# | Rank | Similarity | Title + Abs. | Year | PMID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 8105 | 0 | 0.9559 | Refluxing mature compost to replace bulking agents: A low-cost solution for suppressing antibiotic resistance genes rebound in sewage sludge composting. Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) rebounding during composting cooling phase is a critical bottleneck in composting technology that increased ARGs dissemination and application risk of compost products. In this study, mature compost (MR) was used as a substitute for rice husk (RH) to mitigate the rebound of ARGs and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) during the cooling phase of sewage sludge composting, and the relationship among ARGs, MGEs, bacterial community and environmental factors was investigated to explore the key factor influencing ARGs rebound. The results showed that aadD, blaCTX-M02, ermF, ermB, tetX and vanHB significantly increased 4.76-32.41 times, and the MGEs rebounded by 38.60% in the cooling phase of RH composting. Conversely, MR reduced aadD, tetM, ermF and ermB concentrations by 59.49-98.58%, and reduced the total abundance of ARGs in the compost product by 49.32% compared to RH, which significantly restrained ARGs rebound. MR promoted secondary high temperature inactivation of potential host bacteria, including Ornithinibacter, Rhizobiales and Caldicoprobacter, which could harbor aadE, blaCTX-M02, and blaVEB. It also reduced the abundance of lignocellulose degrading bacteria of Firmicutes, which were potential hosts of aadD, tetX, ermF and vanHB. Moreover, MR reduced moisture and increased oxidation reduction potential (ORP) that promoted aadE, tetQ, tetW abatement. Furthermore, MR reduced 97.36% of total MGEs including Tn916/1545, IS613, Tp614 and intI3, which alleviated ARGs horizontal transfer. Overall finding proposed mature compost reflux as bulking agent was a simple method to suppress ARGs rebound and horizontal transfer, improve ARGs removal and reduce composting plant cost. | 2025 | 39798649 |
| 8112 | 1 | 0.9547 | Fate of antibiotic resistance bacteria and genes during enhanced anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge by microwave pretreatment. The fate of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) were investigated during the sludge anaerobic digestion (AD) with microwave-acid (MW-H), microwave (MW) and microwave-H2O2-alkaline (MW-H2O2) pretreatments. Results showed that combined MW pretreatment especially for the MW-H pretreatment could efficiently reduce the ARB concentration, and most ARG concentrations tended to attenuate during the pretreatment. The subsequent AD showed evident removal of the ARB, but most ARGs were enriched after AD. Only the concentration of tetX kept continuous declination during the whole sludge treatment. The total ARGs concentration showed significant correlation with 16S rRNA during the pretreatment and AD. Compared with unpretreated sludge, the AD of MW and MW-H2O2 pretreated sludge presented slightly better ARB and ARGs reduction efficiency. | 2016 | 26970692 |
| 8109 | 2 | 0.9536 | The fate of antibiotic resistance genes and their influential factors in swine manure composting with sepiolite as additive. Manures are storages for antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) entering the environment. This study investigated the effects of adding sepiolite at 0%, 2.5%, 5%, and 7.5% (CK, T1, T2, and T3, respectively) on the fates of ARGs during composting. The relative abundances (RAs) of the total ARGs in CK and T3 decreased by 0.23 and 0.46 logs, respectively, after composting. The RAs of 10/11 ARGs decreased in CK, whereas they all decreased in T3. The reduction in the RA of the total mobile genetic elements (MGEs) was 1.26 times higher in T3 compared with CK after composting. The bacterial community accounted for 47.93% of the variation in the abundances of ARGs. Network analysis indicated that ARGs and MGEs shared potential host bacteria (PHB), and T3 controlled the transmission of ARGs by reducing the abundances of PHB. Composting with 7.5% sepiolite is an effective strategy for reducing the risk of ARGs proliferating. | 2022 | 35063626 |
