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Drane K, Sheehan M, Whelan A, Ariel E, Kinobe R. The Role of Wastewater Treatment Plants in Dissemination of Antibiotic Resistance: Source, Measurement, Removal and Risk Assessment. Antibiotics (Basel) 2024; 13:668. [PMID: 39061350 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics13070668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2024] [Revised: 07/05/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic Resistance Genes (ARGs) are contaminants of emerging concern with marked potential to impact public and environmental health. This review focusses on factors that influence the presence, abundance, and dissemination of ARGs within Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) and associated effluents. Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria (ARB) and ARGs have been detected in the influent and the effluent of WWTPs worldwide. Different levels of wastewater treatment (primary, secondary, and tertiary) show different degrees of removal efficiency of ARGs, with further differences being observed when ARGs are captured as intracellular or extracellular forms. Furthermore, routinely used molecular methodologies such as quantitative polymerase chain reaction or whole genome sequencing may also vary in resistome identification and in quantifying ARG removal efficiencies from WWTP effluents. Additionally, we provide an overview of the One Health risk assessment framework, as well as future strategies on how WWTPs can be assessed for environmental and public health impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kezia Drane
- College of Public Health Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia
| | - Madoc Sheehan
- College of Science, Technology, and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia
| | - Anna Whelan
- Townsville Water and Waste, Wastewater Operations, Townsville, QLD 4810, Australia
| | - Ellen Ariel
- College of Public Health Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia
| | - Robert Kinobe
- College of Public Health Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia
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Wang B, Xu Z, Dong B. Occurrence, fate, and ecological risk of antibiotics in wastewater treatment plants in China: A review. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 469:133925. [PMID: 38432096 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133925] [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: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
This review offers a comprehensive overview of the occurrence, fate, and ecological risk associated with six major categories of antibiotics found in influent, effluent, and sludge from urban wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in China. Further exploration includes examining the correlation between antibiotic residual rates in the effluents and process parameters of urban WWTPs across the country. Lastly, a nationwide and urban cluster-specific evaluation of the ecological risk posed by antibiotics in WWTPs is conducted. The findings reveal that the average concentrations of antibiotics in influent, effluent, and sludge from urban WWTPs in China are 786.2 ng/L, 311.2 ng/L, and 186.8 μg/kg, respectively. Among the detected antibiotics, 42% exhibit moderate to high ecological risk in the effluent, with ciprofloxacin, sulfamethoxazole, erythromycin, azithromycin, and tetracycline posing moderate to high ecological risks in sludge. The current biological treatment processes in WWTPs demonstrate inefficacy in removing antibiotics. Hence, there is a pressing need to develop and integrate innovative technologies, such as advanced oxidation processes. This review aims to offer a more comprehensive understanding and identify priority antibiotics for control to effectively manage antibiotic pollution within WWTPs at both national and regional levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingqing Wang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Zuxin Xu
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China.
| | - Bin Dong
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
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Zhang Y, Hu Y, Li X, Gao L, Wang S, Jia S, Shi P, Li A. Prevalence of antibiotics, antibiotic resistance genes, and their associations in municipal wastewater treatment plants along the Yangtze River basin, China. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 348:123800. [PMID: 38518970 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123800] [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: 11/26/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/24/2024]
Abstract
The overuse and misuse of antibiotics have resulted in the pollution of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), posing threats to ecological security and human health. Thus, a comprehensive investigation was conducted to assess the occurrence, removal efficiency, and ecological risk of antibiotics, along with the diversity, abundance, and co-occurrence of ARGs, and their correlations in 13 WWTPs along the Yangtze River Basin. Among 35 target antibiotics, 23 antibiotics within 6 categories were detected in all the samples. Amoxicillin (AMO), ofloxacin (OFL), and pefloxacin (PEF) were predominant in influents, while AMO exhibited dominance with the highest concentration of 1409 ng/L in effluents. Although antibiotic removal performance varied among different WWTPs, a significant decrease in each antibiotic category and overall antibiotics was observed in effluents compared with that in influents (p < 0.05). Remarkably, ecological risk assessment revealed high risks associated with AMO and