Research on Microbial Diversity and Antibiotic Resistance in Wastewater
A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Microbiology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 122
Special Issue Editors
2. Water Research Center for Agriculture and Mining (CRHIAM), ANID Fondap Center, Concepción 4070386, Chile
Interests: water treatment
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Antibiotics are used today to treat, and sometimes prevent, bacterial infections such as pneumonia, urinary tract infections, and streptococcal pharyngitis, among others. They are also widely used in the primary sector, including in farming, agriculture, and aquaculture. Both types of uses result in the release of vast amounts of antibiotics or their metabolic products into the environment, as urban and farming wastewater (WW), runoffs, or controlled and uncontrolled discharges. Current WW treatment technologies, whether physical, chemical, or biological, are not designed to eliminate antibiotics or antimicrobial compounds, as they are generally installed to remove organic matter, nutrients, and coliform bacteria. Therefore, it is important to understand how different WW biological treatments affect antibiotic degradation and transformation, as well as how they modulate the appearance of related side effects, such as antimicrobial resistance (AMR). In general, the effluents or sludge from sewage treatment plants (STPs) are not typically evaluated for the content of secondary metabolites resulting from antibiotic degradation, and there is no data on the generation of AMR after such treatments. As a result, the environmental impact on ecosystems due to the release of antibiotic-polluted water and sludges from cities, rural areas, or farms is poorly understood.
This Special Issue addresses how the use of antimicrobials (generating antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB)) at the source can influence wastewater treatment systems in cities and rural areas, as well as industrial effluent and sludge treatment plants operating in production systems. It will also consider the environmental impact of the presence of antibiotics in wastewater/sludge released from cities, rural areas, and the industrial sector on the environment and human health.
This Special Issue provides a platform for researchers to advance our knowledge of research on microbial diversity and antibiotic resistance in wastewater technology and on its impacts not only on the environment, but also on animal and human health. It aims to collect and publish recent reviews and research articles on topics such as the following:
- Characterization of waste (liquid, solid) regarding antimicrobial content (and content of ARGs and/or ARB);
- Influence of antibiotic resistance on different wastewater treatment technologies;
- Effects of technology on antibiotic degradation, transformation, or removal of antimicrobial content;
- Impact of treated wastewater or sludge containing antimicrobials on the environment, water security, and farming performance.
Prof. Dr. Gladys Vidal
Dr. Benjamin Pina
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- wastewater treatment
- antimicrobials
- antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs)
- antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB)
- technology
- environmental impact
- sludge disposal
- effluent reuse
- human health
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