| 8113 | 3 | 0.9536 | Fate of antibiotic resistance genes in mesophilic and thermophilic anaerobic digestion of chemically enhanced primary treatment (CEPT) sludge. Anaerobic digestion (AD) of chemically enhanced primary treatment (CEPT) sludge and non-CEPT (conventional sedimentation) sludge were comparatively operated under mesophilic and thermophilic conditions. The highest methane yield (692.46±0.46mL CH(4)/g VS(removed) in CEPT sludge) was observed in mesophilic AD of CEPT sludge. Meanwhile, thermophilic conditions were more favorable for the removal of total antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). In this study, no measurable difference in the fates and removal of ARGs and class 1 integrin-integrase gene (intI1) was observed between treated non-CEPT and CEPT sludge. However, redundancy analysis indicated that shifts in bacterial community were primarily accountable for the variations in ARGs and intI1. Network analysis further revealed potential host bacteria for ARGs and intI1. | 2017 | 28797965 |
| 8054 | 4 | 0.9536 | Effects of nanoscale zero-valent iron on the performance and the fate of antibiotic resistance genes during thermophilic and mesophilic anaerobic digestion of food waste. The effects of nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) on the performance of food waste anaerobic digestion and the fate of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) were investigated in thermophilic (TR) and mesophilic (MR) reactors. Results showed that nZVI enhanced biogas production and facilitated ARGs reduction. The maximum CH(4) production was 212.00 ± 4.77 ml/gVS with 5 g/L of nZVI in MR. The highest ARGs removal ratio was 86.64 ± 0.72% obtained in TR at nZVI of 2 g/L. nZVI corrosion products and their contribution on AD performance were analyzed. The abundance of tetracycline genes reduced significantly in nZVI amended digesters. Firmicutes, Chloroflexi, Proteobacteria and Spirochaetes showed significant positive correlations with various ARGs (p < 0.05) in MR and TR. Redundancy analysis indicated that microbial community was the main factor that influenced the fate of ARGs. nZVI changed microbial communities, with decreasing the abundance bacteria belonging to Firmicutes and resulting in the reduction of ARGs. | 2019 | 31505392 |
| 8058 | 5 | 0.9531 | Effects of biochars on the fate of antibiotics and their resistance genes during vermicomposting of dewatered sludge. It is currently still difficult to decrease the high contents of antibiotics and their corresponding antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in sludge vermicompost. To decrease the environmental risk of vermicompost as a bio-fertilizer, this study investigated the feasibility of biochar addition to decrease the levels of antibiotics and ARGs during vermicomposting of dewatered sludge. To achieve this, 1.25% and 5% of corncob and rice husk biochars, respectively, were added to sludge, which was then vermicomposted by Eisenia fetida for 60 days. The sludge blended with corncob biochar showed increased decomposition and humification of organic matter. Higher biochar concentration promoted both the number and diversity of bacteria, and differed dominant genera. The level of antibiotics significantly decreased as a result of biochar addition (P < 0.05), and tetracycline was completely removed. Relative to the control without addition of biochars, ermF and tetX genes significantly decreased with corncob biochar treatment (P < 0.05). Rice husk biochar (5%) could effectively decrease sul-1 and sul-2 genes in vermicompost (P < 0.05). However, the abundance of the intI-1 gene increased with biochar concentration. This study suggests that biochar addition can lessen the antibiotic and ARG pollution in sludge vermicompost, depending on the type and concentration of biochars. | 2020 | 32388093 |
| 7743 | 6 | 0.9529 | Integrated meta-omics study on rapid tylosin removal mechanism and dynamics of antibiotic resistance genes during aerobic thermophilic fermentation of tylosin mycelial dregs. For efficient treatment of tylosin mycelial dregs (TMDs), rapid tylosin removal mechanism and dynamics of ARGs during TMDs fermentation were investigated using integrated meta-omics (genomics, metaproteomics and metabolomics) and qPCR approaches. The results showed that over 86% of tylosin was degraded on day 7 regardless of the type of bulking agents. The rapid removal of tylosin was mainly attributed to de-mycarose reaction (GH3) and esterase hydrolysis (C7MYQ7) of Saccharomonospora, and catalase-peroxidase oxidation of Bacillus (A0A077JB13). In addition, the moisture content and mobile genetic elements were vital to control the rebound of ARGs. The removal efficiency of antibiotic resistant bacteria (Streptomyces, Pseudomonas, norank_f__Sphingobacteriaceae, and Paenalcaligenes) and Intl1 (98.8%) in fermentation treatment TC21 with corncob as the bulking agent was significantly higher than that in other three treatments (88.3%). Thus, appropriate bulking agents could constrain the abundance of antibiotic resistant bacteria and Intl1, which is crucial to effectively reduce the resistance. | 2022 | 35307520 |
