Transition of antimicrobial resistome in wastewater treatment plants: impact of process configuration, geographical location and season

Abstract Antimicrobial resistome in wastewater treatment plants was investigated via shotgun metagenomic analysis over a variety of geographical locations, seasons, and biological configurations. The results revealed that the transition antimicrobial occurred at two locations during treatment, which resulted distinctive influent wastewater, activated sludge, treated effluent. characterized by high abundance antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) on clinically important drugs, whereas sludge retained higher multidrug ARGs associated with efflux pump. Seasonality primary factor affecting partially succeeded to subsequent Importantly, some drugs passed through be discharged effluent, except membrane bioreactor process.