Occurrence, fate and antibiotic resistance of fluoroquinolone antibacterials in hospital wastewaters in Hanoi, Vietnam

Occurrence and behavior of fluoroquinolone antibacterial agents (FQs) were investigated in hospital wastewaters in Hanoi, Vietnam. Hospital wastewater in Hanoi is usually not treated and this untreated wastewater is directly discharged into one of the wastewater channels of the city and eventually reaches the ambient aquatic environment. The concentrations of the FQs, ciprofloxacin (CIP) and norfloxacin (NOR) in six hospital wastewaters ranged from 1.1 to 44 and from 0.9 to 17 micrgl(-1), respectively. Total FQ loads to the city sewage system varied from 0.3 to 14 g d(-1). Additionally, the mass flows of CIP and NOR were investigated in the aqueous compartment in a small wastewater treatment facility of one hospital. The results showed that the FQ removal from the wastewater stream was between 80 and 85%, probably due to sorption on sewage sludge. Simultaneously, the numbers of Escherichia coli (E. coli) were measured and their resistance against CIP and NOR was evaluated by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration. Biological treatment lead to a 100-fold reduction in the number of E. coli but still more than a thousand E. coli colonies per 100ml of wastewater effluent reached the receiving water. The highest resistance was found in E. coli strains of raw wastewater and the lowest in isolates of treated wastewater effluent. Thus, wastewater treatment is an efficient barrier to decrease the residual FQ levels and the number of resistant bacteria entering ambient waters. Due to the lack of municipal wastewater treatment plants, the onsite treatment of hospital wastewater before discharging into municipal sewers should be considered as a viable option and consequently implemented.     

Antibiotic resistance of Enterococcus spp. isolated from wastewater and sludge of poultry slaughterhouses

Antibiotimicrobial resistance was investigated in 537 Enterococcus spp. isolates recovered from 22 samples of crude inflow, treated effluent and sludge collected in wastewater treatment plants of eight poultry slaughterhouses of Portugal. No significant differences (P > 0.05) were found in the resistance to each antimicrobial agent with regards to the origin of the sample (inflow, sludge and effluent). Many of the isolates displayed resistance to tetracycline (85.7%), erythromycin (45.7%), nitrofurantoin (34.0%) and rifampicin (17.8%). Resistance was also observed, but to a lesser extent, to ciprofloxacin (10.2%), ampicillin (8.0%), chloramphenicol (4.6%), vancomycin (0.9%) and gentamicin (0.4%). Resistance to three or more antimicrobial classes was present in 37.1% of the isolates. Wastewater treatment resulted in viable enterococci decrease between less than 1 log and 4 log; nevertheless, more than 4.4 x 10(5) colony forming units (CFU)/100 mL were present in the outflow of the plants and thus resistant enterococci are not prevented from reaching the general environment.     

Influence of solid dairy manure and compost with and without alum on survival of indicator bacteria in soil and on potato

We measured Escherichia coli, Enterococcus spp. and fecal coliform numbers in soil and on fresh potato skins after addition of solid dairy manure and dairy compost with and without alum (Al(2)(SO(4))(3)) treatment 1, 7, 14, 28, 179 and 297 days after application. The addition of dairy compost or solid dairy manure at rates to meet crop phosphorus uptake did not consistently increase E. coli and Enterococcus spp. and fecal coliform bacteria in the soil. We did not detect E. coli in any soil sample after the first sampling day. Seven, 14, 28, 179 and 297 days after solid dairy waste and compost and alum were applied to soil, alum did not consistently affect Enterococcus spp. and fecal coliform bacteria in the soil. We did not detect E. coli in any soil, fresh potato skin or potato wash-water at 214 days after dairy manure or compost application regardless of alum treatment. Dairy compost or solid dairy manure application to soil at rates to meet crop phosphorus uptake did not consistently increase Enterococcus spp. and fecal coliform numbers in bulk soil. Solid dairy manure application to soil at rates to meet crop phosphorus uptake, increased Enterococcus spp. and fecal coliform numbers in potato rhizosphere soil. However, fresh potato skins had higher Enterococcus spp. and fecal coliform numbers when solid dairy manure was added to soil compared to compost, N and P inorganic fertilizer and N fertilizer treatments. We did not find any E. coli, Enterococcus or total coliform bacteria on the exterior of the tuber, within the peel or within a whole baked potato after microwave cooking for 5 min.     

