Effect of earthworms in reduction and fate of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistant genes (ARGs) during clinical laboratory wastewater treatment by vermifiltration

New developments on vermifiltration as a bio-ecological wastewater treatment technology: Mechanism, application, performance, modelling, optimization, and sustainability

“…First, the larger organic and inorganic solid particles are broken down by earthworms into finer particles. In this way, the surface area of the particles increases, thus facilitating microbial degradation [ 26 , 27 ]. The finer particles are trapped within the pores of the vermifilter bed media and subsequently undergo degradation by microorganisms [ 21 , 23 ].…”

“…3 ). The processes of ammonification, nitrification, and denitrification have been listed in the literature as the origin of nitrogen elimination in the vermifilter [ 26 , 28 , 29 ]. One part of the organic phosphorous is mineralized to inorganic phosphate.…”

“…One passes respectively from acidic pH to neutral pH and also from basic pH to neutral pH. The vermifilter would thus allow neutralization of the pH of the effluents [ 12 , 26 ]. In the experiments conducted by Arora et al [ 26 ] concerning the application of vermifiltration for treating clinical wastewater, the initial influent pH levels exhibited considerable variability within the range of 4.2–9.3.…”

“…The vermifilter would thus allow neutralization of the pH of the effluents [ 12 , 26 ]. In the experiments conducted by Arora et al [ 26 ] concerning the application of vermifiltration for treating clinical wastewater, the initial influent pH levels exhibited considerable variability within the range of 4.2–9.3. However, at the vermifilter outlet, the pH levels stabilized and remained relatively constant, falling within the range of 6.7–7.…”

Does Plant Identity Affect the Dispersal of Resistomes Above and Below Ground?

“…Furthermore, manure application enhanced this dispersal, 38 and the addition of earthworms in manured soil was shown to alleviate the enrichment of resistomes in the microbiomes of both the phyllosphere and soil fauna driven by changes in the structure of the host microbial communities. 39,40 Coupled with the knowledge that plant identity can impact the relative abundance and diversity of resistomes by recruiting environmental microbial populations from above-ground phyllosphere microbiomes, 41 we hypothesize that plant identity will be a contributor for the dispersal of resistomes in soils by above-ground (plant) and below-ground (nematode) pathways. In line with these studies, we mainly pay attention to the bacteria on the surface of plant leaves regardless of endophyte limited by technical difficulties.…”