Free ammonia pretreatment enhances the removal of antibiotic resistance genes in anaerobic sludge digestion.

Zhang, Z; Li, X; Liu, H; Gao, L; Wang, Q

Free ammonia pretreatment enhances the removal of antibiotic resistance genes in anaerobic sludge digestion.

Zhang, Z Li, X Liu, H Gao, L Wang, Q

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Publisher:: Elsevier
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Chemosphere, 2021, 279, pp. 1-8
Issue Date:: 2021-09

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Zhang, Z
dc.contributor.author	Li, X
dc.contributor.author	Liu, H
dc.contributor.author	Gao, L
dc.contributor.author	Wang, Q
dc.date.accessioned	2022-04-13T01:10:01Z
dc.date.available	2021-05-12
dc.date.available	2022-04-13T01:10:01Z
dc.date.issued	2021-09
dc.identifier.citation	Chemosphere, 2021, 279, pp. 1-8
dc.identifier.issn	0045-6535
dc.identifier.issn	1879-1298
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/156170
dc.description.abstract	Sludge has been recognized as a reservoir of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the wastewater treatment plants. Our previous study has demonstrated that free ammonia (FA, i.e., NH3-N) pretreatment is an effective method for enhancing anaerobic digestion of sludge. However, the effects of FA pretreatment on the removal of ARGs in the anaerobic sludge digestion is still unknown. In this study, several ARGs representing various antibiotic classes and integrase gene (intI1) which is crucial for horizontal transfer of ARGs were chosen. This study demonstrated that combined FA pretreatment (420 mg NH3-N/L for 24 h, under which the highest anaerobic sludge biodegradability was achieved in our previous study) and anaerobic digestion could enhance the removal of aac(6')-Ib-cr, blaTEM, sul2, tetA, tetB and tetX from sludge by 17-74% compared with anaerobic digestion without FA pretreatment, resulting in a lower ARGs abundance in the anaerobically digested sludge. This is caused by the removal of tested ARGs during FA pretreatment and the reduced abundance of potential microbial hosts of ARGs due to FA pretreatment during anaerobic digestion. The removal of IntI1 was not significantly affected by FA pretreatment and intI1 did not play a large role in the fate of the tested ARGs in this study. This study indicated that FA pretreatment for anaerobic digestion could potentially reduce the spread of ARGs from the sludge to the natural environment during sludge disposal or reuse.
dc.format	Print-Electronic
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	Elsevier
dc.relation	http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP200100933
dc.relation	http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/FT200100264
dc.relation.ispartof	Chemosphere
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.130910
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/embargoedAccess
dc.subject.classification	Environmental Sciences
dc.subject.classification	Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
dc.subject.mesh	Ammonia
dc.subject.mesh	Anaerobiosis
dc.subject.mesh	Anti-Bacterial Agents
dc.subject.mesh	Digestion
dc.subject.mesh	Drug Resistance, Microbial
dc.subject.mesh	Genes, Bacterial
dc.subject.mesh	Sewage
dc.subject.mesh	Waste Water
dc.subject.mesh	Ammonia
dc.subject.mesh	Anaerobiosis
dc.subject.mesh	Anti-Bacterial Agents
dc.subject.mesh	Digestion
dc.subject.mesh	Drug Resistance, Microbial
dc.subject.mesh	Genes, Bacterial
dc.subject.mesh	Sewage
dc.subject.mesh	Waste Water
dc.subject.mesh	Ammonia
dc.subject.mesh	Anti-Bacterial Agents
dc.subject.mesh	Sewage
dc.subject.mesh	Drug Resistance, Microbial
dc.subject.mesh	Anaerobiosis
dc.subject.mesh	Digestion
dc.subject.mesh	Genes, Bacterial
dc.subject.mesh	Waste Water
dc.title	Free ammonia pretreatment enhances the removal of antibiotic resistance genes in anaerobic sludge digestion.
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	279
utslib.location.activity	England
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology/School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CTWW - Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater Treatment
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
pubs.consider-herdc	false
utslib.copyright.embargo	2023-09-01T00:00:00+1000Z
dc.date.updated	2022-04-13T01:09:52Z
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	279

Abstract:

Sludge has been recognized as a reservoir of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the wastewater treatment plants. Our previous study has demonstrated that free ammonia (FA, i.e., NH3-N) pretreatment is an effective method for enhancing anaerobic digestion of sludge. However, the effects of FA pretreatment on the removal of ARGs in the anaerobic sludge digestion is still unknown. In this study, several ARGs representing various antibiotic classes and integrase gene (intI1) which is crucial for horizontal transfer of ARGs were chosen. This study demonstrated that combined FA pretreatment (420 mg NH3-N/L for 24 h, under which the highest anaerobic sludge biodegradability was achieved in our previous study) and anaerobic digestion could enhance the removal of aac(6')-Ib-cr, blaTEM, sul2, tetA, tetB and tetX from sludge by 17-74% compared with anaerobic digestion without FA pretreatment, resulting in a lower ARGs abundance in the anaerobically digested sludge. This is caused by the removal of tested ARGs during FA pretreatment and the reduced abundance of potential microbial hosts of ARGs due to FA pretreatment during anaerobic digestion. The removal of IntI1 was not significantly affected by FA pretreatment and intI1 did not play a large role in the fate of the tested ARGs in this study. This study indicated that FA pretreatment for anaerobic digestion could potentially reduce the spread of ARGs from the sludge to the natural environment during sludge disposal or reuse.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/156170