RT info:eu-repo/semantics/article
T1 Viral RNA and antibiotic resistance genes associations in a full-scale activated sludge wastewater treatment plant
A1 Torres Franco, Andrés Felipe
A1 Rodríguez Rodríguez, Elisa
A1 Carita Gonçalves, José Manuel
A1 González, María José
A1 Muñoz Torre, Raúl
A1 García Encina, Pedro Antonio
A1 Díaz Villalobos, Israel
K1 Antibiotic-Resistance Genes
K1 MS2 bacteriophage
K1 SARS-CoV-2
K1 Viral RNA
K1 3308 Ingeniería y Tecnología del Medio Ambiente
AB Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) based on activated sludge (AS) processes have demonstrated moderate capacity to remove viruses from wastewater. However, few studies have systematically assessed viruses along water and sludge treatment lines and their associations with Antibiotic-Resistant Genes (ARGs). In this work, the fate, distribution and possible interactions of RNA from SARS-CoV-2 and coliphage MS2 with ARGs in a full-scale AS WWTP were investigated. Total reductions of SARS-CoV-2 and MS2 RNA (2.5 and 2.4 log10 units, respectively) were achieved mainly in the water treatment line. In contrast, lower total reductions (0.7–1.5 log10 units) of 16S rRNA, class 1 integron-integrase (intI1), sulfonamide-resistant dihydropteroate synthase (sul1) and tetracycline resistance protein (tetO) were mainly achieved during sludge treatment. In addition to the water treatment line, sludge stabilisation was a critical barrier to controlling viral RNA and ARGs in the outflows. Amplification of intI1 and sul1 seemed to occur in the AS reactors, potentially associated with bacteriophage presence in these units. Thus, the participation of bacteriophages in the amplification of ARGs in AS systems should not be ruled out. RNA viruses and ARGs should be more frequently determined in WWTPs to assess and prevent phage-mediated amplification of ARGs.
PB Elsevier
SN 2213-3437
YR 2026
FD 2026
LK https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/84227
UL https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/84227
LA eng
NO Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 2026, vol. 14, n. 3, p. 122703
NO Producción Científica
DS UVaDOC
RD 21-abr-2026