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Wastewater disinfection by solar heterogeneous photocatalysis: effect on tetracycline resistant/sensitive Enterococcus strains

  • Authors (legacy)
    Corresponding: Luigi Rizzo
    Co-authors: Rizzo L.
    Ferro G.
    Manaia C.M.
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  • gnest_01331_published.pdf
  • Paper ID
    gnest_01331
  • Paper status
    Published
  • Date paper submitted
  • Date paper accepted
  • Date paper online
DOI
https://doi.org/10.30955/gnj.001331
Abstract

Solar simulated heterogeneous photocatalysis (SSHP) with suspended TiO2 was investigated in the inactivation of tetracycline resistant/sensitive Enterococcus (TRE/TSE) strains in the effluent of an urban wastewater treatment plant (UWTP). The effect of solar simulated disinfection (SSD) on the inactivation of the same Enterococcus strains was investigated as control. SSHP process (0.05 g l-1 of TiO2) was found to be effective in the inactivation of both Enterococcus strains with total inactivation (~7 log unit) observed after 60 min of irradiation. On the contrary, SSD process did not show any significant inactivation after 90 min of irradiation. The effect of both processes on the antibiotic resistance phenotypes of the surviving enterococci was also evaluated. TRE cells surviving the SSHP treatment showed that disinfection process did not affect the antibiotic resistance pattern after 45 min irradiation. The same was observed for the TSE strain. Accordingly, antibiotic resistance can spread into the receiving water body when antibiotic resistant strains survive to disinfection process.

 

Keywords
Advanced oxidation processes antibiotic resistant bacteria bioindicator urban wastewater wastewater reuse.
Cite this article
Ferro, G., Manaia, C. and Rizzo, L. (2014) “Wastewater disinfection by solar heterogeneous photocatalysis: effect on tetracycline resistant/sensitive Enterococcus strains”, Global NEST Journal, 16(3). Available at: https://doi.org/10.30955/gnj.001331.
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  • gnest_01331_published.pdf