Chlorination contributes to multi-antibiotic resistance in a pilot-scale water distribution system

• DOI: 10.2166/ws.2021.185
• Publication Date: 2021-06-15T16:13:23Z
• Authors: Jinmei Li; Shuting Zhang; Lizheng Guo; Lihua Chen; Zhisheng Yu
• Keywords: Resistome

Abstract The generation and dissemination of antibiotic resistance bacteria (ARB) genes (ARGs) in the environment has become a critical risk to human health. This study is based on pilot-scale simulated water distribution system understand effects chlorine disinfection treatment (without free chlorine) ARB ARGs biofilms. hydraulic parameters pipe materials were drinking system. results colony counts showed that bacterial multi-antibiotic could be enhanced 13-fold biofilms pipeline. use high-throughput qPCR (HT-qPCR) indicated total relative abundance biofilm samples increased significantly (p < 0.05), while diversity was shown reduced via taxonomic analysis V3–V4 region 16S rRNA. prominent types conferred by aminoglycoside β-lactam after treatment, deactivation main mechanism. Phyla Proteobacteria had highest both control groups but decreased from 70.81% (initial sample) 26.09% (the sixth-month groups. show plays role development networks owing first investigate contribution chlorination without community shift resistome alteration at pilot-test level.