Removal of antibiotic resistant microbes by Fe(II)-activated persulfate oxidation

Qianlinglin Qiu; Guoxiang Li; Yi Dai; Yaoyang Xu; Peng Bao

doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.122733

Removal of antibiotic resistant microbes by Fe(II)-activated persulfate oxidation

J Hazard Mater. 2020 Sep 5:396:122733. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.122733. Epub 2020 Apr 18.

Authors

Qianlinglin Qiu¹, Guoxiang Li², Yi Dai³, Yaoyang Xu⁴, Peng Bao⁵

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, P.R. China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P.R. China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Urban Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, Ningbo Urban Environment Observation and Research Station, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, 315800, P.R. China.
² Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, P.R. China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P.R. China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Urban Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, Ningbo Urban Environment Observation and Research Station, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, 315800, P.R. China; Center for Applied Geosciences (ZAG), Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Sigwartstrasse 10, Tuebingen, 72076, Germany.
³ Ningbo Beilun Water Affairs Limited, Ningbo, 315800, P.R. China.
⁴ Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, P.R. China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Urban Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, Ningbo Urban Environment Observation and Research Station, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, 315800, P.R. China.
⁵ Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, P.R. China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Urban Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, Ningbo Urban Environment Observation and Research Station, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, 315800, P.R. China. Electronic address: pbao@iue.ac.cn.

PMID: 32361624
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.122733

Abstract

Sewage in WWTPs is one of main way to spread antibiotic resistant microbes (ARMs), and beach bay water is in direct contact with human skin. It is necessary to pay attention to remove the ARMs in WWTP sewage and bay water. Our results showed that ARMs and total microbes (TMs) can be effectively removed by S₂O₈^2-/Fe²⁺ in the effluent stage of WWTPs and bay water. Quenching experiments using tert-butyl alcohol, dimethyl sulfoxide and Al₂O₃ as scavengers confirmed that the primary reactive oxidants responsible for microbes removal during the Fe(II)-activated persulfate oxidation process might be SO₄^•- and Fe(IV), rather than •OH. The bacterial community shifted and the alpha diversity significantly reduced after treatment. In WWTP group, relative abundance of Firmicutes increased to 8.56%, and potential pathogens such as genus Vibrio decreased to 0.03% in bay water after treatment. The ecological toxicity to the environment of S₂O₈^2-/Fe²⁺ further illustrated that the mortality of indicator species Oryzias latipes did not increase after treatment, and the dosage of 60/30 μM can be potentially ideal dosage of S₂O₈^2-/Fe²⁺. This study revealed Fe(II)-activated persulfate oxidation as an eco-friendly and economical method could reduce TMs and ARMs in WWTP sewage and bay water.

Keywords: AOPs; Oryzias latipes; WWTP sewage; bay water; ecological toxicity assessment.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Anti-Bacterial Agents* / pharmacology
Ferrous Compounds
Humans
Oxidation-Reduction
Sewage
Sulfates
Water
Water Pollutants, Chemical* / analysis
Water Pollutants, Chemical* / toxicity

Substances

Anti-Bacterial Agents
Ferrous Compounds
Sewage
Sulfates
Water Pollutants, Chemical
Water