ciprofloxacin (CIP) and medium risks linked to several antibiotics, notably including OFL, roxithromycin (ROX), clarithromycin (CLA), and tetracycline (TC). Furthermore, 96 ARG subtypes within 12 resistance types were detected in this study, and the total absolute abundance and diversity of ARGs were significantly decreased from influents to effluents (p < 0.05). Enrichment of 38 ARGs (e.g., blaNDM, ermA, vatA, mexA, and dfrA25) in effluents indicated potential health risks. Various mobile genetic elements (MGEs), exhibited significant correlations with a majority of ARGs in both influents and effluents, such as intⅠ1, tnpA1, tnpA5, and tp614, underscoring the important role of MGEs in contributing to the ARG dissemination. Many antibiotics displayed lower correlations with corresponding ARGs, but exhibited higher correlations with other ARGs, suggesting complex selective pressures influencing ARG propagation. Overall, the incomplete elimination of antibiotics and ARGs in WWTPs is likely to pose adverse impacts on aquatic ecosystems in the Yangtze River Basin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangyang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Yifan Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Xiuwen Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Linjun Gao
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Shuya Wang
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Shuyu Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China; College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
| | - Peng Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Aimin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
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Raza S, Kang KH, Shin J, Shin SG, Chun J, Cho HU, Shin J, Kim YM. Variations in antibiotic resistance genes and microbial community in sludges passing through biological nutrient removal and anaerobic digestion processes in municipal wastewater treatment plants. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 313:137362. [PMID: 36427585 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.137362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) represents a relentless, silent pandemic. Contributing to this are wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), a potential source of antibiotic resistance genes' (ARGs) transmission to the environment, threatening public health. The presence of ARGs in pathogenic bacteria and their release into the environment by WWTPs threatens the public health. The current study investigated changes in ARGs' abundance in biological nutrient removal (BNR) processes and anaerobic digestion (AD) reactors of two WWTPs. Also, microbial community structure, which is known to shape the distribution and abundance of ARGs, was also analyzed. The relative abundance of eight ARGs (tetX, tetA, tetM, TEM, sul1, sul2, ermB and qnrD) was quantified as ARGs' copies/16 S rRNA gene copies using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Microbial community composition was assessed by 16 S rRNA microbiome sequencing analysis. TetX was prevalent among the eight ARGs, followed by TEM and sul1. However, its abundance was decreased in the AD sludges compared to BNR sludges. Proteobacteria was the major bacterial phylum found in all the sludge samples, while Arcobacter, 12up and Acidovorax were the predominant genera. Acinetobacter and Flavobacterium were significantly more abundant in the BNR sludges, while 12up and Aeromonas were predominant in AD sludges. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed a clear difference in dominant ARGs and bacteria between the sludges in the processes of BNR and AD of the two WWTPs. Clinically relevant bacterial genera, Klebsiella and Enterococcus, found in both the BNR and AD sludges, were significantly correlated with the tetX gene. Throughout this study, the relationship between microbial communities and specific ARGs was revealed, illustrating that the composition of the microbial community could play a vital role in the abundance of ARGs. These results will better inform future studies aimed at controlling the spread of ARGs and their potential hosts from WWTPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahbaz Raza
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Hanyang University, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyeong Hwan Kang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Hanyang University, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Juhee Shin
- Department of Energy Engineering, Future Convergence Technology Research Institute, Gyeongsang National UniversityJinju, Gyeongnam, 52828, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Gu Shin
- Department of Energy Engineering, Future Convergence Technology Research Institute, Gyeongsang National UniversityJinju, Gyeongnam, 52828, Republic of Korea; Department of Energy System Engineering, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Gyeongnam, 52828, Republic of Korea
| | - Jihyun Chun
- Department of Marine Environmental Engineering, Gyeongsang National University, Tongyeong, Gyeongnam, 53064, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Uk Cho
- Department of Marine Environmental Engineering, Gyeongsang National University, Tongyeong, Gyeongnam, 53064, Republic of Korea
| | - Jingyeong Shin
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Hanyang University, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea; Bio Resource Center, Institute for Advanced Engineering, Yongin, Gyeonggi-do, 17180, Republic of Korea.
| | - Young Mo Kim
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Hanyang University, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea.
