title: Distribution of antibiotic resistance in the effluents of ten municipal wastewater treatment plants in China and the effect of treatment processes.
abstract: Municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents represent an important contamination source of antibiotic resistance, threatening the ecological safety of receiving environments. In this study, the release of antibiotic resistance to sulfonamides and tetracyclines in the effluents of ten WWTPs in China was investigated. Results indicate that the concentrations of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) ranged from 1.1 × 101to 8.9 × 103CFU mL-1and 3.6 × 101(tetW) to 5.4 × 106(tetX) copies mL-1, respectively. There were insignificant correlations of the concentrations of ARB and ARGs with those of corresponding antibiotics. Strong correlations were observed between the total concentrations of tetracycline resistance genes and sulfonamide resistance genes, and both of which were significantly correlated with intI1 concentrations. Statistical analysis of the effluent ARG concentrations in different WWTPs revealed an important role of disinfection in eliminating antibiotic resistance. The release rates of ARB and ARGs through the effluents of ten WWTPs ranged from 5.9 × 1012to 4.8 × 1015CFU d-1and 6.4 × 1012(tetW) to 1.7 × 1018(sul1) copies d-1, respectively. This study helps the effective assessment and scientific management of ecological risks induced by antibiotic resistance discharged from WWTPs.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 18 Shuang-qing Road, Beijing 100085, China.
authors.forename: Weiwei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ben
authors.affiliation: Institute of Energy and Environmental Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Engineering, 41 Maizidian Street, Beijing 100125, China; Key Laboratory of Energy Resource Utilization from Agricultural Residues, Ministry of Agriculture, 41 Maizidian Street, Beijing 100125, China.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 18 Shuang-qing Road, Beijing 100085, China.
authors.forename: Rukun
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 18 Shuang-qing Road, Beijing 100085, China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 18 Shuang-qing Road, Beijing 100085, China.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 18 Shuang-qing Road, Beijing 100085, China. Electronic address: qiangz@rcees.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Zhimin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Qiang
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000032:analysis; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D002681:China; D004202:Disinfectants / Q000737:chemistry; D004203:Disinfection; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D022761:Gene Transfer, Horizontal; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000737:chemistry; D012722:Sewage / Q000382:microbiology; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000032:analysis; D013753:Tetracycline Resistance / Q000235:genetics; D013754:Tetracyclines / Q000032:analysis; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*; D062065:Wastewater / Q000032:analysis*; D014871:Water Microbiology; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000737:chemistry; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004202:Disinfectants; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D012722:Sewage; D013449:Sulfonamides; D013754:Tetracyclines; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Antibiotic resistance; Effluent; Integrons; Treatment processes; Wastewater treatment plant