ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE POTENTIAL IN SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANTS

Abstract

There is a sudden rise in antibiotic resistant gene and bacteria globally. Studies have been conducted to check its proliferation in the environment. My study is based on the presence and spread of ARGs in the sewage treatment plants (STP). Samples were collected in three phases, Firstly of a pilot scale reactor in CED IIT Roorkee in April 2017, and then once in November 2018 of two STPs and then once in May 2019 of the same two STPs. The two STPs of Delhi were selected as sampling site namely Keshopur STP and Rithala STP which were located in the largest drain Najafgarh and second largest Supplementary drain respectively. Samples were collected from different chambers of the STP and also from upstream and downstream of the outlet. These samples were checked for the presence of 16S rRNA gene and sul1, sul2 and acrA gene. Firstly samples were concentrated using vacuum filtration and the DNA extraction was done using Hi Media DNA purification kit. Gene copy number per μL was then calculated using Real Time qPCR. From the data analyzed inferences were drawn regarding the abundance of ARGs in different chambers of STP.