Occurrence of natural and synthetic glucocorticoids in sewage treatment plants and receiving river waters

This paper first reports the occurrence of sixglucocorticoids (prednisone, prednisolone, cortisone, cortisol, dexamethasone, and 6alpha-methylprednisolone) in sewage treatment plants (STPs) and receiving rivers by establishing a method for analyzing glucocorticoids in complex environmental waters. For the various types of aqueous matrices considered, the absolute recoveries were from 73 to 99%, and limits of quantification were below 0.2 ng/L. Among the seven STPs studied, the average concentrations of prednisone, prednisolone, cortisone, cortisol, dexamethasone, and 6alpha-methylprednisolone in influents were, respectively, 2.6 +/- 2.1, 3.0 +/- 1.6, 30 +/- 21, 39 +/- 26, 1.2 +/- 0.70, and 0.62 +/- 0.65 ng/L, and their percent removals were 99 +/- 3.1, 78 +/- 8.8, 99 +/- 1.2, 98 +/- 2.5, 99 +/- 1.8, and 100 +/- 0%, respectively. The lower removal of prednisolone was found to be due to its relatively low efficiency of biodegradation, especially in anoxic and aerobic units. The frequently detected glucocorticoids in effluents were prednisolone, cortisol, and cortisone with average concentrations 0.56 +/- 0.06, 0.50 +/- 0.33, and 0.26 +/- 0.10 ng/ L. In the receiving waters, the Tonghui and Qing Rivers, the concentrations of these compounds in some samples were much higher than those in their corresponding STP effluents; these differences depended on the sampling date, suggesting that there was random discharging of untreated wastewaters into these rivers. In addition, the ratio between the combined concentrations of two natural glucocorticoids (cortisol and cortisone) and the concentration of one synthetic glucocorticoid, prednisolone, was found to be a potential index to reflect the wastewater discharging.     

温室内土壤-气溶胶中四环素类抗生素抗性基因的分布特征

目的研究温室内四环素类抗生素抗性基因(antibiotic resistance genes,ARGs)在土壤和气溶胶中的分布特征。方法以日光温室为研究对象,通过对温室内土壤、气溶胶样品中的17种四环素类ARGs进行实时荧光定量PCR测定,分析ARGs在土壤样品、不同切割粒径下的气溶胶样品中的分配分布特征。结果研究显示土壤及气溶胶中Tet(32s)检出率为100%,其次是Tet(A)、Tet(W)。随着气溶胶采样的切割粒径变小,检出的四环素类ARGs种类增加,丰度提高。PM2.5中的Tet(32s)平均丰度分别是土壤、TSP、PM10中的571.8倍、4.66倍和0.80倍。细胞保护是温室内四环素类ARGs的主要抗性机制。结论气溶胶和土壤均为ARGs的储库,不同切割粒径的气溶胶样品中ARGs的富集程度差别较大。鉴于气溶胶ARGs流动扩散能力强,比土壤ARGs的潜在风险更大,因此气溶胶ARGs亟待深入研究。     

Abundance and distribution of tetracycline resistance genes and mobile elements in an oxytetracycline production wastewater treatment system

We investigated the abundance and distribution of tetracycline resistance genes (tet genes) in an oxytetracycline (OTC) antibiotic production wastewater (APW) treatment system. Of sixteen tet genes and five mobile elements, nine tet genes (tet(A), tet(C), tet(G), tet(L), tet(M), tet(O), tet(Q), tet(W), and tet(X)) and two mobile elements (class 1 integron (intI1) and transposon Tn916/1545) were successfully quantified by real-time PCR. The relative abundance of tet genes in the effluent and activated sludge (1.2 × 10(-4) to 1.3 × 10(0)) of the APW treatment system were up to 2 orders of magnitude higher than those in the OTC fermentation residues (8.5 × 10(-5) to 6.7 × 10(-3)) (P < 0.01), and 1-4 orders of magnitude higher than those in sewage and nonantibiotic production wastewater treatment systems (P < 0.01), showing that the discharge of abundant tet genes from the APW treatment system is worthy of attention. The three most abundant genes in the APW treatment system, tet(A), tet(C), and tet(G), exhibited significant positive correlations with intI1 (R(2) = 0.73, 0.95, and 0.83, respectively; P < 0.05), suggesting that intI1 may be involved in their proliferation. This is the first study showing that some measures may be required to control the discharge of antibiotic resistance genes from treated APW and activated sludge.     