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Major N, Jechalke S, Nesme J, Goreta Ban S, Černe M, Sørensen SJ, Ban D, Grosch R, Schikora A, Schierstaedt J. Influence of sewage sludge stabilization method on microbial community and the abundance of antibiotic resistance genes. WASTE MANAGEMENT (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2022; 154:126-135. [PMID: 36242814 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2022.09.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Municipal sewage sludge (MSS) and other biosolids are of high interest for agriculture. These nutrient-rich organic materials can potentially serve as organic fertilizers. Besides an increase of organic matter in soil, other positive effects were shown after their application. Especially the positive influence on circular economy increased the attention paid to management of MSS in recent years. Unfortunately, the use of sewage sludge has some drawbacks. Biosolids are frequently polluted with heavy metals, xenobiotic organic compounds and industrial chemicals, which may be hazardous for the environment and humans. Here, we investigated the influence of stabilization method and the size of wastewater treatment plant on the structure of microbial communities as well as the abundance of antibiotic resistance genes (ARG) and mobile genetic elements (MGE). All tested ARG and MGE were detectable in almost all of the samples. Interestingly, the presence of MGE as well as particular heavy metals correlated positively with the presence of several ARG. We conclude that the distribution of ARG and MGE in biosolids originated from municipal wastewater treatment plants, cannot be explained by the size of the facility or the applied stabilization method. Moreover, we postulate that the presence of pollutants and long-term impacts should be assessed prior to a possible use of sewage sludge as fertilizer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikola Major
- Institute of Agriculture and Tourism, Karla Huguesa 8, 52440 Poreč, Croatia
| | - Sven Jechalke
- Institute for Phytopathology, Centre for BioSystems, Land Use and Nutrition, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Joseph Nesme
- Section of Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Marko Černe
- Institute of Agriculture and Tourism, Karla Huguesa 8, 52440 Poreč, Croatia
| | - Søren J Sørensen
- Section of Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Dean Ban
- Institute of Agriculture and Tourism, Karla Huguesa 8, 52440 Poreč, Croatia
| | - Rita Grosch
- Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops, Department Plant-Microbe Systems, Theodor-Echtermeyer-Weg 1, 14979 Großbeeren, Germany
| | - Adam Schikora
- Julius Kühn-Institut, Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Epidemiology and Pathogen Diagnostics, Messeweg 11/12, 38104 Braunschweig, Germany.
| | - Jasper Schierstaedt
- Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops, Department Plant-Microbe Systems, Theodor-Echtermeyer-Weg 1, 14979 Großbeeren, Germany
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Wolters B, Hauschild K, Blau K, Mulder I, Heyde BJ, Sørensen SJ, Siemens J, Jechalke S, Smalla K, Nesme J. Biosolids for safe land application: does wastewater treatment plant size matters when considering antibiotics, pollutants, microbiome, mobile genetic elements and associated resistance genes? Environ Microbiol 2022; 24:1573-1589. [PMID: 35192222 PMCID: PMC9306954 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Revised: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Soil fertilization with wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) biosolids is associated with the introduction of resistance genes (RGs), mobile genetic elements (MGEs) and potentially selective pollutants (antibiotics, heavy metals, disinfectants) into soil. Not much data are available on the parallel analysis of biosolid pollutant contents, RG/MGE abundances and microbial community composition. In the present study, DNA extracted from biosolids taken at 12 WWTPs (two large-scale, six middle-scale and four small-scale plants) was used to determine the abundance of RGs and MGEs via quantitative real-time PCR and the bacterial and archaeal community composition was assessed by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Concentrations of heavy metals, antibiotics, the biocides triclosan, triclocarban and quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) were measured. Strong and significant correlations were revealed between several target genes and concentrations of Cu, Zn, triclosan, several antibiotics and QACs. Interestingly, the size of the sewage treatment plant (inhabitant equivalents) was negatively correlated with antibiotic concentrations, RGs and MGEs abundances and had little influence on the load of metals and QACs or the microbial community composition. Biosolids from WWTPs with anaerobic treatment and hospitals in their catchment area were associated with a higher abundance of potential opportunistic pathogens and higher concentrations of QACs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Birgit Wolters
- Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI), Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Epidemiology and Pathogen Diagnostics, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Kristin Hauschild
- Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI), Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Epidemiology and Pathogen Diagnostics, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Khald Blau
- Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI), Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Epidemiology and Pathogen Diagnostics, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Ines Mulder
- Justus Liebig University Giessen, Institute of Soil Science and Soil Conservation, iFZ Research Centre for Biosystems, Land Use and Nutrition, Giessen, Germany
| | - Benjamin Justus Heyde
- Justus Liebig University Giessen, Institute of Soil Science and Soil Conservation, iFZ Research Centre for Biosystems, Land Use and Nutrition, Giessen, Germany
| | - Søren J Sørensen
- Section of Microbiology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jan Siemens
- Justus Liebig University Giessen, Institute of Soil Science and Soil Conservation, iFZ Research Centre for Biosystems, Land Use and Nutrition, Giessen, Germany
| | - Sven Jechalke
