1
|
Patra M, Pandey B, Dubey SK. Prevalence of diverse antimicrobial resistance genes and bacteria in sewage treatment plant-derived sludge environment. FEMS MICROBES 2024; 5:xtae004. [PMID: 38463555 PMCID: PMC10923292 DOI: 10.1093/femsmc/xtae004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) contamination in the environment is one of the most significant worldwide threats of the 21st century. Since sludge is heavily exposed to diverse contaminants, including pharmaceuticals, the inhabitant bacterial population is expected to exhibit resistance to antimicrobial agents. In this study, sewage treatment plant (STP) sludge samples were analyzed to assess the antibiotic-resistant bacterial population, abundance of AMR genes (ermF, qnrS, Sul1, blaGES, blaCTX-M, and blaNDM), and mobile genetic elements (intl1 and IS26). Out of 16, six bacterial isolates exhibited resistance to 13 antibiotics with a high multiple antibiotic resistance index (MARI) (0.93) and high metal tolerance. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction showed the abundance of target genes ranging from 6.6 × 103 to 6.5 × 108 copies g-1 sludge. The overall outcome reveals that STP sludge comprised varied multidrug-resistant bacterial populations. It will give insights into the functions of heavy metals and biofilm development in the selection and spread of AMR genes and the associated bacteria. Therefore, the application of sludge needs proper screening for AMR and metal contamination prior to its countless applications. This study will contribute immensely to the risk analysis of STP effluents on environmental health, including control of AMR transmission.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mrinmoy Patra
- Molecular Ecology Laboratory, Department of Botany, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Bhavana Pandey
- Molecular Ecology Laboratory, Department of Botany, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Suresh Kumar Dubey
- Molecular Ecology Laboratory, Department of Botany, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Wang J, Ranjbaran M, Verma MS. Bacteroidales as a fecal contamination indicator in fresh produce industry: A baseline measurement. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 351:119641. [PMID: 38064988 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2024]
Abstract
Foodborne outbreaks caused by fecal contamination of fresh produce represent a serious concern to public health and the economy. As the consumption of fresh produce increases, public health officials and organizations have pushed for improvements in food safety procedures and environmental assessments to reduce the risk of contamination. Visual inspections and the establishment of "buffer zones" between animal feeding operations and producing fields are the current best practices for environmental assessments. However, a generalized distance guideline and visual inspections may not be enough to account for all environmental risk variables. Here, we report a baseline measurement surveying the background Bacteroidales concentration, as a quantitative fecal contamination indicator, in California's Salinas Valley. We collected a total of 1632 samples from two romaine lettuce commercial fields at the time of harvesting through two seasons in a year. The quantification of Bacteroidales concentration was performed using qPCR, revealing a notably low concentration (0-2.00 copies/cm2) in the commercial fields. To further enhance the applicability of our findings, we developed a user-friendly method for real-world fecal contamination risk assessment that seamlessly integrates with industry practices. Through the generation of heatmaps that visually illustrate varying risk levels across fields, this approach can identify site-specific risks and offer fresh produce stakeholders a more comprehensive understanding of their land. We anticipate this work can encourage the use of Bacteroidales in the fresh produce industry to monitor fecal contamination and prevent future foodborne outbreaks.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiangshan Wang
- Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA; Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Mohsen Ranjbaran
- Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA; Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Mohit S Verma
- Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA; Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA; Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Jiang B, Zeng Q, Liu Q, Chai H, Xiang J, Li H, Shi S, Yang A, Chen Z, Cui Y, Hu D, Ge H, Yuan C, Dong J, Han F. Impacts of electric field-magnetic powder coupled membrane bioreactor on phenol wastewater treatment: Performance, synergistic mechanism, antibiotic resistance genes, and eco-environmental benefit evaluation. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 909:168607. [PMID: 37981150 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023]
Abstract
A novel electric field-magnetic powder coupled membrane bioreactor (EM-MBR) was constructed, which was superior on improvement of phenol treatment performance and sludge characteristics, and mitigation of membrane fouling. EM-MBR enhanced the phenol degradation via the improvement activity of phenol degrading enzymes. The EPS contents and SVI of EM-MBR were significantly reduced by 49.3 % and 58.7 % than that of the conventional MBR, respectively. Moreover, EM-MBR successfully reduced fouling rate by 57.0 %, delaying the membrane resistance. The EPS contents were positively correlated with the SVI and fouling rate, implying that the sludge settleability was strengthened by improving the properties of EPS with the assistance of electromagnetic, thus mitigating the membrane fouling. Microbial co-occurrence network demonstrated that EM-MBR enriched phenol-degrading and EPS-degrading genera correlated to Fe redox cycle. Furthermore, the activation of the antioxidant system in the EM-MBR resulted in the suppression of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, consequently impeding the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Co-occurrence patterns of MGEs and ARGs revealed that intercellular binding facilitated by ist and Integrase may account for the horizontal transfer of ARGs. The reduction of unit capital costs (15.63 %), running costs (53.00 %), and total average carbon emissions (15.18 %) indicated that EM-MBR was environmentally beneficial.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bei Jiang
- College of Environment and Resources, Dalian Minzu University, 18 Liaohe West Road, Dalian Jinpu New District, Dalian 116600, China
| | - Qianzhi Zeng
- School of Life Science, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian 116081, China
| | - Qiangwei Liu
- School of Life Science, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian 116081, China
| | - Huiying Chai
- College of Environment and Resources, Dalian Minzu University, 18 Liaohe West Road, Dalian Jinpu New District, Dalian 116600, China
| | - Jinxun Xiang
- School of Life Science, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian 116081, China
| | - Hongxin Li
- School of Life Science, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian 116081, China
| | - Shengnan Shi
- School of Life Science, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian 116081, China
| | - Aifu Yang
- Technology Center of Dalian Customs District, Dalian 116001, China
| | - Zhaobo Chen
- College of Environment and Resources, Dalian Minzu University, 18 Liaohe West Road, Dalian Jinpu New District, Dalian 116600, China.
