Community antimicrobial resistance genes and concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and metals in NE England soils (2016)

The dataset collates the relative concentration of nearly 300 antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes, and concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and potentially toxic elements (PTE; e.g., “metals”) found in soils across northeastern England during a sampling expedition in June 2016 by researchers at Newcastle University. Top soils (15cm depths; “A” horizon) were obtained from 24 rural and urban locations around Newcastle upon Tyne, representing a spectrum of landscape conditions relative to anticipated PTE contamination.

There are three files related to different types of data collected: antimicrobial resistance genes, metal concentrations and PAH concentrations.

The high-throughput analysis of nearly 300 AMR genes include many resistance traits representing major antibiotic classes: aminoglycosides, beta lactams, FCA (fluoroquinolone, quinolone, chloramphenicol, florfenicol and amphenicol resistance genes), MLSB (macrolide, lincosamide, streptogramin B), tetracycline, vancomycin, sulphonamide, and efflux pumps.

PAH data represent the US Environmental Protection Agency priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons as one of the measures of pollution impact.

The other measure of impact is based on levels of twelve PTE represented by “total” and “two bio-available” concentrations, based on three extraction methods. Elements included aluminium, arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, lead, mercury, nickel, phosphorus, and zinc.