| 8108 | 7 | 0.9528 | Insights into the beneficial effects of woody peat for reducing abundances of antibiotic resistance genes during composting. Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in manure endangered human health, while heavy metals in manure will pose selective pressure on ARGs. This study explored the effects on ARGs of adding woody peat during composting at different ratios (0 (CK), 5% (T1), and 15% (T2)). After composting, the relative abundances of 8/11 ARGs were 6.97-38.09% and 10.73-54.31% lower in T1 and T2, respectively, than CK. The bioavailable Cu content was 1.40% and 18.40% lower in T1 and T2, respectively, than CK. Network analysis showed that ARGs, mobile genetic elements (MGEs), and metal resistance genes possessed common potential host bacteria, such as Streptococcus, Dietzia, and Corynebacterium_1. Environmental factors, especially bioavailable Cu, and MGEs accounted for 80.75% of the changes in the abundances of ARGs. In conclusion, 15% Woody peat is beneficial to decrease the bioavailable Cu content and weaken horizontal gene transfer for controlling the spread of ARGs during composting. | 2021 | 34534940 |
| 7996 | 8 | 0.9525 | A sludge bulking wastewater treatment plant with an oxidation ditch-denitrification filter in a cold region: bacterial community composition and antibiotic resistance genes. Bacterial community structure of activated sludge directly affects the stable operation of WWTPS, and these bacterial communities may carry a variety of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), which is a threat to the public health. This study employed 16S rRNA gene sequencing and metagenomic sequencing to investigate the bacterial community composition and the ARGs in a sludge bulking oxidation ditch-denitrification filter WWTP in a cold region. The results showed that Trichococcus (20.34%), Blautia (7.72%), and Faecalibacterium (3.64%) were the main bacterial genera in the influent. The relative abundances of norank_f_Saprospiraceae and Candidatus_Microthrix reached 10.24% and 8.40%, respectively, in bulking sludge, and those of norank_f_Saprospiraceae and Candidatus_Microthrix decreased to 6.56 and 7.10% after the anaerobic tank, indicating that the anaerobic tank had an inhibitory effect on filamentous bacteria. After 20 mJ/cm(2) UV disinfection, about 540 bacterial genera, such as Romboutsia (7.99%), Rhodoferax (7.98%), and Thermomonas (4.13%), could still be detected in the effluent. The ARGs were 345.11 ppm in the influent and 11.20 ppm in the effluent; 17 subtypes, such as sul1, msrE, aadA5, ErmF, and tet(A), could be detected throughout the entire process. These ARG subtypes were persistent ARGs with a high health risk. Network analysis indicated that the changes in filamentous bacteria norank_f_Saprospiraceae abundance mainly contributed to the abundance shift of MexB, and Acinetobacter mainly increased the abundance of drfA1. These results above will provide theoretical support for the sludge bulking and ARGs controls of WWTPs in cold regions. | 2023 | 36495431 |
| 8017 | 9 | 0.9523 | Dose-Dependent Effect of Tilmicosin Residues on ermA Rebound Mediated by IntI1 in Pig Manure Compost. The impact of varying antibiotic residue levels on antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) removal during composting is still unclear. This study investigated the impact of different residue levels of tilmicosin (TIM), a common veterinary macrolide antibiotic, on ARG removal during pig manure composting. Three groups were used: the CK group (no TIM), the L group (246.49 ± 22.83 mg/kg TIM), and the H group (529.99 ± 16.15 mg/kg TIM). Composting removed most targeted macrolide resistance genes (MRGs) like ereA, ermC, and ermF (>90% removal), and reduced ermB, ermX, ermQ, acrA, acrB, and mefA (30-70% removal). However, ermA increased in abundance. TIM altered compost community structure, driving succession through a deterministic process. At low doses, TIM reduced MRG-bacteria co-occurrence, with horizontal gene transfer via intI1 being the main cause of ermA rebound. In conclusion, composting reduces many MRG levels in pig manure, but the persistence and rebound of genes like ermA reveal the complex interactions between composting conditions and microbial gene transfer. | 2025 | 41011454 |
