The increase of antibiotic resistance against antibiotics (AB) is an alarming phenomenon threatening the human well being and heading back to the pre-antibiotic era where many infectious diseases may become again untreatable with antibiotics. There is a strong correlation between AB use and occurrence of resistances which suggests anthropogenically-driven environments as reservoirs of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB). Among anthropogenically - driven environments, wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), have been linked with the increased incidence of pathogens and ARB in freshwater ecosystems. Principal goal of the study was to evaluate the role of WWTPs as environmental reservoirs for antibiotic resistance and pathogenic bacteria. In this thesis, classical and molecular microbiology methods were applied to analyse resistance levels of bacterial communities from wastewater and wastewater-polluted environments at different geographical locations of developed (German and Switzerland) and developing (Nigeria) countries. Additionally, a novel approach which makes use of a combination of quantitative genomics, Next Generation Sequencing and drug-related health data was applied to quantitatively detect antibiotic resistance genes (ARG) in wastewater and assess their seasonal dynamics. The relative abundance of ARG was not reduced by the WWTPs in the treated effluent. Effluents were responsible for significantly high levels of ARB and ARG in the receiving environment because capable of introducing and/or selecting ARB carrying ARG on genetic mobile elements. The ARG levels differed between seasons independently from the water sanitation. High ARG levels were displayed in autumn and winter in coincidence with the higher uptake of antibiotics by the outpatients of the municipality.Contrary to the ARG, the abundance of bacteria was reduced by WWTPs processes in the effluent of developed countries. The WWTPs were also responsible for the changes of the microbial community from the wastewater to the effluent. Contrary to developed countries, the poor treatment of wastewater in Nigeria facilitated the spread of multi-drug resistant pathogens in the freshwater ecosystem. These bacteria were also carriers of clinically relevant ARG contributing to the accumulation of multiresistant pathogens in the environment. All in all, this thesis shows that well established WWTP technologies are not capable to prevent or reduce the abundance of ARG in the freshwater ecosystem and poorly treated wastewater enriches the environmental reservoirs of ARG. Antibiotic resistance can spread across taxonomically distant bacteria and therefore explain the strong dispersal of ARG in wastewater effluents. These results show that antibiotic resistances are also ubiquitous in the freshwater environment and that anthropogenically - driven environments determine the incidence of antibiotic resistance. As for the clinic, tackling the problem of antibiotic resistance in the environment is fundamental. Without any action, the environmental reservoirs of resistance will increase and therapeutic failure in the clinic will irreversibly compromise the biggest progress in medicine of the 20th century.

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No description available.

In waste water, phosphorous (P) can exist in inorganic or organic forms. Depending on the concentration, P can cause eutrophication and severe environmental pollution. Microorganisms have the ability to use and accumulate P, so microorganisms are studied to treat P in waste water in general and wastewater from cassava starch processing plants in particular. Research results show that in the 20 samples of waste water and sludge of the plant has selected three strains of bacteria that can accumulate P in the form of granules in the cell. Among them, SHV22 has the highest P accumulation capacity, reaching 3.05x10-11 mg/cell, P removal efficiency in wastewater from cassava starch processing factory is 82.1%. The strain was identified as Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. / Trong nước thải P có thể tồn tại dưới dạng vô cơ hoặc hữu cơ. Tùy thuộc vào nồng độ, P có thể gây phú dưỡng và ô nhiễm môi trường nghiêm trọng. Vi sinh vật có khả năng sử dụng và tích lũy P, do đó vi sinh vật là đối tượng được nghiên cứu để xử lý P trong nước thải nói chung và nước thải của nhà máy chế biến tinh bột sắn nói riêng. Kết quả nghiên cứu cho thấy, trong 20 mẫu nước và bùn thải của nhà máy đã chọn lựa được 3 chủng vi khuẩn có khả năng tích lũy P dưới dạng hạt trong tế bào. Trong số đó, chủng SHV22 có khả năng tích lũy P cao nhất, đạt tới 3,05x10-11 mg/tế bào, hiệu quả loại bỏ P trong nước thải của nhà máy chế biến tinh bột sắn đạt 82,1%. Chủng đã được định danh là Bacillus amyloliquefaciens.