- Justus Liebig University Giessen, Institute of Phytopathology, iFZ Research Centre for Biosystems, Land Use and Nutrition, Giessen, Germany
| | - Kornelia Smalla
- Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI), Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Epidemiology and Pathogen Diagnostics, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Joseph Nesme
- Section of Microbiology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Facile Synthesis of MOFs-Templated Carbon Aerogels with Enhanced Tetracycline Adsorption Performance. WATER 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/w14030504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Three-dimensional aerogels have great potential for antibiotic removal from aqueous solution due to their excellent solution mass transfer channels and special morphology. Herein, the metal ions were bound with alginate to form alginate-Fe, alginate-Cu, and alginate-Fe-Cu hydrogels, then they were used as nucleation sites for metal organic framework (MOF) growth to obtain MAlgs gels, respectively. Considering the aqueous environmental stability of MOFs particles, the alginate and MOF particles in MAlgs aerogels were pyrolyzed as templates to obtain the derived carbon aerogel CMAlgs. The results showed that the adsorption capacity of MAlgs-Fe-Cu aerogel was higher than that of MAlg-Cu and MAlg-Fe aerogels, up to ~130 mg·g−1. The adsorption performance of carbon aerogel CMAlg-Cu decreased obviously because of the decrease of pore size and oxygen-containing functional groups. The adsorption process is a combination of physical adsorption and chemical adsorption. In addition, CMAlgs aerogels exhibit better recyclability than MAlgs aerogels. This work provides a new strategy for fabricating MOFs-templated in-situ grown carbon aerogels for water purification.
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Resistant Genes and Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria in Wastewater: A Study of Their Transfer to the Water Reservoir in the Czech Republic. Life (Basel) 2022; 12:life12020147. [PMID: 35207435 PMCID: PMC8875776 DOI: 10.3390/life12020147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2021] [Revised: 01/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Wastewater is considered the most serious source of the spread of antibiotic resistance in the environment. This work, therefore, focuses on the fate and spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in wastewater and the monitoring of multidrug-resistant strains. ARGs were monitored in the nitrification and sedimentation tanks of the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) and in the dam into which this WWTP flows, at various times. The highest relative abundance was found for the blaTEM > tetW > blaNDM-1 > vanA resistance genes, respectively. An increased concentration of tetracycline (up to 96.00 ng/L) and ampicillin (up to 19.00 ng/L) was found in water samples compared to other antibiotics detected. The increased incidence of seven ARGs and four antibiotics was observed in the November and December sampling times. Isolated ampicillin-resistant strains showed a high degree of resistance to ampicillin (61.2% of the total isolates had a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ≥ 20 mg/mL). In 87.8% of isolates, out of the total number, the occurrence of two or more ARGs was confirmed. These multidrug-resistant strains were most often identified as Aeromonas sp. This strain could represent a significant role in the spread of multidrug resistance through wastewater in the environment.
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Shin J, Choi S, Park CM, Wang J, Kim YM. Reduction of antibiotic resistome in influent of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) via a chemically enhanced primary treatment (CEPT) process. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 286:131569. [PMID: 34284223 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.131569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Chemically enhanced primary treatment (CEPT) has been considered for maximizing wastewater energy recovery by enhancing the carbon captured through the primary treatment. However, evaluating the potential of CEPT as a primary treatment process for removing antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the influent from a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) has seldom been investigated. In this study, CEPT was conducted to assess simultaneous reduction of 13 major targeted ARGs and common pollutants in wastewater compared with primary sedimentation alone (non-CEPT). CEPT processes using three types of coagulants (PACl, FeCl3 and alum) effectively reduced absolute abundance of ARGs and intI1 in the influent from municipal WWTP. Average log-removal of absolute abundance of ARGs was achieved up to 1.77 ± 0.41 along with 90% turbidity reduction compared to non-CEPT. Through the simultaneous reduction of ARGs and intI1 genes during a CEPT process, ARGs proliferation may be limited directly through reduction of antibiotic resistant bacteria or indirectly through decreasing the possibility of horizontal gene transfer by intI1 removal. Reduction of ARGs and intI1 was improved by increasing coagulants' doses: abundances of residual ARGs under optimal dose conditions were similar, regardless of the different characteristics of coagulant types. The strongly positive correlation between reduction of turbidity/total phosphorus (T-P) and ARGs was explored, identifying that turbidity or T-P might be suitable indicators linked with variations in the abundance of ARGs during CEPT. As a result, CEPT may prove promising in efforts to control ARGs flowing into a WWTP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyeong Shin
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Hanyang University, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Sangki Choi
- School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Buk-gu, Gwangju, 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang Min Park
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Kyungpook National University, 80 Daehak-ro, Buk-gu, Daegu, 41566, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinhua Wang
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Environment in Universities of Shandong, College of Resources and Environment, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, 271018, China.