Tetracycline resistance in semi-arid agricultural soils under long-term swine effluent application

Annually, millions pounds of antibiotics are released unmetabolized into environment along with animal wastes. Accumulation of antibiotics in soils could potentially induce the persistence of antibiotic resistant bacteria. Antibiotics such as tetracyclines and tetracycline-resistant bacteria have been previously detected in fields fertilized with animal manure. However, little is known about the accumulation of tetracyclines and the development of tetracycline resistance in semi-arid soils. Here we demonstrate that continuous land application with swine effluent, containing trace amounts of chlortetracycline, does not necessarily induce tetracycline resistance in soil bacteria. Based on the testing of more than 3,000 bacteria isolated from the amended soils, we found no significant increase in the occurrence and level of chlortetracycline resistant bacteria in soils after 15 years of continuous swine effluent fertilization. To account for a possible transfer of tetracycline-resistant bacteria originated from the swine effluent to soils, we analyzed two commonly found tetracycline resistant genes, tet(O) and tet(M), in the swine effluent and fertilized soils. Both genes were present in the swine effluent, however, they were not detectable in soils applied with swine effluent. Our data demonstrate that agronomic application of manure from antibiotic treated swine effluent does not necessarily result in the development of antibiotic bacterial resistance in soils. Apparently, concentrations of chlortetracycline present in manure are not significant enough to induce the development of antibiotic bacterial resistance.     

Occurrence and abundance of tetracycline,sulfonamide resistance genes,and class 1 integron in five wastewater treatment plants

To understand the transport and fate of antibiotic resistance genes in wastewater treatment plants, 12 resistance genes (ten tetracycline resistance genes, two sulfonamides genes) and class 1 integron gene (intI1) were studied in five wastewater treatment plants with different treatment processes and different sewage sources. Among these resistance genes, sulfonamides genes (sul1 and sul2) were of the most prevalent genes with detection frequency of 100 %. The effluent water contained fewer types of resistance genes than the influent in most selected plants. The abundance of five quantified resistance genes (tetG, tetW, tetX, sul1, and intI1) decreased in effluent of plants treating domestic or industrial wastewater with anaerobic/aerobic or membrane bioreactor (MBR) technologies, but tetG, tetX, sul1, and intI1 increased along the treatment units of plants treating vitamin C production wastewater by anaerobic/aerobic technology. In plant treating cephalosporins production wastewater by UASB/aerobic process, the quantities of tetG, tetX, and sul1 first decreased in anaerobic effluent water but then increased in aerobic effluent water.     

纳米金属对污水处理系统中磺胺耐药基因和耐药菌的影响及其机理

细菌耐药性和纳米材料污染为新兴环境问题。细菌耐药性遗传载体——耐药基因 (ARGs) 广泛存在于污水处理系统中,且已被证明与金属纳米材料密切相关。采用实时荧光定量PCR技术,探究了纳米零价铁 (nZVI) 和纳米氧化锌 (nZnO) 对污水处理系统中磺胺类耐药菌 (ARB) 和ARGs的分布特征的影响。结果表明,50 mg·L⁻¹ nZVI和nZnO暴露均有利于削减磺胺ARB浓度数。与对照组相比,nZVI和nZnO暴露后污泥中sul1丰度增加了0.25%~16.21%,而sul2出现明显削减 (1.51%~15.47%) 。此外,50 mg·L⁻¹ nZVI会导致游离态胞外ARGs大幅削减。nZVI和nZnO暴露通过富集污水处理系统中的intI1、改变细胞膜通透性和调节细菌转录能力促进sul1的增殖。本研究结果阐明了典型纳米金属对污水处理系统中ARB和不同形态ARGs消长的影响及其机制,可为制定有效调控和全面削减污水处理系统中耐药污染策略提供参考。     

Studies on the drug resistance profile of Enterococcus faecium distributed from poultry retailers to hospitals

The multidrug resistant Enterococcus faecium (MEF) strains originating from farm animals are proliferating at a substantial pace to impact downstream food chains and could reach hospitals. This study was conducted to elucidate the drug susceptibility profile of MEF strains collected from poultry products in Ann Arbor, MI area and clinical settings from Michigan State Lab and Moffitt Cancer Center (MCC) in Florida. Presumptive positive Enterococcus isolates at species level were identified by Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight (MALDI-TOF) analysis. The antibiotic susceptibility profile for both poultry and clinical strains was determined by the Thermo Scientific's Sensititre conform to the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS) and validated via quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) methods. Out of 50 poultry samples (Turkey: n = 30; Chicken: n = 20), 36 samples were positive for Enterococcus species from which 20.83% were identified as E. faecium. All the E. faecium isolates were multidrug resistant and displayed resistance to the last alternative drug, quinupristin/dalfopristin (QD) used to treat vancomycin resistant E. faecium (VRE) in hospitals. Results indicate the presence of MEF strains in food animals and clinical settings that are also resistant to QD.     

