Characterization of antibiotic resistance genes and bacterial community in selected municipal and industrial sewage treatment plants beside Poyang Lake. (1st May 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ding, Huijun; Qiao, Min; Zhong, Jiayou; Zhu, Yongguan; Guo, Chunjing; Zhang, Qianqian; Yang, Ping; Han, Liu; Zhang, Weihao; Wu, Yixiao; Liu, Jutao; Zhang, Lanting; Sun, Junhong
• Is Part Of: Water research. Volume 174(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-05-01
• Subjects: Antibiotic resistance genes -- Mobile genetic elements -- Sewage treatment plants -- Industrial sewage -- Municipal sewage -- Bacterial community; Water -- Pollution -- Research -- Periodicals; 363.7394
• DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2020.115603
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0043-1354

Abstract

Abstract: Sewage treatment plants (STPs) are significant reservoirs of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB). Municipal STPs (MSTPs) and industrial STPs (ISTPs) are the two most important STP types in cities. In this study, the ARGs, mobile genetic elements (MGEs), and bacterial communities of selected STPs, including two MSTPs and one ISTP, in the vicinity of Poyang Lake were comprehensively investigated through high-throughput qPCR and high-throughput Illumina sequencing. The results showed that the profiles of ARGs, MGEs and bacteria differed between the ISTP and the two MSTPs, most likely due to differences in influent water quality, such as the Pb that characterized in the ISTP's influent. The longer hydraulic retention times (HRTs) of the two MSTPs than of the ISTP may also have accounted for the different profiles. Thus, a prolonged HRT in the CASS process seems to allow a more extensive removal of ARGs and bacteria in ISTPs with similar treatment process. By providing comprehensive insights into the characteristics of ARGs, MGEs and the bacterial communities of the selected MSTPs and ISTP, our study provides a scientific basis for controlling the propagation and diffusion of ARGs and ARB in different types of STPs. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: 207 ARG and 12 MGE subtypes were detected by high-throughput qPCR. Profiles of ARGs, MGEs and bacteria differed between two STP types. Pb level and HRT may both account for the different profiles.