| 8115 | 10 | 0.9522 | Effects of reductive soil disinfestation on potential pathogens and antibiotic resistance genes in soil. Reductive soil disinfestation (RSD) is commonly employed for soil remediation in greenhouse cultivation. However, its influence on antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in soil remains uncertain. This study investigated the dynamic changes in soil communities, potential bacterial pathogens, and ARG profiles under various organic material treatments during RSD, including distillers' grains, potato peel, peanut vine, and peanut vine combined with charcoal. Results revealed that applying diverse organic materials in RSD significantly altered bacterial community composition and diminished the relative abundance of potential bacterial pathogens (P < 0.05). The relative abundance of high-risk ARGs decreased by 10.7%-30.6% after RSD treatments, the main decreased ARG subtypes were AAC(3)_Via, dfrA1, ErmB, lnuB, aadA. Actinobacteria was the primary host of ARGs and was suppressed by RSD. Soil physicochemical properties, such as total nitrogen, soil pH, total carbon, were crucial factors affecting ARG profiles. Our findings demonstrated that RSD treatment inhibited pathogenic bacteria and could be an option for reducing high-risk ARG proliferation in soil. | 2025 | 39306413 |
| 8111 | 11 | 0.9521 | Effect of alkaline-thermal pretreatment on biodegradable plastics degradation and dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes in co-compost system. Biodegradable plastics (BDPs) are an eco-friendly alternative to traditional plastics in organic waste, but their microbial degradation and impact on antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) transmission during co-composting remain poorly understood. This study examines how alkaline-thermal pretreatment enhances BDPs degradation and influences the fate of ARGs and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) in co-composting. Pretreatment with 0.1 mol/L NaOH at 100℃ for 40 minutes increased the surface roughness and hydrophilicity of BDPs while reducing their molecular weight and thermal stability. Incorporating pretreated BDPs film (8 g/kg-TS) into the compost reduced the molecular weight of the BDPs by 59.70 % during the maturation stage, facilitating compost heating and prolonging the thermophilic stage. However, incomplete degradation of BDPs releases numerous smaller-sized microplastics, which can act as carriers for microorganisms, facilitating the dissemination of ARGs across environments and posing significant ecological and public health risks. Metagenomic analysis revealed that pretreatment enriched plastic-degrading bacteria, such as Thermobifida fusca, on BDPs surfaces and accelerated microbial plastic degradation during the thermophilic stage, but also increased ARGs abundance. Although pretreatment significantly reduced MGEs abundance (tnpA, IS19), the risk of ARGs dissemination remained. Three plastic-degrading bacteria (Pigmentiphaga sp002188465, Bacillus clausii, and Bacillus altitudinis) were identified as ARGs hosts, underscoring the need to address the risk of horizontal gene transfer of ARGs associated with pretreatment in organic waste management. | 2025 | 39970645 |
| 8117 | 12 | 0.9520 | Composting of oxytetracycline fermentation residue in combination with hydrothermal pretreatment for reducing antibiotic resistance genes enrichment. Hydrothermal pretreatment can efficiently remove the residual antibiotics in oxytetracycline fermentation residue (OFR), but its effect on antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) during composting remains unclear. This study compared the shifts in bacterial community and evolutions in ARGs and integrons during different composting processes of OFRs with and without hydrothermal pretreatment. The results demonstrated that hydrothermal pretreatment increased the bacterial alpha diversity at the initial phase, and increased the relative abundances of Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria but decreased that of Bacteroidetes at the final phase by inactivating mycelia and removing residual oxytetracycline. Composting process inevitably elevated the abundance and relative abundance of ARGs. However, the increase in ARGs was significantly reduced by hydrothermal pretreatment, because the removal of oxytetracycline decreased their potential host bacteria and inhibited their horizontal gene transfer. The results demonstrated that hydrothermal pretreatment is an efficient strategy to reduce the enrichment of ARGs during the OFR composting. | 2020 | 33099099 |
