn on the whole cell-derived fatty acid profiles of four bacterial strains isolated from heavy metal-polluted soils located in Upper Silesia was determined. Based on the fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) profiles, the strains were identified and named as Enterobacter intermedius AM15, Enterobacter intermedius MH8b, Pseudomonas putida MH1d, and Klebsiella pneumoniae AM12. The obtained results showed changes that were dependent both on tested strains and metal used. The most significant changes were observed for strains cultured in the Ni presence. In the FAME profiles of MH8b, AM 15, and AM12 strains, a significant increase of cyclopropane fatty acids was observed. Moreover, exposure for Ni resulted in the appearance of a new fatty acid in the FAME profiles of AM15 and MH8b strains. In turn, Cd and Zn caused a decrease of the content of cyclopropane fatty acids as compared to control. For AM15 and AM12 strains cultured on media with heavy metals, the ratio of saturated to unsaturated fatty acids were higher than that in control. The same phenomenon was also observed for MH8b strain exposed only to the highest concentration of Ni and Cd.},

note = {23},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}