Drugs in the environment: emission of drugs, diagnostic aids and disinfectants into wastewater by hospitals in relation to other sources--a review.

After administration, pharmaceuticals are excreted by the patients into wastewater. Unused medications are sometimes disposed of in drains. The drugs enter the aquatic environment and eventually reach drinking water if they are not biodegraded or eliminated during sewage treatment. Additionally, antibiotics and disinfectants are supposed to disturb the wastewater treatment process and the microbial ecology in surface waters. Furthermore, resistant bacteria may be selected in the aeration tanks of STPs by the antibiotic substances present. Recently, pharmaceuticals have been detected in surface water, ground water and drinking water. However, only little is known about the significance of emissions from households and hospitals. A brief summary of input by different sources, occurrence, and elimination of different pharmaceutical groups such as antibiotics, anti-tumour drugs, anaesthetics and contrast media as well as AOX resulting from hospital effluent input into sewage water and surface water will be presented.     

紫外线消毒后耐药性大肠埃希氏菌的光复活特性

为了考察耐药性大肠埃希氏菌在紫外线消毒后的光复活特性及耐药性的变化,选用从城市污水处理厂分离得到的多重耐药性大肠埃希氏菌SER8作为受试菌株进行紫外线消毒和光复活研究。考察不同剂量紫外线辐照对大肠埃希氏菌SER8的光复活率和光复活速率的影响,以及在磷酸盐缓冲溶液和二沉池出水中复活情况的差别。采用Kirby-Bauer纸片琼脂扩散法考察在紫外线消毒和光复活过程中大肠埃希氏菌SER8对四环素、氨苄西林、诺氟沙星、链霉素、庆大霉素、头孢噻肟、磺胺甲恶唑、环丙沙星和氯霉素的耐药表型。结果表明,在10~40 mJ·cm-2紫外线辐照剂量范围内,大肠埃希氏菌SER8的光复活率和光复活速率基本上随着紫外线辐照剂量的增大而减小。在紫外线消毒后接受日光灯照射的48 h内,大肠埃希氏菌SER8在二沉池出水中的复活率基本与磷酸盐缓冲溶液中的相似,但在48~72 h阶段存在一定的差异。接受20 mJ·cm-2紫外线辐照后经日光灯照射48 h的过程中,大肠埃希氏菌SER8对9种抗生素的耐药表型均未发生变化。     

Human health implications of clinically relevant bacteria in wastewater habitats

The objective of this review is to reflect on the multiple roles of bacteria in wastewater habitats with particular emphasis on their harmful potential for human health. Indigenous bacteria promote a series of biochemical and metabolic transformations indispensable to achieve wastewater treatment. Some of these bacteria may be pathogenic or harbour antibiotic resistance or virulence genes harmful for human health. Several chemical contaminants (heavy metals, disinfectants and antibiotics) may select these bacteria or their genes. Worldwide studies show that treated wastewater contain antibiotic resistant bacteria or genes encoding virulence or antimicrobial resistance, evidencing that treatment processes may fail to remove efficiently these bio-pollutants. The contamination of the surrounding environment, such as rivers or lakes receiving such effluents, is also documented in several studies. The current state of the art suggests that only some of antibiotic resistance and virulence potential in wastewater is known. Moreover, wastewater habitats may favour the evolution and dissemination of new resistance and virulence genes and the emergence of new pathogens. For these reasons, additional research is needed in order to obtain a more detailed assessment of the long-term effects of wastewater discharges. In particular, it is important to measure the human and environmental health risks associated with wastewater reuse.     

Aquatic environments polluted with antibiotics and heavy metals: a human health hazard

Aquatic environments often receive wastewater containing pollutants such as antibiotics and heavy metals from hospital sewage, as well as contaminants from soil. The presence of these pollutants can increase the rate of exchange of resistant genes between environmental and pathogenic bacteria, which can make the treatment of various types of bacterial infections in humans and animals difficult, in addition to causing environmental problems such as ecological risk. In this study, two tetracycline-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (EW32 and EW33), isolated from aquatic environments close to industries and a hospital in southeastern Brazil, were investigated regarding the possible association between tetracycline and heavy metal resistance. The isolate EW32 presented a conjugative plasmid with coresistance to tetracycline and copper, reinforcing the concern that antibiotic resistance by acquisition of plasmids can be induced by the selective pressure of heavy metals in the environment.     

