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

Abstract

The discovery of antibiotics, which was once regarded as a timely medical intervention now leaves a bitter aftertaste: antimicrobial resistance (AMR), due to the unregulated use of these compounds and the poor management receiving wastewaters before discharge into pristine environments or the recycling of such treated waters. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have been regarded a central sink for the mostly unmetabolized or partially metabolised antibiotics and is also pivotal to the incidence of antibiotic resistance bacteria (ARBs) and their resistance genes (ARGs), which consistently contribute to the global disease burden and deteriorating prophylaxis. In this regard, we highlighted WWTP-antibiotics consumption-ARBs-ARGs nexus, which might be critical to understanding the epidemiology of AMR and also guide the precise prevention and remediation of such occurrences. We also discovered the unsophistication of conventional WWTPs and treatment techniques for adequate treatment of antibiotics, ARBs and ARGs, due to their lack of compliance with environmental sustainability, then ultimately assessed the prospects of cold atmospheric plasma (CAP). Herein, we observed that CAP technologies not only has the capability to disinfect wastewater polluted with copious amounts of chemicals and biologicals, but also have a potential to augment bioelectricity generation, when integrated into bio electrochemical modules, which future WWTPs should be retrofitted to accommodate. Therefore, further research should be conducted to unveil more of the unknowns, which only a snippet has been highlighted in this study.

Microbial communities colonising plastics during transition from the wastewater treatment plant to marine waters

“…Our results indicated a high abundance of tetracycline class ARGs across all samples. Tetracycline class antibiotics are typically persistent in the environment and maintain their active form following use [ 69 ]. In Wales, this class of antibiotic are one of the most commonly prescribed in healthcare [ 67 , 70 ].…”

Cold atmospheric‐pressure plasma selectively inhibits glioblastoma via DNA damage and AKT dephosphorylation in vitro and in vivo

“…The applications of CAP result in changes in cellular microenvironments and gene expression alterations, as well as activation of signaling pathway activations. [43][44][45] It has been reported that CAP can downregulate glucose transporters (GLUTs) by suppressing phosphoinositide 3 kinase/AKT signaling and suppressing pentose phosphate signaling. [46,47] Previous studies have confirmed that AKT pathway activation is tightly with glioma grade and prognosis.…”

Wastewater surveillance of antibiotic resistant bacteria for public health action: Potential and Challenges

“…These data highlight that ARGs and ARBs can be detected in wastewater and that current wastewater treatment targets bacteria but not specifically ARGs and ARBs, although methods to do so are an active area of research (12). As ARGs and ARBs have been detected in wastewater worldwide (9), there has been an increased focus on detecting and quantifying ARGs and ARBs for wastewater-based epidemiology.…”

“…When released into the environment and used in agriculture, aquaculture, or animal husbandry, ARGs become available to transform other bacteria, including bacteria that cause foodborne illness. These data highlight that ARGs and ARBs can be detected in wastewater and that current wastewater treatment targets bacteria but not specifically ARGs and ARBs, although methods to do so are an active area of research (12). As ARGs and ARBs have been detected in wastewater worldwide (9), there has been an increased focus on detecting and quantifying ARGs and ARBs for wastewater-based epidemiology.…”