The role of urban wastewater treatment plants (UWWTPs) in the spreading of antibiotic resistance into the environment has not yet fully investigated, and poor information on the role of disinfection processes is available. The inactivation by TiO2-photocatalysis of an antibiotic resistant Escherichia coli strain selected from an UWWTP effluent was investigated using artificial and solar radiation. The inactivation quantum yield (mol of E. Coli inactivated/mol of photons absorbed) was estimated and reported for 250 W, 125 W medium pressure mercury lamps irradiation, for simulated and actual solar irradiation and different catalyst loadings (0-2 g/L). The matching of the radiation source and TiO2 absorption spectra affected the inactivation. Antibiotic resistant test (Kirby-Bauer) on survived colonies showed that solar simulated process did not significantly affect resistance of E. coli strain to tetracycline and vancomycin as irradiation time increased, but decreased (p<a= 0.05) resistance to ciprofloxacin (p=0.01954) and sensitivity to cefuroxime (p=0.00077).

Urban wastewater disinfection by heterogeneous photocatalysis: Effect of different light sources and TiO<sub>2</sub> loadings on a multi drug resistant <i>Escherichia coli</i> strain

245th National Meeting (2013)

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Urban wastewater disinfection by heterogeneous photocatalysis: Effect of different light sources and TiO2 loadings on a multi drug resistant Escherichia coli strain

Urban wastewater disinfection by heterogeneous photocatalysis: Effect of different light sources and TiO₂ loadings on a multi drug resistant Escherichia coli strain