Changes in the Bacterial Community in the Littoral Zone of the Ecosystem of the Southern Part of Lake Baikal under the Influence of Anthropogenic Load

Abstract

The article discusses the issue of the pollution of the residential and recreational areas of Lake Baikal with residential wastewater, which brings broad-spectrum antibiotics into the lake. The dynamics of the anthropogenic influence on the ecosystem of the lake due to the growing recreational load caused by the pandemic on the area of the world natural heritage is considered. The risk of the spread of antibiotic resistance of the local microbiota through the factors of the environment is analyzed. The purpose of the paper was to reveal the resistance of bacteria in different ecotopes of Baikal to pollutants — antibiotics. The research was conducted with the help of microbiological analysis. During the research, resistance of bacteria to 14 medicinal drugs was revealed using the techniques of State Sanitary and Epidemiological Surveillance Department of Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation. Long-time sampling points along the coastline of Baikal are shown and the pollution of its ecosystem is assessed. A proposal to conduct monitoring in the littoral area of Baikal’s ecosystem and along the coastline of Maloe More for microbiological analysis of the state of the lake is substantiated. An opinion on necessity for introducing a system of collecting expired medicinal drugs was expressed. It will allow us to contribute to the preservation of the unique ecosystem of lake Baikal.