Biofiltration and disinfection codetermine the bacterial antibiotic resistome in drinking water: A review and meta-analysis

• Published data was used to analyze the fate of ARGs in water treatment. • Biomass removal leads to the reduction in absolute abundance of ARGs. • Mechanism that filter biofilm maintain ARB/ARGs was summarized. • Potential BAR risks caused by biofiltration and chlorination were proposed. The bacterial antibiotic resistome (BAR) is one of the most serious contemporary medical challenges. The BAR problem in drinking water is receiving growing attention. In this study, we focused on the distribution, changes, and health risks of the BAR throughout the drinking water treatment system. We extracted the antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) data from recent publications and analyzed ARG profiles based on diversity, absolute abundance, and relative abundance. The absolute abundance of ARG was found to decrease with water treatment processes and was positively correlated with the abundance of 16S rRNA (r² = 0.963, p<0.001), indicating that the reduction of ARG concentration was accompanied by decreasing biomass. Among treatment processes, biofiltration and chlorination were discovered to play important roles in shaping the bacterial antibiotic resistome. Chlorination exhibited positive effects in controlling the diversity of ARG, while biofiltration, especially granular activated carbon filtration, increased the diversity of ARG. Both biofiltration and chlorination altered the structure of the resistome by affecting relative ARG abundance. In addition, we analyzed the mechanism behind the impact of biofiltration and chlorination on the bacterial antibiotic resistome. By intercepting influent ARG-carrying bacteria, biofilters can enrich various ARGs and maintain ARGs in biofilm. Chlorination further selects bacteria co-resistant to chlorine and antibiotics. Finally, we proposed the BAR health risks caused by biofiltration and chlorination in water treatment. To reduce potential BAR risk in drinking water, membrane filtration technology and water boiling are recommended at the point of use.     

Validation of Bacteroidales-based microbial source tracking markers for pig fecal pollution and their application in two rivers of North China

• Pig feces is the predominant excrement produced by animal husbandry in China. • The PF, Pig-1-Bac^TaqMan, and Pig-2-Bac^TaqMan MST assays showed better performance. • The pig-specific MST assays can contribute to managing the pig fecal pollution. In China, pig feces is the predominant source of excrement produced by animal husbandry. Improper use or direct discharge of pig feces can result in contamination of natural water systems. Microbial source tracking (MST) technology can identify the sources of fecal pollution in environmental water, and contribute to the management of pig fecal pollution by local environmental protection agencies. However, the accuracy of such assays can be context-dependent, and they have not been comprehensively evaluated under Chinese conditions. We aimed to compare the performance of five previously reported pig-specific MST assays (PF, Pig-Bac1^SYBR, Pig-Bac2^SYBR, Pig-1-Bac^TaqMan, and Pig-2-Bac^TaqMan, which are based on Bacteroidales 16S rRNA gene markers) and apply them in two rivers of North China. We collected a total of 173 fecal samples from pigs, cows, goats, chickens, humans, and horses across China. The PF assay optimized in this study showed outstanding qualitative performance and achieved 100% specificity and sensitivity. However, the two SYBR green qPCR assays (Pig-Bac1^SYBR and Pig-Bac2^SYBR) cross-reacted with most non-pig fecal samples. In contrast, both the Pig-1-Bac^TaqMan and Pig-2-Bac^TaqMan assays gave 100% specificity and sensitivity. Of these, the Pig-2-Bac^TaqMan assay showed higher reproducibility. Our results regarding the specificity of these pig-specific MST assays differ from those reported in Thailand, Japan, and America. Using the PF and Pig-2-Bac^TaqMan assays, a field test comparing the levels of pig fecal pollution in rivers near a pig farm before and after comprehensive environmental pollution governance indicated that pig fecal pollution was effectively controlled at this location.     

Locally enhanced electric field treatment (LEEFT) for water disinfection

• Nanowire-assisted LEEFT is applied for water disinfection with low voltages. • LEEFT inactivates bacteria by disrupting cell membrane through electroporation. • Multiple electrodes and device configurations have been developed for LEEFT. • The LEEFT is low-cost, highly efficient, and produces no DBPs. • The LEEFT can potentially be applicable for water disinfection at all scales. Water disinfection is a critical step in water and wastewater treatment. The most widely used chlorination suffers from the formation of carcinogenic disinfection by-products (DBPs) while alternative methods (e.g., UV, O₃, and membrane filtration) are limited by microbial regrowth, no residual disinfectant, and high operation cost. Here, a nanowire-enabled disinfection method, locally enhanced electric field treatment (LEEFT), is introduced with advantages of no chemical addition, no DBP formation, low energy consumption, and efficient microbial inactivation. Attributed to the lightning rod effect, the electric field near the tip area of the nanowires on the electrode is significantly enhanced to inactivate microbes, even though a small external voltage (usually<5 V) is applied. In this review, after emphasizing the significance of water disinfection, the theory of the LEEFT is explained. Subsequently, the recent development of the LEEFT technology on electrode materials and device configurations are summarized. The disinfection performance is analyzed, with respect to the operating parameters, universality against different microorganisms, electrode durability, and energy consumption. The studies on the inactivation mechanisms during the LEEFT are also reviewed. Lastly, the challenges and future research of LEEFT disinfection are discussed.     