Occurrence, sources, and fate of benzothiazoles in municipal wastewater treatment plants

A set of six benzothiazoles was determined in effluents of three municipal wastewater treatment plants. Total concentrations of benzothiazoles ranged from 1.9 to 6.7 microg/ L, with benzothiazole-2-sulfonate (BTSA) being most prominent (35 - 70%), followed by benzothiazole, 2-hydroxybenzothiazole, and 2-methylthi benzothiazole (MTBT). The removal of benzothiazoles in tertiary municipal wastewater treatment was investigated in more detail in one of the plants during two sampling periods of several weeks. Total benzothiazole concentration decreased by 5-28% only. This very limited removal was primarily due to BTSA and MTBT that were either hardly removed or even increased in concentration. In street runoff benzothiazoles exceeded the wastewater concentrations by 1 order of magnitude, showing that surface runoff can be a significant source of benzothiazole emission. In household wastewater total concentrations were in the range of 50-80% of that found in municipal wastewater. These investigations outline that benzothiazoles, a class of polar and biologically active industrial chemicals, are regularly released with treated municipal wastewater and exhibit a considerable lifetime in surface waters.     

Removal of pharmaceuticals in sewage treatment plants in Italy

A listing of "priority pharmaceuticals" for human use in Italy resulted in the selection of 26 pharmaceuticals, belonging to 11 therapeutic classes. They were analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, their occurrence was assessed in six sewage treatment plants (STPs), and the loads and the removal rates (RR) were studied. Total loads ranged from 1.5 to 4.5 g/day/1000 inhabitants in influents and 1.0 and 3.0 g/day/1000 inhabitants in effluents. Total RR in STPs were mostly lower than 40%. Pharmaceuticals could be divided into three groups according to their behavior in STPs: one group with RR higher in summer than in winter, one group with RR similar in summer and winter, and a last group not removed. Last, we studied the distribution and fate of residual pharmaceuticals in the surface waters receiving the effluents of the STPs and identified degradation and sorption as the major factors affecting attenuation. Ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, sulfamethoxazole (antibiotics), atenolol (cardiovascular drug), ibuprofen (antiinflammatory), furosemide, hydrochlorothiazide (diuretics), ranitidine (gastrointestinal drug), and bezafibrate (lipid regulator) were the most abundant residual drugs, thus those of environmental concern.     

Occurrence and removal of chloro-s-triazines in water treatment plants

Atrazine, simazine, and propazine and their major chlorinated degradates (deethylatrazine, deisopropylatrazine, and didealkylatrazine) are considered as a group to be endocrine-disrupting chemicals by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. On this basis, regulatory action levels are currently under consideration for the total chloro-s-triazine (TCT) levels in drinking waters. To assess the concentrations of each of these species in drinking water and their treatability in conventional water treatment, a comprehensive, full-scale studywas conducted that included frequent monitoring at 33 and 47 water utilities during 2003 and 2004, respectively. Approximately 900 paired raw and treated water samples were analyzed using a gas chromatography/mass spectrometry method with preconcentration using a mixed-mode, solid-phase extraction that allowed quantitation of each species including didealkylatrazine. The results showed that atrazine concentrations were generally well within the 3 microg/L maximum contaminant level (MCL) and that simazine and propazine concentrations were generally negligible. Ninety-fifth-percentile values for the ratio of TCT/atrazine were 4.8 and 4.7, respectively. Effectiveness of conventional treatment technologies, including carbon, was observed to vary significantly. Concerns that didealkyatrazine concentrations may be high and significantly elevate the TCT appear to be unfounded. In general, the results suggest that potential treatment requirements for TCT are not likely to be any more difficult for utilities to meet than the current requirements for atrazine.     

Occurrence,types, properties and interactions of phenolic compounds with other food constituents in oil-bearing plants

ABSTRACT

Phenolic phytochemicals have become of interest due to their therapeutic potential, particularly with regards to their anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, hypolipidemic, and hypoglycemic properties. An evolving area of research involving phenolics in foods and their products pertains to the functional, biological, and nutritional consequences resulting from the binding between certain phenolic compounds and the macronutrient and micronutrient constituents of foods. The goal of this review is to provide a summary of studies investigating endogenous phenolic interactions with major components in food systems, including carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, minerals and vitamins, with a focus on the phenolic compounds and nutrients in oil-bearing plants. Another major objective is to provide a comprehensive overview of the chemical nature of phenolic interactions with food constituents that could affect the quality, nutritional and functional properties of foods. Such information can assist in the discovery and optimization of specific phenolic complexes in plant-based foods that could be utilized towards various applications in the food, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical industries.     

