Summary
This study compared hyperthermophilic composting with conventional composting for treatment of sewage sludge as a fertiliser feedstock, focusing on the removal of antibiotic resistance genes and mobile genetic elements that pose public health risks. Hyperthermophilic composting achieved significantly higher removal rates (89% for ARGs, 49% for MGEs) with shorter half-lives than conventional composting. The mechanisms of removal differed by temperature: reduction of mobile genetic elements was the primary driver in hyperthermophilic composting, whilst changes in bacterial community composition were key in conventional composting.
UK applicability
This research is directly applicable to UK sewage sludge management and agricultural reuse policy. Given the UK's reliance on sludge application to agricultural land as a fertiliser and soil conditioner, implementing hyperthermophilic composting protocols could reduce the transmission pathway of antibiotic resistance genes to the food system and environment.
Key measures
ARG and MGE removal efficiency (%), half-lives of ARGs and MGEs (%), bacterial abundance and diversity, bacterial community composition
Outcomes reported
The study measured the removal efficiency of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) in sewage sludge under hyperthermophilic versus conventional composting conditions, and identified the underlying microbial mechanisms driving ARG and MGE reduction in each composting method.
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