| | - Young Mo Kim
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Hanyang University, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea.
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Im JK, Kim SH, Kim YS, Yu SJ. Spatio-Temporal Distribution and Influencing Factors of Human and Veterinary Pharmaceuticals in the Tributary Surface Waters of the Han River Watershed, South Korea. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18157969. [PMID: 34360259 PMCID: PMC8345536 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18157969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2021] [Revised: 07/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Human and veterinary pharmaceuticals are being increasingly used for disease treatment; hence, their distribution and factors influencing them in the aquatic environment need to be investigated. This study observed the effect of human and animal populations, usage, purchasing criteria (prescription vs. non-prescription), and land use to identify the spatio-temporal distribution of eight pharmaceuticals at twenty-four sites of the tributaries of the Han River watershed. In rural areas, the mean concentration (detection frequency) of non-prescription pharmaceuticals (NPPs) was higher (lower) compared to that of prescription pharmaceuticals (PPs); in urban areas, a reverse trend was observed. Pharmaceutical concentrations in urban and rural areas were mainly affected by wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and non-point sources, respectively; concentrations were higher downstream (4.9 times) than upstream of the WWTPs. The concentration distribution (according to the target) was as follows: human–veterinary > human > veterinary. Correlation between total concentration and total usage of the pharmaceuticals was high, except for NPPs. Most livestock and land use (except cropland) were significantly positively correlated with pharmaceutical concentrations. Concentrations were mainly higher (1.5 times) during cold seasons than during warm seasons. The results of this study can assist policymakers in managing pharmaceutical pollutants while prioritizing emerging pollutants.
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Ondon BS, Li S, Zhou Q, Li F. Sources of Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria (ARB) and Antibiotic Resistance Genes (ARGs) in the Soil: A Review of the Spreading Mechanism and Human Health Risks. REVIEWS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2021; 256:121-153. [PMID: 33948742 DOI: 10.1007/398_2020_60] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Soil is an essential part of our ecosystem and plays a crucial role as a nutrient source, provides habitat for plants and other organisms. Overuse of antibiotics has accelerated the development and dissemination of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). ARB and ARGs are recognized as emerging environmental contaminants causing soil pollution and serious risks to public health. ARB and ARGs are discharged into soils through several pathways. Application of manure in agriculture is one of the primary sources of ARB and ARGs dissemination in the soil. Different sources of contamination by ARB and ARGs were reviewed and analyzed as well as dissemination mechanisms in the soil. The effects of ARB and ARGs on soil bacterial community were evaluated. Furthermore, the impact of different sources of manure on soil microbial diversity as well as the effect of antibiotics on the development of ARB and ARGs in soils was analyzed. Human health risk assessments associated with the spreading of ARB and ARGs in soils were investigated. Finally, recommendations and mitigation strategies were proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brim Stevy Ondon
- Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria at Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin, People's Republic of China
| | - Shengnan Li
- Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria at Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin, People's Republic of China
| | - Qixing Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria at Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin, People's Republic of China
| | - Fengxiang Li
- Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria at Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin, People's Republic of China.