Occurrence and transport of tetracycline, sulfonamide, quinolone, and macrolide antibiotics in the Haihe River Basin, China

The occurrence and transport of 12 antibiotics (from the tetracycline, sulfonamide, quinolone, and macrolide families) was studied in a 72-km stretch of the Haihe River, China, and in six of its tributaries. Aqueous and sediment samples were analyzed by HPLC-MS/MS. Sulfonamides were detected at the highest concentrations (24-385 ng/L) and highest frequencies (76-100%). Eight of the 12 antibiotics likely originated from veterinary applications in swine farms and fishponds, and concentrations at these sources (0.12-47 μg/L) were 1-2 orders of magnitude higher than in the effluent of local wastewater treatment plants. Sulfachloropyridazine (SCP) was detected in all swine farm and fishpond samples (maximum concentration 47 μg/L), which suggests its potential usefulness to indicate livestock source pollution in the Haihe River basin. Hydrological and chemical factors that may influence antibiotic distribution in the Haihe River were considered by multiple regression analysis. River flow rate exerted the most significant effect on the first-order attenuation coefficient (K) for sulfonamides, quinolones, and macrolides, with higher flow rates resulting in higher K, probably due to dilution. For tetracyclines, sediment total organic matter and cation exchange capacity exerted a greater impact on K than flow rate, indicating that adsorption to sediments plays an important role in attenuating tetracycline migration. Overall, the predominance of sulfonamides in the Haihe River underscores the need to consider regulating their veterinary use and improving the management and treatment of associated releases.     

Organophosphorus flame retardants and plasticizers in Swedish sewage treatment plants

The levels, distribution, and possible sources of 12 organophosphorus flame retardants and plasticizers, some of which are reported to be toxic to aquatic organisms, were investigated in samples of influents, effluents, and sludge from 11 Swedish sewage treatment plants (STPs). The organophosphorus compounds (OPs) studied were poorly removed from the wastewater; especially the chlorinated OPs tended to pass through the STPs without being removed or degraded, while alkyl-OPs, such as tributyl phosphate (TBP), were more successfully removed. In both influents and effluents, tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate and TBP were the most prominent substances followed by tris(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate (TCPP). The highest concentration of any individual OP detected in the influents was 52 microg L(-1) (TBP). Ethylhexyl diphenyl phosphate and TCPP dominated in all sludge samples. A budget calculation comparing the annual amount of OPs in the influent received by Swedish STPs with the known amount of OPs imported indicated that approximately 15% is emitted to STPs. Of the total amount of OPs reaching the STPs annually, 49% is degraded, 50% (27 tons) is emitted to the recipients, and only 1% ends up in the sludge. The concentrations of most OPs were quite similar among the sampled STPs, indicating that the data may be applicable in other STPs.     

市售牛奶中4种四环素类抗生素抗性基因的比较研究

目的研究市售牛奶商品中4种代表性四环素类抗生素抗性基因(antibiotic resistance genes,ARGs)的分布特征。方法以12种商品牛奶为研究对象,通过对样品中的4种四环素类ARGs和16S r RNA进行实时荧光定量PCR测定,分析ARGs的分布特征,并对样品的保存条件、保质期、成分含量做相关性分析。结果牛奶样品中普遍检出抗性基因Tet(A)、Tet(W),检出率为100%,其抗性机制分别是外排泵和细胞保护;Tet(32 s)和Tet(L)均未检出。比较样品中ARGs的相对丰度,Tet(A)最高达到2.28,最低为0.06;Tet(W)最高达到0.24,最低为0.03。牛奶的产品类型、包装形式、保存条件和保质期与Tet(W)的相对丰度显著相关。结论市售牛奶样品中存在ARGs,不同牛奶样品中ARGs的富集程度存在差异。牛奶样品中ARGs相对丰度受到多种因素影响,值得从食品安全的角度深入研究。     

Effect of various sludge digestion conditions on sulfonamide, macrolide, and tetracycline resistance genes and class I integrons

