Dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes through fecal sewage treatment facilities to the ecosystem in rural area

• Published in: Journal of environmental management 2023-05, Vol.333, p.117439-117439, Article 117439
• Main Authors: Ma, Dachao, Chen, Hongcheng, Feng, Qingge, Zhang, Xuan, Wu, Deli, Feng, Jinghang, Cheng, Shikun, Wang, Dongbo, Liu, Zheng, Zhong, Qisong, Wei, Jinye, Liu, Guozi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Antibiotic resistance genes; Dissemination behavior; Drug Resistance, Microbial - genetics; Ecosystem; Ecosystem in rural area; Fecal sewage treatment facility; Genes, Bacterial; Removal efficiency; Sewage; Wastewater
• ISSN: 0301-4797; 1095-8630
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117439

Infection of antibiotic-resistant pathogens mostly occurs in rural areas. In this paper, the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) through fecal sewage treatment facilities to the ecosystem in a typical rural area is investigated. Household three-chamber septic tanks (TCs), household biogas digesters (BDs), wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), vegetable plots, water ponds, etc. Are taken into account. The relative abundance of ARGs in fecal sewage can be reduced by BDs and WWTPs by 80% and 60%, respectively. While TCs show no reduction ability for ARGs. Fast expectation-maximization microbial source tracking (FEAST) analysis revealed that TCs and BDs contribute a considerable percentage (15–22%) of ARGs to the surface water bodies (water ponds) in the rural area. Most ARGs tend to precipitate in the sediments of water bodies and stop moving downstream. Meanwhile, the immigration of microorganisms is more active than that of ARGs. The results provide scientific basic data for the management of fecal sewage and the controlling of ARGs in rural areas. [Display omitted] •ARGs in three types of fecal sewage treatment facilities were characterized.•Sources of ARGs in surface water bodies and soils is analyzed by FEAST.•Relative abundance of ARGs cannot reduced by TCs but BDs and WWTPs.•TCs and BDs contribute considerable percentage of ARGs to surface water bodies.•ARGs tend to precipitate and stabilized in the sediments.