Assessing visitor use impact on antibiotic resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes in soil and water environments of Rocky Mountain National Park

Scott, Laura; Wilson, Mark; Esser, Scott M.; Lee, Nicholas L.; Wheeler, Michael E.; Aubee, Alexandra; Aw, Tiong Gim

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147122

Cited by 21 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…The impact of outdoor activities in remote areas has been sparsely assessed, and studies rarely focused on pernicious pollutions. Until recently [Forster et al, 2020], the environmental impact assessment of hiking in natural areas never mentioned anthropogenic waste as a meaningful threat, but only soil and vegetation degradation [Evju et al, 2021], dispersal of weed seeds [Pickering, 2022, Dolman andMarion, 2022], or spreading of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and genes [Scott et al, 2021]. Particularly, the polluting effect of shoes has been completely overlooked [Horton, 2022], although microplastics from footwear abrasion may be significant contaminants in high traffic areas of natural environments.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Plastics on the rocks: the invisible but harmful footprint of shoe soles

Cecchi¹

2023

Comptes Rendus. Géoscience

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Outdoor recreational activities for leisure and for sport training have grown in popularity. Their environmental impacts remain little studied, especially the waste generated by overfrequentation. Our objective was to document how frequentation of a short mountain hiking trail can lead to significant quantities of waste. To this aim, all small objects found along a three-kilometer trail were collected and their origin determined. Polymers were predominant, and were mostly shoe sole fragments. This has never been documented and must be publicized due to the potential harmfulness to terrestrial and riparian ecosystems, and to increase the walkers' awareness.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Plastics on the rocks: the invisible but harmful footprint of shoe soles

Cecchi¹

2023

Comptes Rendus. Géoscience

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“…Caffeine was associated with other pharmaceuticals and hormones found in human waste, including antibiotics and pain medications, and was detected even in remote locations (Battaglin et al, 2018). The highest concentrations of antibiotic‐resistant bacteria and antibiotic‐resistant genes, also byproducts of human waste, were found at sites closer to trailheads (Scott et al, 2021). It indicates that highly trafficked areas bear more evidence of human byproducts than areas with less human visitation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Urine is mostly water (95%), with 2% urea and ammonia. In addition to nutrients excreted as waste products, both solid and liquid human waste are sources of bioactive contaminants, such as hormones, pharmaceuticals, antibiotic‐resistant bacteria, and antibiotic‐resistant genes (Battaglin et al, 2018; Eckert et al, 2018; Scott et al, 2021).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Marmots do not drink coffee: Human urine contributions to the nitrogen budget of a popular national park destination

et al. 2023

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Reactive nitrogen (Nr) concentrations are higher than expected for mountain lakes in Rocky Mountain National Park, and for many years, high Nr concentrations have been attributed to atmospheric Nr deposition from regional and more distant emission sources, including combustion of fossil fuels and agricultural activities. Here, we estimated the contribution from a very local source, that of human urine, related to intensive use by visitors in Loch Vale Watershed (LVWS). Not only does urine convey hormones, pharmaceuticals, antibiotic‐resistant bacteria, and antibiotic‐resistant genes to the environment, but it also contributes Nr, which contributes to loss of biodiversity and eutrophication. Using caffeine as a specific marker for human urine, we compared the calculated maximum potential input of urine with that from wet atmospheric Nr deposition. The maximum potential input is a worst‐case scenario. Nearly 30,000 and 45,000 people hiked the 4.0 km to the Loch, the lowest lake in LVWS, in June–September 2019 and 2020, respectively. Informal trails and informal latrine sites were mapped, and the contribution of human urine was calculated based on several assumptions, including that each visitor voided their bladder on the ground once per visit somewhere in Loch Vale. The resulting Nr input from urine in Loch Vale for the summer months of June through September was 0.02 kg Nr ha−1, and prorated to a full year, the 2019 potential contribution of human waste was 0.06 kg ha−1 year−1. These values are compared with June–September 1.2 kg Nr ha−1 from wet atmospheric deposition or annual measured 2019 deposition of 2.5 kg Nr ha−1 year−1, to indicate a contribution of 2% Nr to the waters of Loch Vale from local human urine. Most Nr in this alpine and subalpine watershed is still attributable to emissions and subsequent wet atmospheric deposition, but a 2% contribution from human waste is not insignificant. In the very broadest sense, our results document an ecological disturbance from an unprecedented level of human activity in a protected and designated wilderness area. Local solutions to this local problem could include greater outreach to visitors of public lands about the consequences of their activities and installation of latrines.

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“…The study provided evidence that clouds represent a potential reservoir of ARGs within the environment [94]. Scott et al (2021) [95] used FCM for the detection and quantification of AMR bacteria in soil and water samples collected from Rocky Mountain National Park in the United States. Using high-throughput FCM, the researchers revealed the presence of AMR bacteria in all environmental samples tested.…”

Section: Detection and Quantification Of Amr In The Environmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Current and Future Flow Cytometry Applications Contributing to Antimicrobial Resistance Control

Măruţescu

2023

Microorganisms

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Antimicrobial resistance is a global threat to human health and welfare, food safety, and environmental health. The rapid detection and quantification of antimicrobial resistance are important for both infectious disease control and public health threat assessment. Technologies such as flow cytometry can provide clinicians with the early information, they need for appropriate antibiotic treatment. At the same time, cytometry platforms facilitate the measurement of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in environments impacted by human activities, enabling assessment of their impact on watersheds and soils. This review focuses on the latest applications of flow cytometry for the detection of pathogens and antibiotic-resistant bacteria in both clinical and environmental samples. Novel antimicrobial susceptibility testing frameworks embedding flow cytometry assays can contribute to the implementation of global antimicrobial resistance surveillance systems that are needed for science-based decisions and actions.

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Assessing visitor use impact on antibiotic resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes in soil and water environments of Rocky Mountain National Park

Cited by 21 publications

References 53 publications

Plastics on the rocks: the invisible but harmful footprint of shoe soles

Plastics on the rocks: the invisible but harmful footprint of shoe soles

Marmots do not drink coffee: Human urine contributions to the nitrogen budget of a popular national park destination

Current and Future Flow Cytometry Applications Contributing to Antimicrobial Resistance Control

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