Wastewater treatment processes are of growing interest as a potential means to limit the dissemination of antibiotic resistance. This study examines the response of nine representative antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) encoding resistance to sulfonamide (sulI, sulII), erythromycin (erm(B), erm(F)), and tetracycline (tet(O), tet(W), tet(C), tet(G), tet(X)) to various laboratory-scale sludge digestion processes. The class I integron gene (intI1) was also monitored as an indicator of horizontal gene transfer potential and multiple antibiotic resistance. Mesophilic anaerobic digestion at both 10 and 20 day solids retention times (SRTs) significantly reduced sulI, suII, tet(C), tet(G), and tet(X) with longer SRT exhibiting a greater extent of removal; however, tet(W), erm(B) and erm(F) genes increased relative to the feed. Thermophilic anaerobic digesters operating at 47 °C, 52 °C, and 59 °C performed similarly to each other and provided more effective reduction of erm(B), erm(F), tet(O), and tet(W) compared to mesophilic digestion. However, thermophilic digestion resulted in similar or poorer removal of all other ARGs and intI1. Thermal hydrolysis pretreatment drastically reduced all ARGs, but they generally rebounded during subsequent anaerobic and aerobic digestion treatments. To gain insight into potential mechanisms driving ARG behavior in the digesters, the dominant bacterial communities were compared by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. The overall results suggest that bacterial community composition of the sludge digestion process, as controlled by the physical operating characteristics, drives the distribution of ARGs present in the produced biosolids, more so than the influent ARG composition.     

Occurrence and fate of macrolide antibiotics in wastewater treatment plants and in the Glatt Valley watershed, Switzerland

An analytical method was developed for determining macrolide antibiotics in treated wastewater effluents and in ambient water based on solid-phase extraction and LC/MS analysis as well as on LC/MS/MS for structural confirmation. In wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) macrolides are only partly eliminated and can therefore reach the aquatic environment. In treated effluents from three WWTPs in Switzerland, clarithromycin, roxithromycin, and erythromycin-H2O, the main degradation product of erythromycin, were found. The most abundant, clarithromycin, reflects the consumption pattern of macrolide antibiotics. Summer concentrations of clarithromycin varied between 57 and 330 ng/L in treated WWTP effluents. In the WWTP Kloten-Opfikon seasonal differences revealed a load two times higher in winter than in summer. The higher abundance of erythromycin-H2O in the effluent of WWTP Kloten-Opfikon can be explained by distinct consumption patterns due to the main international airport of Switzerland in the catchment area. In the Glatt River clarithromycin reached concentrations of up to 75 ng/L. Mass flux determinations in treated effluents and in river water in the Glatt Valley watershed showed that elimination of clarithromycin along the river stretch of 36 km is insignificant (<20%). Investigations in the Glatt River before and after the diversion of the largest WWTP revealed an observable decrease in clarithromycin loads.     

信号分子AI-2对副溶血性弧菌四环素耐药基因接合转移的影响

目的 探讨信号分子AI-2对海产品中分离的副溶血性弧菌四环素耐药基因接合转移的影响作用.方法 分别构建经AI-2处理和未经AI-2处理的副溶血性弧菌和大肠埃希氏菌的接合反应体系,通过菌落计数法测定不同浓度AI-2对副溶血性弧菌四环素耐药基因接合频率的影响,采用逆转录实时荧光定量聚合酶链式反应法测定不同浓度AI-2对接合...     

鸡源细菌中5种四环素耐药基因多重PCR检测方法的建立

为建立一种同步检测鸡源细菌中5种四环素耐药基因tetA、tetD、tetG、tetS和tetX的多重聚合酶链式反应(PCR)方法,优化了多重PCR体系的引物和Taq DNA聚合酶浓度及退火温度等参数,并考察了方法的灵敏度、特异性和适用性。建立的多重PCR反应技术的最佳反应体系为:混合DNA模板5μL,Taq酶1μL,tetA和tetX的正反向引物各0.5μL,tetG、tetD和tetS的正反向引物各1.0μL,dNTP4μL,MgCl24μL,10×PCR反应缓冲液5μL,最终用dd H2O补齐至50μL;反应程序为:95℃预变性5min;95℃变性30s,55℃退火30s,72℃延伸1min,35个循环;72℃延伸10min。该方法的灵敏度为102 CFU/mL,且能广谱地检测多种鸡源细菌中的5种四环素耐药基因。与传统的单重PCR方法相比,该多重PCR技术快速高效、适用性广。     

Removal of two polycyclic musks in sewage treatment plants: freely dissolved and total concentrations

