Graphitic Carbon Nitride Confers Bacterial Tolerance to Antibiotics in Wastewater Relating to ATP Depletion

Graphitic carbon nitride (C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub>) is a kind of visible light-responsive photocatalyst that has been of great interest in wastewater treatment. However, its environmental impact and biological effect remains to be elucidated. This study investigated the eff...

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Main Authors: Shuo Liu, Lin Teng, Jiantao Ping
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-12-01
Series:Molecules
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/29/23/5780
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author Shuo Liu
Lin Teng
Jiantao Ping
author_facet Shuo Liu
Lin Teng
Jiantao Ping
author_sort Shuo Liu
collection DOAJ
description Graphitic carbon nitride (C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub>) is a kind of visible light-responsive photocatalyst that has been of great interest in wastewater treatment. However, its environmental impact and biological effect remains to be elucidated. This study investigated the effect of C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> nanosheets on bacterial abundance and antibiotic tolerance in wastewater. Interestingly, as compared to the wastewater containing the antibiotic ofloxacin alone, the wastewater containing both ofloxacin and C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> had much higher numbers of total living bacteria, but lower levels of the ofloxacin-resistant bacteria and the ofloxacin-resistant gene <i>qnrS</i>. The model bacterium <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> was then used to explore the mechanism of C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub>-induced antibiotic tolerance. The nanosheets neither adsorbed the antibiotic nor promoted drug efflux, uncovering that drug adsorption and efflux were not involved in antibiotic tolerance. Further investigations revealed that the nanosheets, like arsenate and menadione, drastically reduced ATP levels and induced the production of reactive oxygen species for enhanced antibiotic tolerance. This study revealed an antibiotic-tolerating mechanism associated with C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub>-induced ATP depletion, and shed a light on the effect of photocatalysts on microbial ecology during their application in wastewater treatment.
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spelling doaj-art-e99c076cb28644d4a073fb9b514985cb2025-08-20T02:50:34ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492024-12-012923578010.3390/molecules29235780Graphitic Carbon Nitride Confers Bacterial Tolerance to Antibiotics in Wastewater Relating to ATP DepletionShuo Liu0Lin Teng1Jiantao Ping2School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Tianjin Renai College, Tianjin 301636, ChinaSchool of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Tianjin Renai College, Tianjin 301636, ChinaShandong Analysis and Test Center, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250014, ChinaGraphitic carbon nitride (C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub>) is a kind of visible light-responsive photocatalyst that has been of great interest in wastewater treatment. However, its environmental impact and biological effect remains to be elucidated. This study investigated the effect of C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> nanosheets on bacterial abundance and antibiotic tolerance in wastewater. Interestingly, as compared to the wastewater containing the antibiotic ofloxacin alone, the wastewater containing both ofloxacin and C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub> had much higher numbers of total living bacteria, but lower levels of the ofloxacin-resistant bacteria and the ofloxacin-resistant gene <i>qnrS</i>. The model bacterium <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> was then used to explore the mechanism of C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub>-induced antibiotic tolerance. The nanosheets neither adsorbed the antibiotic nor promoted drug efflux, uncovering that drug adsorption and efflux were not involved in antibiotic tolerance. Further investigations revealed that the nanosheets, like arsenate and menadione, drastically reduced ATP levels and induced the production of reactive oxygen species for enhanced antibiotic tolerance. This study revealed an antibiotic-tolerating mechanism associated with C<sub>3</sub>N<sub>4</sub>-induced ATP depletion, and shed a light on the effect of photocatalysts on microbial ecology during their application in wastewater treatment.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/29/23/5780graphitic carbon nitrideantibiotic toleranceATP depletionphotocatalystwastewater
spellingShingle Shuo Liu
Lin Teng
Jiantao Ping
Graphitic Carbon Nitride Confers Bacterial Tolerance to Antibiotics in Wastewater Relating to ATP Depletion
Molecules
graphitic carbon nitride
antibiotic tolerance
ATP depletion
photocatalyst
wastewater
title Graphitic Carbon Nitride Confers Bacterial Tolerance to Antibiotics in Wastewater Relating to ATP Depletion
title_full Graphitic Carbon Nitride Confers Bacterial Tolerance to Antibiotics in Wastewater Relating to ATP Depletion
title_fullStr Graphitic Carbon Nitride Confers Bacterial Tolerance to Antibiotics in Wastewater Relating to ATP Depletion
title_full_unstemmed Graphitic Carbon Nitride Confers Bacterial Tolerance to Antibiotics in Wastewater Relating to ATP Depletion
title_short Graphitic Carbon Nitride Confers Bacterial Tolerance to Antibiotics in Wastewater Relating to ATP Depletion
title_sort graphitic carbon nitride confers bacterial tolerance to antibiotics in wastewater relating to atp depletion
topic graphitic carbon nitride
antibiotic tolerance
ATP depletion
photocatalyst
wastewater
url https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/29/23/5780
work_keys_str_mv AT shuoliu graphiticcarbonnitrideconfersbacterialtolerancetoantibioticsinwastewaterrelatingtoatpdepletion
AT linteng graphiticcarbonnitrideconfersbacterialtolerancetoantibioticsinwastewaterrelatingtoatpdepletion
AT jiantaoping graphiticcarbonnitrideconfersbacterialtolerancetoantibioticsinwastewaterrelatingtoatpdepletion