Emerging Contaminants in Soil: Drivers of Antimicrobial Resistance and Impacts on Terrestrial Microbial Communities

Soils are increasingly recognized as complex reservoirs and transformation hubs for emerging contaminants such as pharmaceuticals, personal care products, microplastics, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), heavy metals, and pesticide residues. These compounds reach terrestrial environments via multiple routes, including wastewater irrigation, biosolid application, and atmospheric deposition, where they persist for long periods. Their interactions with diverse microbial communities influence soil health, biogeochemical cycling, and the stability of microbial ecosystems. Recent research has raised major concerns about the soil’s contribution to antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Sub-inhibitory contaminant levels can drive the selection and horizontal transfer of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs), affecting not only soil microorganisms but also the interconnected One Health framework across humans, animals, and the environment. Although evidence has advanced through the use of omics-based tools, substantial uncertainties remain regarding the cumulative impacts of contaminant mixtures, the influence of soil physicochemical conditions, and the long-term ecological consequences of chronic exposure on microbial communities. These concerns are further amplified by the recently adopted EU Soil Monitoring and Resilience Directive (Directive (EU) 2025/2360), which underscores the urgent need for robust scientific evidence to support soil protection, monitoring, and policy frameworks at a continental scale.This Research Topic aims to elucidate how emerging soil contaminants contribute to the development and dissemination of AMR and alter terrestrial microbial community functions. It will address key questions regarding the mechanisms underlying resistance evolution, co-selection pressures, and the propagation of ARGs in different soil ecosystems. Moreover, it seeks to promote interdisciplinary studies linking environmental chemistry, microbial ecology, and public health perspectives. By fostering dialogue between environmental scientists, microbiologists, and risk assessors, this Research Topic aims to generate new insights into the interconnected dynamics shaping soil health, contaminant behavior, and resistance emergence. This Research Topic covers studies ranging from molecular-level mechanisms to large-scale ecosystem interactions, while focusing on terrestrial environments influenced by anthropogenic activities. It excludes analyses unrelated to soil systems or those lacking empirical evidence of contaminant–microbe interactions. To gather further insights into the environmental and microbial processes driving soil-based AMR, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes: • Occurrence, fate, and transport of emerging contaminants in soils across various land-use systems (agricultural, urban, industrial, natural) • Mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance development and dissemination in soil microbial communities, including horizontal gene transfer, co-selection, and cross-resistance •Impact of contaminant mixtures on soil microbial diversity, community assembly, and ecosystem functions • Novel methodological approaches, such as metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, culturomics, and advanced analytical chemistry for detecting and characterizing contaminants and ARGs • Mitigation and remediation strategies to reduce contaminant loads and limit AMR spread in soils • Holistic risk assessment frameworks integrating environmental, agricultural, and public health considerations within a One Health context Topic editors: Lyudmyla Symochko, Jaunius Urbonavičius, Ana Barreiro Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/81242/emerging-contaminants-in-soil-drivers-of-antimicrobial-resistance-and-impacts-on-terrestrial-microbial-communities