Pollution Characteristics of Typical Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Sludge Treatment Wetlands

Abstract

The in-situ static box method was used to conduct a comparative experiment on sludge treatment wetlands (STWs). STW1 had ventilation structure, without reeds and STW2 had ventilation and was planted with reeds. The absolute abundance of sulfonamide, tetracycline and macrolide antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the two STWs were analyzed, and the paper discussed pollution characteristics of typical antibiotic resistance genes in the two STWs. The results showed that three ARGs, sul1 (sulfonamides), tetC (tetracyclines), ermf (macrolides), were detected in STW1 and STW2. The concentration of arginine was sul1 > tetC > ermf. The concentration level of AGRS in STW1 and STW2 was lower in bottom layer than that of surface layer sludge. The removal efficiency of ARGs in the same system was tetC > sul1 > ermf, and the removal efficiency of surface sludge and bottom sludge in different systems was STW2 > STW1. Planting wetland plants in the STW can promote the removal of ARGs.