Antibiotics in wastewater: Exploring the sources, links to antibiotic resistance, and strategies for their removal
Antibiotics in wastewater have posed significant health concern as they promote the development and spread of antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs) among bacterial populations. Several studies have reported the occurrence and diversity of antibiotics and their relation with ARGs in bacterial population...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-12-01
|
| Series: | Cleaner Water |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950263225000481 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849233491875594240 |
|---|---|
| author | Prem Rajak Abhratanu Ganguly Sukhendu Dey Kamalesh Sen |
| author_facet | Prem Rajak Abhratanu Ganguly Sukhendu Dey Kamalesh Sen |
| author_sort | Prem Rajak |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Antibiotics in wastewater have posed significant health concern as they promote the development and spread of antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs) among bacterial populations. Several studies have reported the occurrence and diversity of antibiotics and their relation with ARGs in bacterial populations of wastewater samples collected from different wastewater treatment plants. Bacterial populations in wastewater are usually dominated by Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, and Escherichia, which contain ARGs. Wastewater derived from hospitals, pharmaceutical industries, animal farms, and domestic sources harbors a diverse range of ARGs, including those conferring resistance to β-lactam, macrolides, sulfonamides, and fluoroquinolones. The abundance of ARGs significantly correlates with the concentrations of antibiotics in the wastewater. Bacterial strains typically employ efflux pumps, target-site modulation, and enzymatic degradation of antibiotics to impart resistance. Horizontal gene transfer plays a significant role in the propagation of antibiotic resistance among bacterial strains. Several sustainable approaches, such as membrane filtration, adsorption, photocatalysis, and the Advanced Oxidation Process, offer promising advantages for better management of pharmaceutical wastes. Therefore, the present study highlights the occurrence and abundance of antibiotics and ARGs in wastewater and the need for sustainable approaches to mitigate antibiotic resistance. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9a9b8b9577634e409b33357bffedc63d |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2950-2632 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cleaner Water |
| spelling | doaj-art-9a9b8b9577634e409b33357bffedc63d2025-08-20T05:08:33ZengElsevierCleaner Water2950-26322025-12-01410011010.1016/j.clwat.2025.100110Antibiotics in wastewater: Exploring the sources, links to antibiotic resistance, and strategies for their removalPrem Rajak0Abhratanu Ganguly1Sukhendu Dey2Kamalesh Sen3Department of Animal Science, Kazi Nazrul University, Asansol, West Bengal, India; Corresponding author.Department of Animal Science, Kazi Nazrul University, Asansol, West Bengal, IndiaThe University of Burdwan, Burdwan, West Bengal, IndiaDepartment of Environmental Science, Syamsundar College, Shyamsundar, Burdwan, West Bengal, IndiaAntibiotics in wastewater have posed significant health concern as they promote the development and spread of antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs) among bacterial populations. Several studies have reported the occurrence and diversity of antibiotics and their relation with ARGs in bacterial populations of wastewater samples collected from different wastewater treatment plants. Bacterial populations in wastewater are usually dominated by Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, and Escherichia, which contain ARGs. Wastewater derived from hospitals, pharmaceutical industries, animal farms, and domestic sources harbors a diverse range of ARGs, including those conferring resistance to β-lactam, macrolides, sulfonamides, and fluoroquinolones. The abundance of ARGs significantly correlates with the concentrations of antibiotics in the wastewater. Bacterial strains typically employ efflux pumps, target-site modulation, and enzymatic degradation of antibiotics to impart resistance. Horizontal gene transfer plays a significant role in the propagation of antibiotic resistance among bacterial strains. Several sustainable approaches, such as membrane filtration, adsorption, photocatalysis, and the Advanced Oxidation Process, offer promising advantages for better management of pharmaceutical wastes. Therefore, the present study highlights the occurrence and abundance of antibiotics and ARGs in wastewater and the need for sustainable approaches to mitigate antibiotic resistance.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950263225000481AntibioticsAntibiotic resistance genesWastewaterPhotocatalysisAntimicrobial resistance |
| spellingShingle | Prem Rajak Abhratanu Ganguly Sukhendu Dey Kamalesh Sen Antibiotics in wastewater: Exploring the sources, links to antibiotic resistance, and strategies for their removal Cleaner Water Antibiotics Antibiotic resistance genes Wastewater Photocatalysis Antimicrobial resistance |
| title | Antibiotics in wastewater: Exploring the sources, links to antibiotic resistance, and strategies for their removal |
| title_full | Antibiotics in wastewater: Exploring the sources, links to antibiotic resistance, and strategies for their removal |
| title_fullStr | Antibiotics in wastewater: Exploring the sources, links to antibiotic resistance, and strategies for their removal |
| title_full_unstemmed | Antibiotics in wastewater: Exploring the sources, links to antibiotic resistance, and strategies for their removal |
| title_short | Antibiotics in wastewater: Exploring the sources, links to antibiotic resistance, and strategies for their removal |
| title_sort | antibiotics in wastewater exploring the sources links to antibiotic resistance and strategies for their removal |
| topic | Antibiotics Antibiotic resistance genes Wastewater Photocatalysis Antimicrobial resistance |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950263225000481 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT premrajak antibioticsinwastewaterexploringthesourceslinkstoantibioticresistanceandstrategiesfortheirremoval AT abhratanuganguly antibioticsinwastewaterexploringthesourceslinkstoantibioticresistanceandstrategiesfortheirremoval AT sukhendudey antibioticsinwastewaterexploringthesourceslinkstoantibioticresistanceandstrategiesfortheirremoval AT kamaleshsen antibioticsinwastewaterexploringthesourceslinkstoantibioticresistanceandstrategiesfortheirremoval |