| 8114 | 13 | 0.9518 | Reductive soil disinfestation attenuates antibiotic resistance genes in greenhouse vegetable soils. Reductive soil disinfestation (RSD) is an emerging technique that ameliorates soil degradation, but its effects against antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) were unclear. Here, we examined soil properties, ARG types and numbers, and ARG profiles, and bacterial community compositions following 4 soil treatments: control; straw addition (SA); water flooding (WF); and RSD, both straw addition and water flooding. The results showed that the numbers of ARG types and subtypes decreased by 10.8% and 21.1%, respectively, after RSD, and the numbers of ARGs decreased by 18.6%. The attenuated multidrug, beta-lactam, macrolide, and phenicol resistance genes in the RSD soil corresponded to a decreased relative abundance of ARG subtypes (i.e., adeF, mdtM, TypeB_NfxB, mecA, nalC, OXA-60, and cmlA4). Taxa in phyla Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Deinococcus-Thermus were the main hosts for dominant ARG subtypes and were inhibited by RSD. The selected bacterial genera and soil properties explained 83.4% of the variance in ARG composition, suggesting that the improved soil properties and the reduced potential ARG hosts produced by the interactions of straw addition and water flooding are likely responsible for ARG attenuation by RSD. Therefore, RSD has the potential to mitigate ARG pollution in soils. | 2021 | 34293692 |
| 8110 | 14 | 0.9517 | Removal of chlortetracycline and antibiotic resistance genes in soil by earthworms (epigeic Eisenia fetida and endogeic Metaphire guillelmi). The impacts of two ecological earthworms on the removal of chlortetracycline (CTC, 0.5 and 15 mg kg(-1)) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in soil were explored through the soil column experiments. The findings showed that earthworm could significantly accelerate the degradation of CTC and its metabolites (ECTC) in soil (P < 0.05), with epigeic Eisenia fetida promoting degradation rapidly and endogeic Metaphire guillelmi exhibiting a slightly better elimination effect. Earthworms alleviated the abundances of tetR, tetD, tetPB, tetG, tetA, sul1, TnpA, ttgB and intI1 in soil, with the total relative abundances of ARGs decreasing by 35.0-44.2% in earthworm treatments at the 28th day of cultivation. High throughput sequencing results displayed that the structure of soil bacteria community was modified apparently with earthworm added, and some possible CTC degraders, Aeromonas, Flavobacterium and Luteolibacter, were promoted by two kinds of earthworms. Redundancy analysis demonstrated that the reduction of CTC residues, Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria and Gemmatimonadetes owing to earthworm stimulation was responsible for the removal of ARGs and intI1 in soil. Additionally, intI1 declined obviously in earthworm treatments, which could weaken the risk of horizontal transmission of ARGs. Therefore, earthworm could restore the CTC-contaminated soil via enhancing the removal of CTC, its metabolites and ARGs. | 2021 | 33798888 |
| 7742 | 15 | 0.9516 | The dissimilarity of antibiotic and quorum sensing inhibitor on activated sludge nitrification system: Microbial communities and antibiotic resistance genes. Effects of antibiotics (azithromycin, AZM, 1-40 mg/L) and quorum sensing inhibitor (QSI, 2(5H)-furanone, 1-40 mg/L) combined pollution with environmental concentration of copper on bacterial/archaeal community and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in activated sludge system were explored. QSI inhibited nitrification more obviously than AZM. AZM and QSI were synergistic inhibitions on bacterial diversity, and AZM inhibited bacterial compositions more than QSI. While, QSI had more impacts on archaeal diversity/compositions. Less interactions among bacteria and archaea communities with Aquimonas as keystone genus. Functional differences in bacteria/archaea communities were little, and AZM had more effects on metabolism. AZM mainly affected nitrifying bacteria (Candidatus Nitrospira nitrificans and Nitrosomonas). Specific denitrifying bacteria were enriched by AZM (Brevundimonas, 1.76-31.69%) and QSI (Comamonas, 0.61-9.61%), respectively. AZM enriched ARGs more easily than QSI and they were antagonistic to proliferation of ARGs. Bacteria were main hosts of ARGs (macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B, other/efflux, etc.) and archaea (Methanosphaerula, Methanolobus) carried multiple ARGs. | 2022 | 35306131 |
| 8055 | 16 | 0.9512 | Effects of nano-zerovalent iron on antibiotic resistance genes during the anaerobic digestion of cattle manure. This study investigated the effects of adding nano-zerovalent iron (nZVI) at three concentrations (0, 80, and 160 mg/L) on the methane yield and the fate of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) during the anaerobic digestion (AD) of cattle manure. The addition of nZVI effectively enhanced the methane yield, where it significantly increased by 6.56% with 80 mg/L nZVI and by 6.43% with 160 mg/L nZVI. The reductions in the abundances of ARGs and Tn916/1545 were accelerated by adding 160 mg/L nZVI after AD. Microbial community analysis showed that nZVI mainly increased the abundances of bacteria with roles in hydrolysis and acidogenesis, whereas it reduced the abundance of Acinetobacter. Redundancy analysis indicated that the changes in mobile genetic elements made the greatest contribution to the fate of ARGs. The results suggest that 160 mg/L nZVI is a suitable additive for reducing the risks due to ARGs in AD. | 2019 | 31247529 |
