Technological advancement for eliminating antibiotic resistance genes from wastewater: A review of their mechanisms and progress

Abstract

Antibiotics resistance genes (ARGs) concurrence with antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) has been identified globally as contaminants that threaten public health. These contaminants enter wastewater treatment plants through a hospital, domestic, pharmaceutical, and agricultural activities. These channels are responsible for disseminating antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) among the non-resistant bacteria by horizontal gene transfer, making wastewater a hotspot for antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Conventional and advanced treatment processes have been widely used to mitigate or minimize conjugative gene transfer risk. The application of these processes alone can successfully inactivate ARB during the treatment process. However, there is a possibility that the existing ARGs present in the cell debris could still confer resistance through transformation and transduction without live donor cells. Also, most of the disinfection/treatment processes may enrich ARB and ARGs' concentration in the long run. As a result of these drawbacks, systematic mechanisms that would effectively remove bacteria DNA and inactivate ARB may provide a solution to enable the public to access effluents free from ARGs. This review provides concise information on the commonly used antibiotics, their abundance in wastewater and natural waters, coupled with available technologies for their removal from water and wastewater, which may minimize the risk of accessing ARGs contaminated water. Therefore, the adoption of these well-detailed technologies may be a promising way that would stop ARG proliferation.