| | - Yubo Cui
- College of Environment and Resources, Dalian Minzu University, 18 Liaohe West Road, Dalian Jinpu New District, Dalian 116600, China
| | - Dongxue Hu
- College of Environment and Resources, Dalian Minzu University, 18 Liaohe West Road, Dalian Jinpu New District, Dalian 116600, China
| | - Hui Ge
- College of Environment and Resources, Dalian Minzu University, 18 Liaohe West Road, Dalian Jinpu New District, Dalian 116600, China
| | - Chang Yuan
- Southwest Guizhou Vocational and Technical College for Nationalities, Xingyi 562400, China
| | - Jian Dong
- College of Environment and Resources, Dalian Minzu University, 18 Liaohe West Road, Dalian Jinpu New District, Dalian 116600, China
| | - Fei Han
- College of Environment and Resources, Dalian Minzu University, 18 Liaohe West Road, Dalian Jinpu New District, Dalian 116600, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Mortezaei Y, Williams MR, Demirer GN. The fate of antibiotic resistance genes during anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge with ultrasonic pretreatment. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:5513-5525. [PMID: 38127236 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-31558-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated the effect of ultrasonic (US) pretreatment at three different contact times (30, 45, and 60 min) with a power of 240 W and frequency of 40 kHz on the fate of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), mobile genetic elements (MGEs), and enteric pathogens during anaerobic digestion (AD) of sludge. By using real time-qPCR, three MGEs (int1, int2, and tnpA) and seven ARGs (sul1, sul2, tetW, tetA, tetO, ermF, and aac(6')-lb) were quantified that have serious human health impacts and represent the most widely used antibiotics (tetracycline, sulfonamide, macrolide, and aminoglycoside). Results indicated that US pretreatment under different contact times improved the removal of ARGs and MGEs. Compared to 30 and 45 min of US pretreatment, 60 min of US pretreatment resulted in a higher reduction of ARGs with total ARG reduction of 41.70 ± 1.13%. Furthermore, the relative abundance of ARGs and MGEs after US pretreatment was reduced more effectively in anaerobic reactors than in a control AD without US pretreatment. The total ARGs and MGEs removal efficiency of control AD was 44.07 ± 0.72% and 63.69 ± 1.43%, and if US pretreatment at different times were applied, the total ARGs and MGEs removal efficiency of the whole pretreatment AD process improved to 59.71 ± 2.76-68.54 ± 1.58% and 69.82 ± 2.15-76.84 ± 0.22%. The highest removal of total ARGs (68.54 ± 1.58%) and MGEs (76.84 ± 0.22%) was achieved after AD with US pretreatment at 45 min. However, US pretreatment and AD with US pretreatment were not effective in inactivation of enteric pathogens (total coliforms and E. coli), suggesting that posttreatment is needed prior to land application of sludge to reduce the level of enteric pathogens. There was no detection of the studied ARGs and MGEs in the enteric pathogens after US pretreatment in subsequent AD. According to this study, long contact times of US pretreatment can mitigate ARGs and MGEs in AD processes, offering valuable insight into improving environmental safety and sustainable waste management. Additionally, the study highlights the need to investigate posttreatment techniques for reducing enteric pathogens in AD effluent, a crucial consideration for agricultural use and environmental protection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yasna Mortezaei
- Earth and Ecosystem Science, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI, USA
| | - Maggie R Williams
- School of Engineering and Technology, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI, USA
- Institute for Great Lakes Research, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI, USA
| | - Goksel N Demirer
- School of Engineering and Technology, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI, USA.
- Institute for Great Lakes Research, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Songsaeng W, Prapasarakul N, Wongsurawat T, Sirichokchatchawan W. The occurrence and genomic characteristics of the blaIMI-1 carbapenemase-producing Enterobacter cloacae complex retrieved from natural water sources in central Thailand. J Appl Microbiol 2023; 134:lxad229. [PMID: 37804178 DOI: 10.1093/jambio/lxad229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/09/2023]
Abstract
AIM Carbapenem resistance among Enterobacteriaceae is a serious threat to humans worldwide. This study aims to evaluate the phenotypic and genotypic characterization of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacter cloacae complex (ECC) retrieved from water sources in the central part of Thailand. METHODS AND RESULTS Samples were collected from water bodies surrounding farms and communities in central Thailand. The species were identified by using MALDI-TOF MS. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and antibiotic susceptibility were determined. The carbapenemase-producing genes were detected by PCR and whole genome sequencing (WGS). ECC with chromosome-encoded blaIMI-1 carbapenemase were detected. These isolates were resistant to last-resort antibiotics such as carbapenems and colistin as well as penicillin. In addition, all blaIMI-1 genes isolated from this study were found to be associated with chromosomally integrated Xer-dependent integrative mobile elements (IMEXs). CONCLUSION These findings highlight the diversity and dissemination of carbapenemases-producing Enterobacterales in environmental sources. With the increasing detection of carbapenemase genes worldwide, we should be aware of the blaIMI-producing E. cloacae complex with a high resistance profile and the ability to mobilize within the environment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wipawee Songsaeng
- College of Public Health Sciences (CPHS), Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Nuvee Prapasarakul
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
- Center of Excellence in Diagnosis and Monitoring of Animal Pathogens (DMAP), Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | | | - Wandee Sirichokchatchawan
- College of Public Health Sciences (CPHS), Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
- Center of Excellence in Diagnosis and Monitoring of Animal Pathogens (DMAP), Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| |
Collapse
|