Iron-sulfur mediated antibiotic resistance genes attenuation and autotrophic denitrification mechanisms in bioelectrochemical systems

Abstract

Aiming at the problems of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) transfer, mobile gene elements (MGEs) and nitrogen removal in livestock wastewater, pyrite was introduced into the bioelectrochemical constructed wetland, mainly focusing on the mechanism of ARGs transfer and autotrophic denitrification in bioelectrochemical system. The results indicated that pyrite promoted the degradation of antibiotics while inhibiting the efflux of ARGs and MGEs in effluent. The removal rate of antibiotics in pyrite-mediated constructed wetland coupled with microbial fuel cell (PCW-MFC) was 26.84 % and 21.20 % higher than constructed wetland-microbial fuel cell (CW-MFC) and pyrite-mediated constructed wetland (PCW). Metagenomic analysis revealed that the abundance of ARGs in effluent and anodic microorganism in PCW-MFC was effectively controlled by inhibiting the expression of genes encoding antibiotic efflux (macB, tetA, smeS). The expression levels of periplasmic nitrate reduction genes (napA, napB) and encoding cytochrome c nitrite reductase small subunit genes (nrfH) in PCW-MFC were much higher than CW-MFC. The total expression of ARGs in CW-MFC anode biofilms was 35.77 % higher than PCW-MFC, indicating that the system can effectively reduce the spread of ARGs and abate environmental risks. The findings can provide theoretical reference for the control of ARGs and efficient nitrogen removal in livestock wastewater.