Performance efficiency of conventional treatment plants and constructed wetlands towards reduction of antibiotic resistance
2022
Harzra, Moushumi | Durso, Lisa M.
Wastewater discharges from domestic and industrial sectors harbor rich bacterial communities, including both pathogenic and commensal organisms that are antibiotic resistant. Antibiotic resistant pathogens pose a potential threat for human and animal health. In wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) bacteria encounter an environment suitable for horizontal gene transfer, providing an opportunity for bacterial cells to acquire new antibiotic resistant (AR) genes. With many entry points to environmental components especially water and soil, WWTPs are considered a critical control point for antibiotic resistance. The primary and secondary units of conventional WWTPs are not designed for reduction of resistant microbes and hence appropriate technology needs to be employed for reduction of AR targets and other microbial pollutants. Constructed wetlands (CWs) are viable option for treatment of domestic and industrial wastewater in a sustainable manner, mitigating AR bacteria and their genes, pathogens, and general pollutants. Encouraging performance for removal of antibiotic resistance (2-4 logs) has highlighted the applicability of CW on fields, and their low cost of construction, operation and maintenance makes them well suited for applications across the globe especially in developing and low-income countries. The present review highlights a better understanding of the performance efficiency of conventional treatment plants and CWs for elimination/reduction of AR bacteria and their genes from wastewater. They are viable alternatives that can be used for secondary/tertiary treatment or polishing of effluents when in combination with WWTP, or in a decentralized manner.
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