Fate of antibiotic resistance genes and its drivers during anaerobic co-digestion of food waste and sewage sludge based on microwave pretreatment

Bioresour Technol. 2016 Oct:217:28-36. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2016.02.140. Epub 2016 Mar 8.

Abstract

In this study, anaerobic digestion of mono-SS, MW-SS:FW and SS:MW-FW was investigated to understand the fate of ARGs and its drivers. Anaerobic digestion was effective for the reduction of metal resistance genes (MRGs), and could reduce the abundance of blaOXA-1, sulI and tetG, while sulII in co-digestion and blaTEM and ereA only in MW-SS. ARGs reduction could be partly attributed to the reduction of co-selective pressure from heavy metals reflected by MRGs. However, the abundance of mefA/E, ermB, ermF, tetM and tetX increased significantly. Anaerobic co-digestion, especially for MW-SS, could reduce total ARGs abundance compared with mono-SS, and evolution of bacterial community was the main driver for the fate of ARGs.

Keywords: Anaerobic digestion; Antibiotic resistance genes; Food waste; Metal resistance genes; Sewage sludge.

MeSH terms

  • Anaerobiosis
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • China
  • Drug Resistance, Bacterial / drug effects
  • Drug Resistance, Bacterial / genetics*
  • Evolution, Molecular
  • Food*
  • Genes, Bacterial
  • Metals, Heavy / pharmacology
  • Microbial Consortia / drug effects
  • Microbial Consortia / genetics
  • Microbial Consortia / physiology*
  • Microwaves*
  • Sewage / microbiology*
  • Waste Disposal, Fluid / methods*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Metals, Heavy
  • Sewage