Environmental Engineering Departmental Seminar

REMOVAL EFFICIENCY OF WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT UNIT PROCESSES IN ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE GENES

Micropollutants (MPs) refer to an emerging threat to water quality in rivers, lakes and reservoirs caused by the release of organic and mineral substances to surface waters. These substances are present in many common products that pass through the body into wastewater, eventually polluting the aquatic environment. Although there are many sources of MPs, the main source is wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent. Existing WWTPs were designed to reduce solids, organic material and nutrients, but not MPs. WWTPs play a vital role in minimizing the discharge of many water pollutants, including antibiotics and pathogenic microorganisms to the environment. However, WWTPs serve not only as collection points for resistant organisms and antimicrobials from a wide variety of sources but are also potential point sources for environmental dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) as MPs. Biological treatment units in WWTPs promote bacterial growth and genetic exchange, which in turn may lead to further ARG proliferation. This study, therefore, investigates various upgrades to eliminate ARGs covering common antibiotics used like beta-lactams, macrolides, quinolones, sulfonamides, tetracyclines, aminoglycoside and chloramphenicol in WWTPs.

By Taliye Bulut

Date: 05.12.2018

Time: 15:40

Place: Department of Environmental Engineering, CZ-14