Advanced Wastewater Treatment with Ozonation and Granular Activated Carbon Filtration: Inactivation of Antibiotic Resistance Targets in a Long-Term Pilot Study

46 Pages Posted: 16 Feb 2022

See all articles by Katarzyna Slipko

Katarzyna Slipko

Vienna University of Technology

Daniela Reif

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Heidemarie Schaar

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Ernis Saracevic

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Andrea Klinger

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Lina Wallmann

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Joerg Krampe

Vienna University of Technology

Markus Woegerbauer

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Peter Hufnagl

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Norbert Kreuzinger

Vienna University of Technology

Abstract

The inactivation of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) and genes (ARGs) in an advanced plant combining ozonation and granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration applied for effluent after conventional activated sludge treatment at a full-scale urban wastewater treatment plant was investigated for over 13 consecutive months. The specific nitrite compensated ozone dose ranged between 0.4 and 0.7 g O3/g DOC with short-time sampling campaigns (0.2 to 0.9 g O3/g DOC). Samples were analyzed with culture-dependent methods for bacterial targets and with qPCR for genes. The log removal values were correlated with a decrease of the matrix UV absorption at 254 nm (ΔUV254) and indicated a range of ΔUV254 that corresponds to a sufficient membrane damage to affect DNA. For trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole resistant E. coli, sul1, ermB and tetW, this phase was observed at ΔUV254 of ~30% (~0.5 g O3/g DOC). For ampicillin resistant E. coli and blaTEM-1, it was observed around 35–40% (~0.7 g O3/g DOC), which can be linked to mechanisms related to oxidative damages in bacteria resistant to bactericidal antibiotics. GAC treatment resulted in a further abatement for trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole E. coli, sul1 and tetW, and in increase in absolute and relative abundance of ermB and blaTEM-1.

Keywords: urban wastewater, advanced wastewater treatment, Ozone, GAC, antibiotic resistance

Suggested Citation

Slipko, Katarzyna and Reif, Daniela and Schaar, Heidemarie and Saracevic, Ernis and Klinger, Andrea and Wallmann, Lina and Krampe, Joerg and Woegerbauer, Markus and Hufnagl, Peter and Kreuzinger, Norbert, Advanced Wastewater Treatment with Ozonation and Granular Activated Carbon Filtration: Inactivation of Antibiotic Resistance Targets in a Long-Term Pilot Study. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4014068 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4014068

Katarzyna Slipko (Contact Author)

Vienna University of Technology ( email )

Karlsplatz 13
Vienna
Austria

Daniela Reif

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

No Address Available

Heidemarie Schaar

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

No Address Available

Ernis Saracevic

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

No Address Available

Andrea Klinger

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

No Address Available

Lina Wallmann

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

No Address Available

Joerg Krampe

Vienna University of Technology ( email )

Markus Woegerbauer

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

No Address Available

Peter Hufnagl

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

No Address Available

Norbert Kreuzinger

Vienna University of Technology ( email )

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