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Metal and antibiotic-resistance in psychrotrophic bacteria from Antarctic Marine waters

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Abstract

In the wake of the findings that Antarctic krills concentrate heavy metals at ppm level, (Yamamoto et al. 1987), the Antarctic waters from the Indian side were examined for the incidence of metal and antibiotic-resistant bacteria during the austral summer (13th Indian Antarctic expedition) along the cruise track extending from 50° S and 18° E to 65° S and 30° E. The bacterial isolates from these waters showed varying degrees of resistance to antibiotics (Chloramphenicol, ampicillin, streptomycin, tetracycline and kanamycin) and metals (K2CrO4, CdCl2, ZnCl2 and HgCl2) tested. Of the isolates screened, about 29% and 16% were resistant to 100 ppm of cadmium and chromium salt respectively. Tolerance to lower concentration (10 ppm) of mercury (Hg) was observed in 68% of the isolates. Depending on the antibiotics the isolates showed different percentage of resistance. Multiple drug and metal-resistance were observed. High incidence of resistance to both antibiotics and metals were common among the pigmented bacterial isolates. Increased resistance decreased the ability of bacteria to express enzymes. The results reiterate previous findings by other researchers that the waters of southern ocean may not be exempt from the spread of metal and antibiotic-resistance.

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Acknowledgements

PAL thanks the leader and members of the 13th Antarctic expedition for all the help rendered in sample collection. Authors express their thanks to the anonymous referees for their valuable comments, which has improved the manuscript NIO no. 4122.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Microbiology Laboratory, Biological Oceanography Division, National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa, 403 004, India

    Maria-Judith De Souza, Shanta Nair, P. A. Loka Bharathi & D. Chandramohan

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  1. Maria-Judith De Souza
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  2. Shanta Nair
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  3. P. A. Loka Bharathi
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  4. D. Chandramohan
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Correspondence to Maria-Judith De Souza.

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Special Issue on Biomarkers of Marine Pollution and Bioremediation

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De Souza, MJ., Nair, S., Loka Bharathi, P.A. et al. Metal and antibiotic-resistance in psychrotrophic bacteria from Antarctic Marine waters. Ecotoxicology 15, 379–384 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-006-0068-2

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