Effects of UV light disinfection on antibiotic-resistant coliforms in wastewater effluents
Total coliforms and total coliforms resistant to streptomycin, tetracycline, or chloramphenicol were isolated from filtered activated sludge effluents before and after UV light irradiation. Although the UV irradiation effectively disinfected the wastewater effluent, the percentage of the total surviving coliform population resistant to tetracycline or chloramphenicol was significantly higher than the percentage of the total coliform population resistant to those antibiotics before UV irradiation. This finding was attributed to the mechanism of R-factor mediated resistance to tetracycline. No significant difference was noted for the percentage of the surviving total coliform population resistant to streptomycin before or after UV irradiation. Multiple drug resistant to patterns of 300 total coliform isolates revealed that 82% were resistant to two or more antibiotics. Furthermore, 46% of these isolates were capable of transferring antibiotic resistance to a sensitive strain of Escherichia coli.
- Research Organization:
- Municipal Environmental Research Lab., Cincinnati, OH
- OSTI ID:
- 5579320
- Journal Information:
- Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States), Journal Name: Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States) Vol. 43:2; ISSN AEMID
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANTI-INFECTIVE AGENTS
ANTIBIOTICS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
COLIFORMS
DRUGS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
PHOTOSENSITIVITY
RADIATIONS
SENSITIVITY
STERILIZATION
SURVIVAL CURVES
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION