The Fate and Occurrence of Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria and Antibiotic Resistance Genes during Advanced Wastewater Treatment and Disinfection: A Review

Maria Kalli; Constantinos Noutsopoulos; Daniel Mamais

doi:10.3390/w15112084

journal article Open Access May 31, 2023

The Fate and Occurrence of Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria and Antibiotic Resistance Genes during Advanced Wastewater Treatment and Disinfection: A Review

Maria Kalli Constantinos Noutsopoulos

Daniel Mamais

Water Vol. 15 No. 11 pp. 2084 · MDPI AG

View at Publisher Save 10.3390/w15112084

Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a serious problem for modern society, not only associated with clinical environments, but also the natural environment. Conventional wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are important nodes for the dissemination of antibiotic resistance to the aquatic environment since they are reservoirs of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB), antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), and antibiotic residues. WWTPs are not designed to remove these antibiotic resistance determinants from wastewater, and as a result, they are present in treated effluent, leading to environmental and public health concerns regarding wastewater disposal and reuse. Additional treatments combined with conventional WWTPs can be barriers to the spread of AMR to the environment. In order to understand the effect of wastewater treatment methods on the removal of ARB and ARGs, an extensive bibliographic study was conducted. This review summarizes the efficiency of conventional disinfection methods, tertiary wastewater treatment, and advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) to remove ARB and ARGs from wastewater. In the context of the revised Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive 91/271/EEC, further studies are needed on the removal potential of AOPs on a full-scale, as they offer great potential for the removal of ARB and ARGs with a low formation of toxic by-products compared to conventional disinfection methods.

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Citations

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References

Details

Published: May 31, 2023
Vol/Issue: 15(11)
Pages: 2084
License: View

Authors

M

Maria Kalli

Sanitary Engineering Laboratory, Department of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering, School of Civil Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Iroon Polytechniou 9, Zografou, 15780 Athens, Greece

C

Constantinos Noutsopoulos

Sanitary Engineering Laboratory, Department of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering, School of Civil Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Iroon Polytechniou 9, Zografou, 15780 Athens, Greece

D

Daniel Mamais

Sanitary Engineering Laboratory, Department of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering, School of Civil Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Iroon Polytechniou 9, Zografou, 15780 Athens, Greece

Funding

European Union’s Horizon2020 Research and Innovation Programme Award: 776643

Research Committee of National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) Award: 776643

Cite This Article

Maria Kalli, Constantinos Noutsopoulos, Daniel Mamais (2023). The Fate and Occurrence of Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria and Antibiotic Resistance Genes during Advanced Wastewater Treatment and Disinfection: A Review. Water, 15(11), 2084. https://doi.org/10.3390/w15112084

The Fate and Occurrence of Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria and Antibiotic Resistance Genes during Advanced Wastewater Treatment and Disinfection: A Review

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