Researchers from Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University report that urban microbial communities can adapt to the effects of cleaning products and industrial chemicals. The findings, published in the journal Microbiome, show how city environments shape microbial life in ways that may influence public health and urban ecology.
In a large sampling effort, scientists collected 738 microbiome samples from Hong Kong subway systems, residential areas, and public institutions, in addition to samples from human skin. Through metagenomic sequencing, they identified 363 previously unknown microbial species. Several microbes were found to use cleaning products as sources of carbon and energy, adapting to chemical-laden urban niches. Among the discoveries was Candidatus Eremiobacterota, a species once thought confined to desert soils in Antarctica, now detected in city environments.
Tong, an associate professor at the university, notes that such microbes may compete with more sensitive strains, raising questions about potential health risks if pathogenic members are present.
In addition, the team identified 11 new strains of Micrococcus luteus, a bacterium that can affect people with weakened immune systems, particularly in hospital settings. The researchers warn these strains could contribute to hospital-acquired infections, which in some reports carry a mortality risk in intensive care units up to thirty percent.
The study also describes two new species of Patescibacteria, sometimes referred to as nanobacteria, characterized by very small genomes. One strain found on human skin carries genes for antioxidant compounds such as carotenoids and ubiquinone, suggesting a possible mutualistic relationship with humans.
Understanding these metabolic functions could help design healthier urban microbiomes and mitigate health risks. The researchers emphasize that mapping how microbes process chemicals is a key step toward healthier ecosystems in cities.
Earlier work in the field has explored the vast viral component of houses and urban environments, revealing that cities host a complex mix of microbes and viruses.