西安市某污水处理厂A2/O工艺除磷效果分析

基于西安市污水处理厂出水一级A达标排放的要求,对西安市某污水处理厂A2/O工艺运行效果进行监测分析,结果表明,该污水处理厂出水总磷一级A达标率仅为31.61%,出水总磷浓度偏高成为该污水处理厂一级A达标的限制因素。通过对污水处理厂现场调研与水质沿程监测分析发现,该污水处理厂污泥水中含有大量SS和TP,此部分污泥水回流至系统前端导致生物池进水总磷浓度急剧升高,生物池超负荷运行导致出水总磷偏高。同时由于生物池碳源不足,厌氧池释磷作用微弱,影响了系统的除磷效果。针对以上问题,进行了初沉池运行方式调整、强化污泥处理、出水增设滤池等一系列改造措施。改造后系统除磷效果明显提高,出水TP降低至（0.39±0.08）mg·L-1,基本可以达到一级A排放标准。     

人工湿地中抗生素抗性大肠杆菌和抗性基因的去除与分布

抗生素的滥用导致抗生素抗性菌和抗性基因随生活污水和养殖废水的排放在环境中肆意散播,其去除及环境行为越来越受到关注。采用K-B纸片法测定了9套不同工艺构型模拟人工湿地中大肠杆菌对7种抗生素的抗性率,并应用多重PCR检测磺胺类sul1、2、3与四环素tetA、B、C、D抗性基因,探究人工湿地对抗性菌的去除效率及抗性菌、抗性基因的分布规律。结果显示,人工湿地能有效去除污水中70%左右的抗性大肠杆菌,有效降低了细菌抗性的传播风险;共计分离出535株大肠肝菌中有378株对一种以上抗生素有抗性性,以四环素、磺胺类和氨苄西林抗性率最高,达到25%以上,其他4种抗性率较低,不足20%;2种抗性基因的检出率都在70%以上;对不同采样点大肠杆菌的抗性性及抗性基因的比较发现,各部分大肠杆菌的抗性水平、多重抗性指数(MRI)以及抗性基因(sul、tet)检出率和组合数表现出:基质≥出水>进水,推测抗性菌被湿地基质截留,在基质生物膜上发生抗性基因的重组,并释放抗性菌,提高了出水中抗性水平和抗性基因检出率。     

First inter-laboratory comparison exercise for the determination of anticancer drugs in aqueous samples

The results of an inter-laboratory comparison exercise to determine cytostatic anticancer drug residues in surface water, hospital wastewater and wastewater treatment plant effluent are reported. To obtain a critical number of participants, an invitation was sent out to potential laboratories identified to have the necessary knowledge and instrumentation. Nine laboratories worldwide confirmed their participation in the exercise. The compounds selected (based on the extent of use and laboratories capabilities) included cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide, 5-fluorouracil, gemcitabine, etoposide, methotrexate and cisplatinum. Samples of spiked waste (hospital and wastewater treatment plant effluent) and surface water, and additional non-spiked hospital wastewater, were prepared by the organising laboratory (Jo?ef Stefan Institute) and sent out to each participant partner for analysis. All analytical methods included solid phase extraction (SPE) and the use of surrogate/internal standards for quantification. Chemical analysis was performed using either liquid or gas chromatography mass (MS) or tandem mass (MS/MS) spectrometry. Cisplatinum was determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). A required minimum contribution of five laboratories meant that only cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide, methotrexate and etoposide could be included in the statistical evaluation. z-score and Q test revealed 3 and 4 outliers using classical and robust approach, respectively. The smallest absolute differences between the spiked values and the measured values were observed in the surface water matrix. The highest within-laboratory repeatability was observed for methotrexate in all three matrices (CV?≤?12 %). Overall, inter-laboratory reproducibility was poor for all compounds and matrices (CV 27–143 %) with the only exception being methotrexate measured in the spiked hospital wastewater (CV?=?8 %). Random and total errors were identified by means of Youden plots.     