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No description available.

Domestic wastewater is one of the most interested environmental issues in Vietnam, especially in big cities and suburban residential areas. Most of the wastewater was not treated in the right way before discharging to environment. In this research, the author used water hyacinth as a main aquatic plant in aquatic pond model to treat wastewater. The experiment was operated continuously in 1 year with hydraulic retention time (HRT) is 11 and 18 days. Hydraulic loading rate (HRL) is 300 and 500 m3/ha/day, respectively. Treatment efficiency of the model for TSS is 90% (remaining 6 -12mg/l); COD, BOD5 is 63 - 81% (remaining 10 - 48mg/l); TP is 48 – 50% (remaining 3.5 - 9.8mg/l); TKN is 63 - 75% (remaining 8 - 17mg/l). Polluted parameters in effluent were lower than A and B levels of Vietnam standard QCVN 14: 2008/BTNMT and QCVN 40: 2011/BTNMT. The doubling time of water hyacinth in summer is 18days, and in autumn and winter is 28.5 days. Experiment results showed that we can use water hyacinth in aquatic pond to treat domestic wastewater with medium scale. We can apply this natural treatment method for residential areas by utilizing existing natural ponds and abandoned agricultural land with capacity up to 500m3/ha day. However, to get better efficiency we should combine with other aquatic plant species to treat wastewater and improve environmental landscape. / Nước thải – xử lý nước thải sinh hoạt hiện đang là một trong những vấn đề môi trường được quan tâm tại Việt Nam nhất là tại các thành phố lớn và các khu dân cư. Hầu hết lượng nước thải chưa được xử lý đúng cách trước khi thải ra môi trường. Trong nghiên cứu này, tác giả sử dụng mô hình hồ thủy sinh và sử dụng cây Bèo lục bình để xử lý nước thải sinh hoạt của một khu dân thuộc huyện Từ Liêm, tại khu vực này nước thải bị thải trực tiếp vào sông Nhuệ. Thực nghiệm đã được tiến hành trong khoảng thời gian một năm, trải qua các mùa của khu vực miền Bắc với hai chế độ vận hành HRT là 18 và 11 ngày, tương ứng với tải trọng thủy lực HRL là 300 và 500 m3/ha/ngày. Kết quả cho thấy mô hình thủy sinh sử dụng cây bèo lục bình cho kết quả tốt, hiệu suất xử lý với các chất ô nhiễm đạt được như sau: chất rắn lơ lửng đạt 90%, COD, BOD5 đạt 63 - 81%, Phốt pho tổng giảm tới 48 -50%, Nitơ tổng giảm tới 63 - 75%. Hàm lượng các chất ô nhiễm trong nước thải đầu ra của mô hình đều thấp hơn ngưỡng A và B của các tiêu chuẩn QCVN 14: 2008/BTNMT và QCVN 40: 2011/BTNMT. Bên cạnh đó tác giả cũng đã xác định định được tốc độ sinh trưởng của cây bèo tại khu vực miền Bắc là 18 ngày vào mùa hè và 28.5 ngày vào mùa thu đông. Kết quả nghiên cứu cho thấy có thể sử dụng bèo lục bình để xử lý nước thải sinh hoạt, với qui mô vừa và nhỏ và nên áp dụng cho các khu vực ven đô, nông thôn nơi có diện tích đất rộng hoặc tại các hồ sinh thái của các khu đô thị. Tuy nhiên, để hiệu quả tốt hơn ta cần kết hợp với nhiều loại thực vật thủy sinh khác để ngoài tác dụng xử lý nước thải mà còn tạo cảnh quan môi trường xung quanh.

