Decay of elevated antibiotic resistance genes in natural river sediments after sedimentation of wastewater particles.

Large-scale wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) discharge hundreds of tons of total suspended solids (TSS) into surface waters every year. Additionally, a comparable amount is released by sewer overflows during heavy rain events in case of combined sewer systems. Along with sedimentation, particle-attached microorganisms and their antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are herewith transported to the riverbed of the receiving water.

Effect of selected metal ions on the photocatalytic degradation of bog lake water natural organic matter.

Herein we report the photocatalytic degradation of natural organic matter from a bog lake (Lake Hohloh, Black Forest, Germany) in the presence of 0, 5, and 10 μmol L(-1) of added Cu(2+), Mn(2+), Zn(2+) and Fe(3+). The reactions were followed by size exclusion chromatography with organic carbon detection (SEC-DOC) and by measurements of low molecular weight organic acids. Addition of Cu(2+) had the largest effect of all four studied metals, leading to a retardation in the molecular size changes in NOM: degradation of the larger molecular weight fraction was inhibited leading to reduced production of smaller molecular weight metabolites.