Due to excessive usage of antibiotics, bacterial species have developed resistant strains, which pose a large threat to several areas of society, such as global health and food security. Our project aimed to examine antibiotic-resistant bacteria in soil samples collected from environmentally diverse locations in New England. To classify a sample’s resistance level, we measured the growth of bacterial isolates using seven different antibiotics. Soil nutrition was examined for correlation to antibiotic resistance. Out of fifteen samples, we defined 6% as resistant, 40% as slightly resistant, and 53% as not resistant, with no apparent relation to soil nutrition. Future work could include identifying specific compounds in resistant samples to measure molecular similarity.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Papi, Amelia B.
• Belmonte, Robert L.
• Ramon Soto, Maria P.

Subject

• Health
• Project-Based Learning
• Environment
• Well-Being

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-050521-095802
• 22146

Keyword

• Environment
• Antibiotics
• Soil
• Resistance
• Bacteria

Advisor

• Buckholt, Michael Allan
• Rulfs, Jill

Year

• 2021

UN Sustainable Development Goals

• 3 - Good Health and Well-being

Date created

• 2021-05-05

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Biology & Biotechnology

Rights statement

• In Copyright

Last modified

• 2022-05-16