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Hello! My name is Seojin David Lee, and most people just call me David. I love to play the piano, sing, run track and cross country, and create algorithms and computer programs!
Tell us what the water concern in your country is!A major water concern in South Korea is the growing presence of antibiotics in the water in the environment. For example, antibiotics have been found in major bodies of water like Paldang Lake, which is a man-made body of water that acts as a supplier of water to several regions in the country. This is a devastating issue as antibiotics being present in the environment is known to cause and accelerate the process of more and more bacteria evolving to become antibiotic-resistant, and the presence of more and more antibiotic-resistant bacteria means the less and less useful antibiotics will become, especially in South Korea.
Transfer and Suppression of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in the Water Cycle
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria have proliferated due to improper antibiotic usage. Various water sources and soils are being contaminated with antibiotic-resistant bacteria due to horizontal gene transfer. When water encounters pollutants through the water cycle, water contamination can occur and spread through water circulation. The objectives of this study were to identify the effects of the water cycle on the movement of the antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and to develop potential treatments to suppress the gene transfer. The results showed that the water cycle indeed caused ARGs to transfer to nearby freshwater and soils and negatively affect the ecosystem by spreading antibiotic-resistant bacteria to water sources. Additionally, this study found that humic substances in soils near urban residential areas successfully suppressed ARGs…