回用生活污水的电化学消毒试验研究

对北京某中水站回用于杂用水的生活污水进行电化学消毒试验。试验结果表明 ,生活污水经生物接触氧化、活性炭吸附后 ,流经电化学消毒器停留 2 0s、耗电 0 .30kWh/m3 、消毒器出水放置 1h后 ,总大肠菌群数 <3个 /L ,满足生活杂用水的卫生学指标。当余氯浓度及接触时间相等的条件下 ,电化学消毒法的杀菌效果好于加氯消毒。E .coli细胞经电化学消毒和加氯消毒处理后 ,扫描电镜观察的结果表明 :2种方法作用后的细胞在形态上的变化是不相同的 ,说明电化学消毒的消毒机制不仅仅取决于电解产氯的作用 ,还有其他的杀菌作用     

发酵类抗生素废水处理工艺及运行效果

介绍了内蒙古某抗生素废水处理厂的处理工艺流程、处理单元类型及其详细设计参数,通过对该污水处理厂半年内运行效果的调研,分析评价该污水处理系统的处理效果及出水指标;该水厂工艺流程对COD、TOC、氨氮、总氮、总磷、BOD和急性毒性的平均去除率分别为96.52%、95.83%、50.24%、55.20%、62.05%、98.52%和99.14%,COD、氨氮、总氮、总磷出水水质分别为477、438、556.7和7.69 mg/L,达到排放到城区下水道要求,园区内所有废水汇集到园区污水处理厂进行集中深度处理达标后排放水体。通过对该水厂工艺的介绍和水质分析,为我国抗生素生产企业面临的废水处理工艺类型选择及工程改造升级提供一定参考。     

臭氧催化氧化-BAF组合工艺深度处理抗生素制药废水

针对抗生素制药废水组分复杂、毒性强、难生物降解的特点,以Ce负载天然沸石作为催化剂(Ce/NZ),采用臭氧催化氧化-曝气生物滤池(BAF)组合工艺对抗生素制药废水二级生化处理出水进行深度处理。结果表明,Ce/NZ催化剂可显著改善臭氧预处理单元的处理效率,在臭氧进气浓度为50 mg·L⁻¹、臭氧进气量为600 mL·min⁻¹、催化剂用量为1 g·L⁻¹、臭氧反应时间为120 min的条件下,臭氧催化氧化预处理对抗生素制药废水的COD去除率达到43%,平均COD由220 mg·L⁻¹降至125 mg·L⁻¹,BOD₅/COD由0.12升至0.28,废水的可生化性得到显著提高。臭氧预处理单元出水采用BAF进行生化处理,在进水平均COD为125 mg·L⁻¹、平均NH₄⁺-N为12 mg·L⁻¹、水力停留时间为4 h、气水比为4∶1的条件下,COD和NH₄⁺-N的平均去除率分别为62%和64%。组合工艺处理后出水平均COD和NH₄⁺-N分别为46 mg·L⁻¹和4.1 mg·L⁻¹,出水水质可以稳定达到《发酵类制药工业水污染物排放标准》(GB 21903-2008)。相较于单独BAF工艺,组合工艺出水COD和NH₄⁺-N平均去除率分别提高了66%和15%,出水水质明显优于单独BAF工艺出水。     

磺胺和四环素类抗生素对活性污泥性能的影响简

废水处理工艺中抗生素类污染物的存在可能会对生物处理过程产生长期而深远的影响,为探明此类污染物对废水生物处理主体活性污泥性能等方面的影响,采用间歇培养法研究了活性污泥法处理污水时,抗生素类污染物的存在对活性污泥性能如胞外聚合物（EPS）、污染物处理能力、脱氢酶活性和群落结构的影响。结果表明,抗生素的存在会导致活性污泥的胞外聚合物总量及其主要组分蛋白质和多糖增加,以产生保护屏障;且由于污泥絮体解体,细胞破裂导致EPS中DNA和色氨酸含量增加。同时,由于蛋白质大量增加引起的表面负电荷的增加,使污泥疏水性增强,絮凝性能恶化;污泥絮体解体导致污泥颗粒变小,SVI也随之下降;在活性污泥脱氢酶活性急剧下降的同时,出水TOC迅速升高。此外,抗生素类污染物在抑制活性污泥中大部分细菌的同时,对部分菌群也有刺激生长作用,最终导致活性污泥生物群落结构的改变。四环素类抗生素对活性污泥的EPS和絮凝沉降性能的影响大于磺胺类,而对污水处理能力和群落结构的影响则不如磺胺类。抗生素类污染物的长期存在会对活性污泥沉降性能、絮凝性能、脱氢酶活性以及活性污泥群落结构等产生一系列负面影响,进而影响污染物去除效果,导致出水水质恶化。     

核桃壳过滤器与超滤对宁化排水的除油研究

采用核桃壳过滤器与超滤组合工艺的中试装置处理宁夏石化总排放水,考察了该工艺对石化废水中油分的处理效果,并且使用模拟废水考察了该工艺对油污染负荷的抗冲击能力.实验结果表明,核桃壳过滤器与超滤组合工艺对石化总排水中油以及油类造成的COD都有较好的处理效果,并且具备一定的抗污染冲击能力.