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Carneiro RB, Mukaeda CM, Sabatini CA, Santos-Neto ÁJ, Zaiat M. Influence of organic loading rate on ciprofloxacin and sulfamethoxazole biodegradation in anaerobic fixed bed biofilm reactors. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2020; 273:111170. [PMID: 32763746 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.111170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Revised: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Antibiotic compounds, notably sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and ciprofloxacin (CIP), are ubiquitous emerging contaminants (ECs), which are often found in domestic sewage. They are associated with the development of antimicrobial resistance. Operational parameters, e.g. organic loading rate (OLR), hydraulic retention time (HRT) and sludge retention time, may influence EC biodegradation in wastewater treatment plants. This study assessed the impact of the OLR variation on the biodegradation of CIP and SMX, applying two configurations of anaerobic fixed bed reactors: anaerobic packed bed biofilm reactor (APBBR) and anaerobic structured bed biofilm reactor (ASBBR). A significant reduction in the biodegradation of SMX (APBBR: 93-69%; ASBBR: 94-81%) and CIP (APBBR: 85-66%; ASBBR: 85-64%) was observed increasing OLR from 0.6 to 2.0 kgCOD m-3 d-1. The decrease in the HRT from 12 to 4 h resulted in higher liquid-phase mass transfer coefficient (APBBR: ks from 0.01 to 0.05 cm h-1; ASBBR: ks from 0.07 to 0.24 cm h-1), but this was not enough to overcome the decrease in the antibiotic-biomass contact time on biofilm, thus reducing the bioreactors' performance. The ASBBR favored biomethane production (from 7 to 17 mLCH4 g-1VSS L-1 d-1) and biodegradation kinetics (kbio from 1.7 to 4.2 and for SMX and from 2.1 to 4.8 L g-1VSS d-1 for CIP) due to the higher relative abundance of the archaea community in the biofilm and the lower liquid-phase mass transfer resistance in the structured bed. CIP and SMX cometabolic biodegradation was associated to the hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis (mainly Methanobacterium genus) in co-culture with fermentative bacteria (notably the genera Clostridium, Bacillus, Lactivibrio, Syntrophobacter and Syntrophorhabdus). The anaerobic fixed bed biofilm reactors proved to be highly efficient in biodegrading the antibiotics, preventing them from spreading to the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo B Carneiro
- Laboratory of Biological Processes (LPB), São Carlos School of Engineering, University of São Paulo (USP), 1100, João Dagnone Ave., Santa Angelina, 13563-120, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Caio M Mukaeda
- Laboratory of Biological Processes (LPB), São Carlos School of Engineering, University of São Paulo (USP), 1100, João Dagnone Ave., Santa Angelina, 13563-120, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Carolina A Sabatini
- Laboratory of Biological Processes (LPB), São Carlos School of Engineering, University of São Paulo (USP), 1100, João Dagnone Ave., Santa Angelina, 13563-120, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Álvaro J Santos-Neto
- Laboratory of Chromatography (CROMA), Institute of Chemistry of São Carlos, University of São Paulo (USP), 400, Trabalhador São-Carlense Ave., São Carlos, São Paulo, 13566-590, Brazil.
| | - Marcelo Zaiat
- Laboratory of Biological Processes (LPB), São Carlos School of Engineering, University of São Paulo (USP), 1100, João Dagnone Ave., Santa Angelina, 13563-120, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil.
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Tetracycline Induces the Formation of Biofilm of Bacteria from Different Phases of Wastewater Treatment. Processes (Basel) 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/pr8080989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The study monitored the effect of tetracycline on bacterial biofilm formation and compared biofilm formation by resistant bacterial strains in different phases of the wastewater treatment process in wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). The crystal violet staining method was used to evaluate the biofilm formation. Biofilm-related bacterial properties were characterized by hydrophobicity, autoaggregation and motility tests. The relative abundance of tetracycline resistance genes (tetW, tetM, tetO, tetA and tetB) in wastewaters were subsequently quantified using qPCR. The results show that the isolates from the nitrification tank produce biofilm with up to 10 times greater intensity relative to the isolates from the sedimentation tank. In isolates of Aeromonas sp. from the nitrification tank, increased biofilm production in the occurrence of tetracycline from a concentration of 0.03125 µg/mL was observed. The tetW gene showed the highest relative abundance out of all the tested genes. From the sampling points, its abundance was the highest in the sedimentation tank of the WWTP. Based on these results, it can be assumed that resistant bacteria are able to form a biofilm and sub-inhibitory tetracycline concentrations induce biofilm formation. WWTPs thus represent a reservoir of antibiotic resistance genes and contribute to the spread of resistance in the natural environment.
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14
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Marti E, Osorio V, Llorca M, Paredes L, Gros M. Environmental risks of sewage sludge reuse in agriculture. WASTEWATER TREATMENT AND REUSE – LESSONS LEARNED IN TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS AND MANAGEMENT ISSUES 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.apmp.2020.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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