In the current study, the removal of slowly degradable hydrophobic chemicals in sewage treatment plants (STPs) has been evaluated with emphasis on the combination of free and total concentration data. Free and total concentrations of two polycyclic musks were determined in each compartment of four STPs. The free concentration of the polycyclic musks remains virtually constant throughout all the compartments of the STPs with values between 0.21 and 0.57 microg/L for AHTN and between 0.79 and 2.0 microg/L for HHCB. Total concentrations of these fragrances are highly dependent on the volatile solids in a given compartment resulting in much more variation with values between 0.42 and 92 microg/L for AHTN and between 1.25 and 258 microg/L for HHCB. It is concluded that free concentrations of these hydrophobic chemicals in the compartments of STPs are mostly biodegradation mediated, while total concentrations are mediated by the concentration of solids. The combination of measurements of free and total concentrations can improve estimations regarding removal efficiency and removal pathways.     

Real-time polymerase chain reaction for the quantitative detection of tetA and tetB bacterial tetracycline resistance genes in food

A new, rapid, sensitive and specific method was developed to directly detect and quantify tetA and tetB in food. Both tet genes are two of the most frequently present tetracycline resistance genes in Gram-negative bacteria. A set of primers and Taqman probes was designed for each gene. The standard curves were performed using Escherichia coli BM13 (C600 RifR)/RP4 and E. coli NCTC 50365, which carry tetA and tetB, respectively. Meat and fish samples inoculated with these reference strains were used as a matrix to construct the standard curves for the analysis of 20 samples of chicken meat and 10 samples of hake (Merlucius merlucius). The limits of detection in pure culture were 5 cfu/mL (0.7 log cfu/mL) in the case of tetA, 50 cfu/mL (1.7 log cfu/mL) for tetB and 5 × 10² cfu/g (2.7 log cfu/g) for both genes in food samples. The results obtained by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) were compared to counts of tetracycline-resistant bacteria obtained by plating extracts of poultry and hake samples in culture media supplemented with 16 mg/L of tetracycline. Counts of tetracycline-resistant bacteria obtained by qPCR showed a positive correlation, especially interesting when compared with microbiological counts of tetracycline-resistant Enterobacteriaceae in poultry meat (r = 0.5509) and with tetracycline-resistant mesophilic aerobic bacteria in hake samples (r = 0.7146). The obtained results demonstrate that this method could be a useful tool for the direct quantification of the amount of bacterial strains that carry tetA and/or tetB genes in food samples.     

Effects of different composting methods on antibiotic-resistant bacteria,antibiotic resistance genes,and microbial diversity in dairy cattle manures

Composting is a common practice used for treating animal manures before they are used as organic fertilizers for crop production. Whether composting can effectively reduce microbial pathogens and antibiotic resistance genes remain poorly understood. In this study, we compared 3 different dairy manure composting methods—anaerobic fermentation (AF), static compost (SC), and organic fertilizer production (OFP)—for their effects on antibiotic-resistant bacteria, antibiotic resistance genes, and microbial community diversity in the treated manures. The 3 composting methods produced variable and distinct effects on antibiotic-resistant bacteria, zoonotic bacteria, and resistance genes, some of which were decreased and others of which showed no significant changes during composting. Particularly, SC and OFP reduced chloramphenicol resistance gene fexA and opportunistic pathogen Vibrio fluvialis, whereas AF significantly reduced tetracycline resistance gene tetB and opportunistic pathogens Enterococcus faecium and Escherichia fergusonii. The compositions of microbial communities varied significantly during the composting processes, and there were significant differences between the 3 composting methods. In all 3 composts, the dominant phyla were Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria. Interestingly, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes remained stable in the entire AF process, whereas they were dominated at the beginning, decreased at the early stage of composting, and rebounded at the later stage during SC and OFP. In general, SC and OFP produced a more profound effect than AF on microbial community diversities, pathogens, and dominant species. Additionally, Enterococcus aquimarinus was isolated from AF for the first time. Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States function prediction analysis indicated that the genes related to membrane transport and amino acid metabolism were abundant in the 3 composts. The metabolism of amino acids, lipids, and carbohydrates increased as composting progressed. The biosynthesis of antibiotics was enhanced after fermentation in the 3 composting methods, and the increase in the SC was the most obvious. These results reveal dynamic changes in antibiotic-resistant bacteria, antibiotic resistance genes, microbial community composition, and function succession in different dairy manure composts and provide useful information for further optimization of composting practices.