Impacts of combined pollution under gradient increasing and gradient decreasing exposure modes on activated sludge: Microbial communities and antibiotic resistance genes

The responses of microbial communities and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) to azithromycin and copper combined pollution under gradient increasing (from 0.5 to 10 mg/L) and decreasing exposure (from 10 to 0.5 mg/L) modes were investigated. Nitrification was inhibited more obviously under gradient increasing exposure mode. Responses of archaeal community and function structure were more obvious than bacteria under both exposure modes. The dominant bacterial and archaeal compositions ( Hyphomicrobium , Euryarchaeota , etc.) were affected by two exposure modes, except some rare archaea ( Methanoregula and Methanosarcina ). There were more positive correlations between bacteria and archaea, and Nitrospira was keystone genus. Ammonia-oxidizing archaea (0.37–3.06%) and complete ammonia oxidizers ( Nitrospira_ENR4 ) were enriched, and Nitrososphaera_viennensis was closely related to denitrifying genes ( napA/B , nosZ , etc.). 50 ARG subtypes were detected and specific ARG subtypes ( aac , ImrA , etc.) proliferated in two exposure modes. Bacteria and archaea were common hosts for 24 ARGs and contributed to their shifts.