Degradation of Bacterial Antibiotic Resistance Genes during Exposure to Non-Thermal Atmospheric Pressure Plasma

Abstract

Bacterial resistance to antibiotics has become a major public health problem in recent years. The occurrence of antibiotics in the environment, especially in wastewater treatment plants, has contributed to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and the spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Despite the potential of some conventional processes used in wastewater treatment plants, the removal of ARB and ARGs remains a challenge that requires further research and development of new technologies to avoid the release of emerging contaminants into aquatic environments. Non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasmas (NTAPPs) have gained a significant amount of interest for wastewater treatment due to their oxidizing potential. They have shown their effectiveness in the inactivation of a wide range of bacteria in several fields. In this review, we discuss the application of NTAPPs for the degradation of antibiotic resistance genes in wastewater treatment.

Inactivation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and antibiotic-resistance genes in wastewater streams: Current challenges and future perspectives

“…As earlier mentioned, the lesser contact time with original chlorine concentrations and more contact time with by-products afford the indwelling bacteria resistance mechanisms, whereby their cell walls are at worst made porous to receive the floating DNA of other dead chlorine-susceptible ARBs species (Luo et al, 2021). Similar to Mechanisms of plasma inactivation of ARBs and ARGs in liquid showing the reactive species released into pollutant containing aquatic matrix and their subsequent interaction with microbial communities and morphological and components (Bourke et al, 2017;Courti et al, 2022).…”

“…Transformation is intra-and inter-species exchange of genetic information by uptake of naked DNA, released through cell lysis or actively excreted by some bacteria which can only be received by a competent bacterium. Following uptake and translocation to the cytoplasm, it is incorporated into the competent bacterium's chromosome or into a plasmid (Koutsoumanis et al, 2021;Uluseker et al, 2021;Courti et al, 2022). 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1100102 Frontiers in Microbiology 04 frontiersin.org physicochemical and biological treatment.…”

“…Plasma is the fourth basic state of matter after solid, liquid and gas (Ghernaout, 2020;Sanito et al, 2022). Plasma is a partially or completely ionized gas and an electroneutral mixture carrying free reactive radicals (including reactive nitrogen and oxygen species), charged particles, 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1100102 Frontiers in Microbiology 15 frontiersin.org electrons, ions, UV photons and quanta of electromagnetic radiation (Ghernaout, 2020;Giacometti et al, 2021;Courti et al, 2022). The ionized gas is generated by applying thermal energy, or electromagnetic radiation energy, or mostly an electric to a carrier gas at atmospheric pressure and room temperature (Von Wintersdorff et al, 2016;Giacometti et al, 2021).…”

“…Moreover, ARBs of WWTPs might be able to confer resistance status on the innocuous communities through horizontal gene transfer ( Figure 1 ), and thereafter vertical transfer of recombinant DNA during proliferation. While HGT is considered to be a non-reproductive gene transfer whereby genetic material are dispersed between bacteria that do not have an offspring-parent relationship, HGT can transfer ARGs faster and effectively, which is why HGT is the most concerning transfer mechanism when it comes to AR spread in WWTPs ( Uluseker et al, 2021 ; Courti et al, 2022 ). This has warranted a knee-jerk response regarding the constant surveillance of AMR, worldwide, assessment of extant as well emerging water and wastewater treatment techniques and technologies that would obliterate the threat posed by AMR.…”

“…Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are a set of chemical processes that are able to decompose recalcitrant organics or persistent organic compounds, pharmaceuticals and heavy metals from wastewater which conventional technologies cannot degrade ( Foster, 2017 ; Giannakis et al, 2017 ; Tichonovas et al, 2017 ; Rekhate and Srivastava, 2020 ; Courti et al, 2022 ) and they also enhance the biodegradability of wastewater ( Giannakis et al, 2017 ; Rekhate and Srivastava, 2020 ; Courti et al, 2022 ). AOPs are able to do this by producing oxygen radicals and large quantities of the powerful, non-selective (•OH) which act as the oxidative agents ( Foster, 2017 ; Giannakis et al, 2017 ; Tichonovas et al, 2017 ; Rekhate and Srivastava, 2020 ; Courti et al, 2022 ). The different types of AOPs which are discussed below are Fenton based reactions, UV-based reactions, Ozone based reactions ( Giannakis et al, 2017 ; Rekhate and Srivastava, 2020 ; Courti et al, 2022 ) and plasma-based reactions ( Courti et al, 2022 ).…”