Antibiotics and antibiotic-resistant genes in municipal solid waste landfills: Current situation and perspective

Municipal solid waste landfill serves as one of the most important sources of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance. Considerable progress has been made in the detection of antibiotics and antibiotic resistant genes (ARGs) in landfills system. However, a comprehensive and predictive understanding of the environmental characteristics, transmission mechanisms, impact factors, and health risks of ARGs are still lacking. The current review begins with a global view on the status of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance, and then provides recommendations for future research directions. The review encompasses the following directions: (1) long-term antibiotic resistance environmental behavior; (2) multidrug resistance gene distribution and dynamics; (3) link between antibiotic resistance and the host, especially the host–pathogen link; (4) coevolution of ARGs and microplastics as emerging contaminants; (5) antibiotic resistance risk assessment; and (6) toward a one health framework in the landfill system.