Evaluating provincial eco-efficiency in China: an improved network data envelopment analysis model with undesirable output

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - In this study, an improved matrix-type network data envelopment analysis (NDEA) model with undesirable output was developed to evaluate the...     

N2 fixation in urbanization area rivers: spatial-temporal variations and influencing factors

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - While nitrogen (N2) fixation is an important process in nitrogen (N) biogeochemical cycling, supplying a significant portion of the N in natural...     

基于环境容量的县域农用地土壤重金属风险概率预警研究

《土壤污染防治法》的正式出台,标志着我国土壤污染防治工作由"现状治理"转向"风险预防",为此开展区域土壤重金属风险预警研究具有一定的理论与现实意义。以太湖沿岸某产粮县为研究对象,以2015年为基准年,运用重金属输入-输出通量模型和土壤环境负载容量法对研究区耕地土壤中的As、Hg、Cr、Cd、Pb 5种重金属15年(2030年)与35年(2050年)后的风险概率进行预警研究。研究结果表明:大气干湿沉降成为除As以外其他4种土壤重金属的主要来源,畜禽粪便、化肥投入与灌溉水也会在一定程度上影响土壤重金属输入;此外,研究区耕层土壤中As、Cr、Pb 3种重金属整体情况较为良好,Hg、Cd污染风险概率较高,主要分布在研究区中部的O镇、P镇。通过GIS技术与区域物质流通量模型的结合能够很好地对不同区域以及不同重金属污染类型的区域进行风险预警,这可以为土壤污染差别化管控策略的制定提供重要思路。     

考虑黏结性退化的锈蚀PC梁抗弯承载力计算方法∗

钢绞线锈蚀降低了其与混凝土间的黏结性,导致钢绞线与其周围混凝土间的变形不协调,影响预应力混凝土梁的抗弯性能。采用快速锈蚀试验得到了不同锈蚀程度的16个有箍筋和无箍筋拉拔试件,通过拉拔试验得到了试件开始滑移及破坏时的拉拔力;回归了黏结折减系数与锈蚀率之间的关系式,并将其融入到预应力混凝土梁的抗弯承载力分析模型中,提出了考虑黏结性退化的锈蚀预应力混凝土梁抗弯承载力计算方法。试验结果表明：有箍筋试件的黏结强度大于无箍筋试件;随着钢绞线锈蚀水平的增大,箍筋对黏结强度退化的约束作用逐渐减小;黏结折减系数随锈蚀率的增加呈指数函数规律递减。将理论值与本文及已有文献中锈蚀预应力混凝土梁抗弯性能试验结果进行了比较,计算结果表明本方法预测精度较高,最大误差在6%以内,验证了本抗弯承载力计算方法的适用性,可为服役预应力混凝土桥梁抗弯承载力评估提供参考。     

面向实时人群动力学分析的深度基本图网络

当前行人疏散实验中基本图计算方法通常是通过对每个行人进行跟踪实现的.但这种跟踪方法难以实现实时人群动力学分析.针对这一问题,提出了深度基本图网络.实验提出的网络框架由两个模块组成,即多尺度递归卷积神经网络(MSR-Net)和光流模块,分别对行人密度和行人速度进行估计.具体来讲,MSR-Net学习了输入图像与行人密度图之...     

侧墙结构纵向多窗口羽流火焰融合的数值模拟

为了给高层建筑外部火蔓延防控提供参考,利用火灾动态仿真模拟软件PyroSim对无侧墙建筑的纵向多窗口羽流火焰与侧墙建筑的纵向多窗口羽流火焰进行了数值模拟,并改变侧墙长度,引入危险温度T=540℃、T1=350℃及T2=250℃,综合分析窗口温度曲线及等温线数据。结果表明:纵向多窗口羽流火焰产生相互融合现象,无侧墙建筑纵向相邻两窗口与三窗口的危险温度高度相似,比单窗口的危险温度高度提升了2.5~3.0 m;侧墙结构引起烟囱效应的作用效果与侧墙的长度呈正比,侧墙长度为3.6 m时,纵向多窗口的危险温度高度与无侧墙建筑相比,对T1和T2,高度提升了2.0~2.5 m,而对T,高度的影响较弱,羽流火焰的形状在纵向被拉长。     

地铁区间隧道烟气层化现象研究

以重庆某一地铁区间隧道为原型,搭建了1∶15小尺寸隧道试验台,通过小尺寸试验与FDS 6.5.2数值模拟开展隧道顶部烟气温度分布及分层规律研究。基于Newman提出的烟气层分区条件,研究了不同纵向风速下的烟气分层现象,提出了烟气稳定层化长度的概念,并分析了火源热释放速率及断面型式对烟气层化长度的影响。试验证明了Newman提出的烟气分层计算方法是可信的。结果表明:纵向风速较小时,火源下游能呈现烟气分层现象;烟气稳定层化长度受火源热释放速率影响较大,随热释放速率增大而增大;隧道高度的变化对烟气稳定层化长度的影响较小。