| 8070 | 17 | 0.9512 | Impacts of combined pollution under gradient increasing and gradient decreasing exposure modes on activated sludge: Microbial communities and antibiotic resistance genes. The responses of microbial communities and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) to azithromycin and copper combined pollution under gradient increasing (from 0.5 to 10 mg/L) and decreasing exposure (from 10 to 0.5 mg/L) modes were investigated. Nitrification was inhibited more obviously under gradient increasing exposure mode. Responses of archaeal community and function structure were more obvious than bacteria under both exposure modes. The dominant bacterial and archaeal compositions (Hyphomicrobium, Euryarchaeota, etc.) were affected by two exposure modes, except some rare archaea (Methanoregula and Methanosarcina). There were more positive correlations between bacteria and archaea, and Nitrospira was keystone genus. Ammonia-oxidizing archaea (0.37-3.06%) and complete ammonia oxidizers (Nitrospira_ENR4) were enriched, and Nitrososphaera_viennensis was closely related to denitrifying genes (napA/B, nosZ, etc.). 50 ARG subtypes were detected and specific ARG subtypes (aac, ImrA, etc.) proliferated in two exposure modes. Bacteria and archaea were common hosts for 24 ARGs and contributed to their shifts. | 2022 | 34921920 |
| 8053 | 18 | 0.9511 | Increasing the removal efficiency of antibiotic resistance through anaerobic digestion with free nitrous acid pretreatment. Swine manure is a significant reservoir for antibiotic resistance. Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a common biological process used to treat swine manure but still faces low efficiencies in biogas production and antibiotic resistance removal. It is here shown that AD with free nitrous acid pretreatment (FNA) was effective in reducing antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in swine manure. FNA pretreatment (nitrite =250 mg N/L, pH=5.0, temperature=20 ± 1 °C) simultaneously reduced antibiotics (Tetracyclines, Quinones and Sulfonamides), inactivated antibiotics resistance bacteria (ARB) by 0.5-3 logs, and decreased ARGs tet, sul and qnr by 1-2, 1-3 and 0.5 logs, respectively. In the following AD step, the total residual ARGs was reduced to ~3.49 × 10(7) gene copies/g dry total solids (TS), ~1 log lower than that in the AD without pretreatment (3.55 ×10(8) gene copies/g dry TS). Microbial community and network analyses revealed that the ARG removal was mainly driven by the direct FNA effect on reducing ARGs and antibiotics, not related to ARB. Besides, the FNA pretreatment doubled biochemical methane production potential from swine manure. Together these results demonstrate that AD with FNA pretreatment is a useful process greatly facilitating swine manure management. | 2022 | 35816802 |
| 7747 | 19 | 0.9511 | Hydrothermal pre-treatment followed by anaerobic digestion for the removal of tylosin and antibiotic resistance agents from poultry litter. Hydrothermal pretreatment (HPT) followed by anaerobic digestion (AD) is an alternative for harvesting energy and removing organic contaminants from sewage sludge and animal manure. This study investigated the use, in an energetically sustainable way, of HPT and AD, alone or combined, to produce methane and remove tylosin and antimicrobial resistance genes (ARG) from poultry litter (PL). The results showed that HPT at 80 °C (HPT80), followed by single-stage AD (AD-1S), led to the production of 517.9 ± 4.7 NL CH(4) kg VS(-1), resulting in 0.11 kWh kg PL(-1) of electrical energy and 0.75 MJ kg PL(-1) of thermal energy, thus supplying 33.6% of the energy spent on burning firewood at a typical farm. In this best-case scenario, the use of HPT alone reduced tylosin concentration from PL by 23.6%, while the process involving HPT followed by AD-1S led to the removal of 91.6% of such antibiotic. The combined process (HPT80 + AD-1S), in addition to contributing to reduce the absolute and relative abundances of ARG ermB (2.13 logs), intI1 (0.39 logs), sul1 (0.63 logs), and tetA (0.74 logs), led to a significant removal in the relative abundance of tylosin-resistant bacteria present in the poultry litter. | 2023 | 36648713 |