Sewage exfiltration from a sanitary and combined sewer systems and its percolation into porous medium results in a clogged or colmation layer in the nearby soil. In order to develop a comprehensive understanding of raw sewage transport mechanisms in porous media, investigations were carried out on the micro-scale properties of the multiphase system. In our laboratory experiments, the role of surfactants as a major organic chemical compound in wastewater was evaluated by using a surfactant solution as an artificial wastewater percolating into a porous media, represented by using columns and Plexiglas model. We studied flows of water and surfactants solution in saturated porous medium to detect the dynamic effects by means of measuring pressure and permeability as well as by visualization of flow regions and consequence for porosity along interfaces between water and surfactants solution. The tests revealed that mechanisms at interfaces between fluids and solids as well as between water and surfactants solution (i.e. wastewater) are significantly influencing the flow behavior. At the interfaces surfactant molecules are adsorbed or accumulate, respectively, and subsequently inducing electrical charges to those layers, altering the properties of fluids and these interfaces. Depending on the conditions, channels might be narrowed and thus decreasing the flow rate with a later erosion and increase of flow rates, or the flow and thus the erosive capacity might become intensified along the interface between surfactants solution and neighbouring water. In conclusion, the results of tests proved the surfactants to be an important controlling factor in the hydraulic properties of wastewater percolating into soil.

Spurenanalytische Untersuchungen von Umweltproben erfolgen meist standardmäßig mittels Festphasenextraktion (SPE) und anschließender GC/MS. Das Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit bestand darin, alternative Methoden für die spurenanalytische Bestimmung von Estrogenen aus Umweltproben aufzuzeigen. Als Analyte wurden die natürlichen Estrogene Estron (E1), Estradiol (E2) und Estriol (E3), sowie das synthetische Ethinylestradiol (EE2) ausgewählt. Da als Haupteintragspfad dieser Substanzen in die Umwelt die Kläranlagen anzunehmen sind, erfolgte die Methodenentwicklung ausgehend von gereinigtem Abwasser. Als Probenvorbereitungstechniken kamen neben der Festphasenextraktion (SPE), die klassische Flüssig-Flüssig-Extraktion (LLE), sowie die relativ neue Methode der Festphasenmikroextraktion (SPME) zum Einsatz. Die analytische Bestimmung der angereicherten Extrakte erfolgte mittels HPLC/UV und HPLC/ELCD bzw. mittels GC/FID und GC/MS. Zur Entwicklung einer Screening-Methode wurde die adsorptive Anreicherung der Estrogene an Kohlenstoffelektroden sowie das Cathodic Stripping von EE2 an Quecksilber erprobt. Die Verfahrensschritte wurden zunächst anhand dotierter Proben optimiert, und die Methoden dann anhand der erzielten Bestimmungsgrenze, Selektivität und Präzision verglichen. Die Eignung der Verfahren wurde abschließend durch die Messung realer Abwasserproben überprüft. / Trace analytical environmental investigations are usually done by solid phase extraction (SPE) and GC/MS. The aim of the present thesis was the development of alternative methods for the trace analysis of estrogens in the environment. Estrone (E1), Estradiol (E2) and Estriol (E3) as well as the synthetic estrogen Ethynylestradiol (EE2) were chosen for this investigation. These estrogens enter the environment mainly via sewage treatment plants. Therefore the method development was launched on purified waste water. Solid phase extraction (SPE), liquid liquid extraction (LLE) and the relatively new solid phase micro extraction (SPME) were used for sample preparation. The analytical determination of the extracted analytes was done by HPLC/UV and HPLC/ELCD or GC/FID and GC/MS. Adsorptive enrichment of estrogens on different carbon electrodes and cathodic stripping of EE2 on mercury were tested as possible screening methods. The established methods were optimized using spiked samples. After comparing their quantitation limits, selectivity and precision, they were applied to real sewage water samples for showing qualification.

