Antibiotic resistance genes in treated wastewater and in the receiving water bodies: A pan-European survey of urban settings (original) (raw)
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Antibiotic resistance is a growing problem worldwide. The emergence and rapid spread of antibiotic resistance determinants have led to an increasing concern about the potential environmental and public health endangering. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) play an important role in this phenomenon since antibacterial drugs introduced into wastewater can exert a selection pressure on antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Therefore, WWTPs are perceived as the main sources of antibiotics, ARB and ARG spread in various environmental components. Furthermore, technological processes used in WWTPs and its exploitation conditions may influence the effectiveness of antibiotic resistance determinants’ elimination. The main aim of the present study was to compare the occurrence of selected tetracycline and sulfonamide resistance genes in raw influent and final effluent samples from two WWTPs different in terms of size and applied biological wastewater tre...
Water
Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) represent all known types of antibiotic resistance mechanisms and are considered as the critical points for the spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). The purpose of this study is to investigate the removal of a Class 1 integrase gene (intI1) and a selected set of ARGs (blaTEM, ermF, mecA, and tetA) at two conventional WWTPs by using chlorination in Louisiana, USA. We collected 69 wastewater samples (23 each from influent, secondary effluent, and final effluent) and determined the concentrations of ARGs by using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. All tested ARGs, except for mecA, were detected in 83–96% and 30–65% of influent and final effluent samples, respectively. Although the ARGs underwent approximately 3-log10 reduction, two WWTPs on an average still released 3.3 ± 1.7 log10 copies/mL of total ARGs studied in the effluents. Chlorination was found to be critical in the significant reduction of total ARGs (p < 0.05). Correlation...
DESALINATION AND WATER TREATMENT
The discharge of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is the main route for the transmission of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the aquatic environments. In this work, the diversity of ermF, ermB, sul1 and int1 genes were investigated at the various stages of the biological treatment process in a full-scale municipal sewage plant, that is, in the influent, the mixed liquor and the treated effluent of the WWTP examined. Application of culture-independent molecular techniques resulted in the detection of similar genotype patterns throughout the entire treatment process. In addition, evidence that distinct int1 genotypes are responsible for the expression of sul1 and ermF genes in members of Gammaproteobacteria and Bacteroidetes respectively indicates possible microbe specificity at phylum level. The identification of similar ARGs patterns throughout the biological treatment process also denotes the necessity for the implementation of effective tertiary treatment methods other than chlorination and ultraviolet disinfection to diminish their dissemination threat.
Water
Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have been identified as potential sources of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) but the effects of tertiary wastewater treatment processes on ARGs have not been well characterized. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the fate of ARGs throughout a tertiary-stage WWTP. Two ARGs, sul1 and bla, were quantified via quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) in solids and dissolved fractions of raw sewage, activated sludge, secondary effluent and tertiary effluent from a full-scale WWTP. Tertiary media filtration and chlorine disinfection were studied further with the use of a pilot-scale media filter. Results showed that both genes were reduced at each successive stage of treatment in the dissolved fraction. The solids-associated ARGs increased during activated sludge stage and were reduced in each subsequent stage. Overall reductions were approximately four log 10 with the tertiary media filtration and disinfection providing the largest decrease. The majority of ARGs were solids-associated except for in the tertiary effluent. There was no evidence for positive selection of ARGs during treatment. The removal of ARGs by chlorine was improved by filtration compared to unfiltered, chlorinated secondary effluent. This study demonstrates that tertiary-stage WWTPs with disinfection can provide superior removal of ARGs compared to secondary treatment alone.
Catchment scale analysis of occurrence of antibiotic resistance genes in treated wastewater
Ecohydrology & Hydrobiology, 2019
Export of pollution to rivers and coastal zones driven by human-related activities is a major problem in river catchments and coastal marine ecosystems (Kiedrzyń ska et al., 2014a,b, 2015). To achieve the good ecological status of freshwater ecosystems (Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC) reduce outflow of pollution from anthropogenic sources located in particular river catchments is necessary (Kiedrzyń ska et al., 2014a,b). Antibiotics are widely used in the treatment of bacterial infections in both human and veterinary medicine. Most antibiotics are excreted with feces into the environment in Ecohydrology & Hydrobiology xxx (2019) xxx-xxx
Proceedings
Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) highly contribute to the transmission of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the environment. In this work, the diversity of ermF, ermB, sul1 and int1-enconding genes was examined in the influent, the mixed liquor and the effluent of a full-scale WWTP. Based on the clones analyzed, similar genotypes were recorded at all process stages. However, distinct genotypes of int1 were responsible for the expression of sul1 and ermF genes in Gammaproteobacteria and Bacteroidetes, respectively. Due to the detection of similar ARGs profiles throughout the biological process, it is concluded that additional treatment is needed for their retention.
Science Advances
Integrated antibiotic resistance (AR) surveillance is one of the objectives of the World Health Organization global action plan on antimicrobial resistance. Urban wastewater treatment plants (UWTPs) are among the most important receptors and sources of environmental AR. On the basis of the consistent observation of an increasing north-to-south clinical AR prevalence in Europe, this study compared the influent and final effluent of 12 UWTPs located in seven countries (Portugal, Spain, Ireland, Cyprus, Germany, Finland, and Norway). Using highly parallel quantitative polymerase chain reaction, we analyzed 229 resistance genes and 25 mobile genetic elements. This first trans-Europe surveillance showed that UWTP AR profiles mirror the AR gradient observed in clinics. Antibiotic use, environmental temperature, and UWTP size were important factors related with resistance persistence and spread in the environment. These results highlight the need to implement regular surveillance and contr...
Water
Antibiotic resistance has become a global threat in which the anthropogenically influenced aquatic environment represents not only a reservoir for the spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) among humans and animals but also an environment where resistance genes are introduced into natural microbial ecosystems. Wastewater is one of the sources of antibiotic resistance. The aim of this research was the evaluation of wastewater impact on the spread of antibiotic resistance in the water environment. In this study, qPCR was used to detect antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs)—blaCTX-M-15, blaCTX-M-32, ampC, blaTEM, sul1, tetM and mcr-1 and an integron detection primer (intl1). Detection of antibiotic resistant Escherichia coli was used as a complement to the observed qPCR results. Our results show that the process of wastewater treatment significantly reduces the abundances of ARGs and ARB. Nevertheless, treated wastewater affects the ARGs and ARB number in the receiving river.
2020
This study aimed to explore the difference between hospital and municipal wastewater treatment processes regarding the reduction of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistant genes (ARGs). Samples were collected from raw and final effluent of four different wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). ARB were evaluated by modified HPC method. Extraction and purification of DNA from the samples were conducted by Freeze-Thaw and DNA extraction kit. Real-time PCR (qPCR) was utilized to obtain the quantity of Sul1 and ErmB genes in the samples. For standard control in qPCR, was used plasmid containing each gene sequence. The average ARB concentration in the raw wastewater and effluent was 1.03×10-6.63×10 CFU/100mL. Quantitative range of the Sul1 and ErmB genes were obtained as 0-8.3×10 Copies/100 mL and 9.29×109.64×10 Copies/100 mL, respectively. The results show that urban wastewaters play a more significant role than hospital wastewaters in the emission of sulfonamides and ...