Cong, X. / Maziersk, P. / Miodyńska, M. / Zaleska-Medynska, A. / Horn, H. / Schwartz, T. / Gmurek, M. (2024)

scientific reports, 2024, 14, 22897

Antibiotics are extensively used in human medicine, aquaculture, and animal husbandry, leading to
the release of antimicrobial resistance into the environment. This contributes to the rapid spread of
antibiotic-resistant genes (ARGs), posing a significant threat to human health and aquatic ecosystems.
Conventional wastewater treatment methods often fail to eliminate ARGs, prompting the adoption
of advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) to address this growing risk. The study investigates the
efficacy of visible light-driven photocatalytic systems utilizing two catalyst types (TiO2-Pd/Cu and
g-C3N4-Pd/Cu), with a particular emphasis on their effectiveness in eliminating blaTEM, ermB, qnrS,
tetM. intl1, 16 S rDNA and 23 S rDNA through photocatalytic ozonation and peroxone processes.
Incorporating O3 into photocatalytic processes significantly enhances target removal efficiency, with
the photocatalyst-assisted peroxone process emerging as the most effective AOP. The reemergence
of targeted contaminants following treatment highlights the pivotal importance of AOPs and the
meticulous selection of catalysts in ensuring sustained treatment efficacy. Furthermore, Polymerase
Chain Reaction-Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) analysis reveals challenges in
eradicating GC-rich bacteria with TiO2 and g-C3N4 processes, while slight differences in Cu/Pd loadings
suggest g-C3N4-based ozonation improved antibacterial effectiveness. Terminal Restriction Fragment
Length Polymorphism analysis highlights the efficacy of the photocatalyst-assisted peroxone process
in treating diverse samples.

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