Control de la resistencia antibiótica microbiana mediante procesos de oxidación avanzada, Manta -Ecuador

Abstract

Effluent water from oxidation ponds in Manta, Ecuador, and its subsequent treatment by advanced oxidation were evaluated. The objective was to determine the effectiveness of activated carbon treatments to inhibit antibiotic-resistant microorganisms (ARM) in these effluents. The physical-chemical parameters of the effluent from the oxidation pond were characterized before and after the treatments, such as pH, turbidity, total dissolved solids (STD) and electrical conductivity (EC). Three advanced oxidation treatments were used at time intervals and ozone equipment was used that provided a final O3 concentration of 3.0 grams per hour. All ozone treatments were effective in inhibiting the growth of total coliforms. The use of activated (CA) and modified carbon (CAM) with iron during the 2-h ozonation showed remarkable efficiency in this regard. These findings highlight the potential of ozone treatments in combination with the use of activated carbon for disinfection and control of microbiological contamination in water. Theisolated microorganisms were resistant to the drugs bacitracin and ampicillin, without the treatments modifying this resistance. However, sensitivity effects were observed at all stages of treatment for the drugs amikacin and levofloxacin. This study highlights the effectiveness of activated carbon and ozone treatments in improving water quality, removing turbidity, and inhibiting total coliforms, providing information to address contamination and conservation of water resource.