Zur Einschätzung der Auswirkungen einer Wiedervernässungsmaßnahme auf den Stoffhaushalt eines degradierten Niedermoores wurde ein ehemals entwässertes und seit 1996 wieder vernässtes ca. 10 Hektar großes Areal im Randow-Welse-Bruch im nordöstlichen Brandenburg über mehrere Jahre untersucht. Stoffkreisläufe wurden vor allem in Abhängigkeit der sich durch die Wiedervernässung ändernden Redoxbedingungen modifiziert. Obwohl Phosphor, ein die Eutrophierung auslösendes Element, selbst direkt nicht durch einen Wechsel von aeroben zu anaeroben Bedingungen durch die Wiedervernässung beeinflusst wird, änderte sich dessen Mobilität auf Grund der Rücklösung seines Sorptionspartners. Infolge der anhaltend reduzierenden Bedingungen fand nach mehrjähriger Wiedervernässung der Prozess der Rücklösung amorpher Eisen(hydr)oxide statt, wobei der ehemals an diese Verbindungen fixierte Phosphor freigesetzt wurde. Bei Niedermooren, die infolge hoher Gehalte an Eisen(hydr)oxiden ein erhöhtes Phosphor-Freisetzungspotenzial besitzen, sollte eine Wiedervernässung mit gereinigtem kommunalen Abwasser nicht in Erwägung gezogen werden. Die Erfassung der gasförmigen Emissionen ermöglichte eine Berücksichtigung innerhalb der Stoffbilanzierung und eine Bewertung der Wiedervernässungsmaßnahme hinsichtlich ihrer Klimarelevanz. Auf Grund des anaeroben Milieus durch die Wiedervernässung wurde neben Lachgas auch molekularer Stickstoff als gasförmige Stickstoffverbindung gebildet. Gegenüber der entwässerten Lysimetervariante zeigte sich ein positiver Beitrag zur Reduzierung des Treibhauseffektes durch die Wiedervernässung. Jedoch ist die Qualität des Zusatzwassers, das zur Wiedervernässung der Torfprofile des Niedermoores Havelländisches Luch eingesetzt wurde, entscheidend. In eutrophen Niedermoorökosystemen sind nährstoffreiche Wasserzuflüsse aus kommunalen Abwasserbehandlungsanlagen als Wiedervernässungsmaßnahme geeignet, so dass gereinigtes Abwasser den Landschaftswasserhaushalt stützen könnte. / A formerly drained, and since 1996 rewetted, 10 ha fen site within the Randow-Welse-Bruch fen area in northeastern Brandenurg (Germany) has been investigated for several years to evaluate the impacts of rewetting on nutrient dynamics of the degraded fen. Modifications of nutrient cycles were attributed to changes in redox conditions after rewetting. Although phosphorus which causes eutrophication is not directly influenced by a change from aerobic to anaerobic conditions following rewetting its availability increased due to the dissolution of reactive iron (hydr)oxides where phosphorus was fixed before.With prolonged water-logging phosphorus was released from Fe(III) (hydr)oxides. A lysimeter study was carried out to promote the reuse of purified municipal wastewater as an alternative solution for water supply required during rewetting of fens. Fen soil lysimeters were irrigated with wastewater of the secondary treatment of a municipal wastewater treatment plant over the growing seasons. The objective of this study was to assess how restoration of a degraded fen by means of wastewater usage affects input/output nutrient mass balances. Furthermore, we assessed the effect on trace gas emissions and discussed potential changes in the greenhouse potential. No adverse impact of wastewater utilisation for rewetting the fen soil lysimeters on soil and water quality was found over the period of study with regard to the investigated nutrients and heavy metals. Gaseous fluxes during alternative rewetting were estimated for a consideration within nutrient balances and to evaluate the global warming and cooling, respectively. Besides nitrous oxide dinitrogen was formed and released under anaerobic conditions following rewetting. A potential increase of the nitrate concentration in wastewater would be harmless because a high denitrification of the fen soil would cause a major share of dinitrogen emissions of the total gaseous nitrogen loss.