State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China.
State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China.
Water Res. 2024 May 1;254:121359. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121359. Epub 2024 Feb 22.
Pathogenic microorganisms can cause infection, sepsis, and other diseases in humans. Although municipal wastewater plants are important sources and sinks for potential pathogenic microorganisms, data on rural wastewater treatment processes are limited. The proximity of rural wastewater facilities to human settlements and the trend toward wastewater resourcing could pose risks to humans. Here, a typical village in southern China was selected to analyze potential pathogenic microorganisms in wastewater, sewage sludge, and aerosols during the collection, treatment, and discharge of domestic wastewater. The succession characteristics and concentration variations of potential pathogenic microorganisms throughout the wastewater treatment process were identified using high-throughput sequencing and culture methods. Bacteria-associated health risks in facility aerosols were estimated based on average daily dose rates from inhalation and dermal exposure. Lower amounts of pathogenic bacteria and pathogenic fungi were detected in the effluent of the 1-ton treatment scale and the 10-ton treatment scale facilities, compared to those in the influent. Pathogen effluent concentrations were significantly lower than influent concentrations after treatment in rural wastewater facilities. 16 and 29 potential pathogenic bacteria and fungi were detected in aerosols from wastewater treatment facilities, respectively. Furthermore, the potential pathogen concentrations were higher than those in the background air. Aerobic units are the main source of pathogen emissions from aerosols. There were 42 potential pathogenic bacteria and 34 potential pathogenic fungi in the sewage sludge. Biochemical units were the main source of potential pathogens in sewage sludge, and more potential airborne pathogens originated from wastewater. In rural wastewater resourcing processes with greater pollutant exposure, the effluent of rural wastewater treatment facilities (WWTFs), downstream rivers, and facility aerosols, could be important potential sources of microbial risk. Inhalation is the main pathway of human exposure to airborne bacteria. Therefore, more attention should be focused on microbiological risk in rural wastewater treatment processes.
致病微生物可导致人类感染、败血症等疾病。尽管城市污水处理厂是潜在致病微生物的重要源汇，但有关农村污水处理工艺的数据有限。农村污水设施与人类住区的临近以及污水资源化的趋势可能会对人类构成风险。在这里，选择了中国南方的一个典型村庄，分析了农村生活污水在收集、处理和排放过程中废水、污水污泥和气溶胶中的潜在致病微生物。采用高通量测序和培养方法，确定了潜在致病微生物在整个污水处理过程中的演替特征和浓度变化。根据吸入和皮肤暴露的平均日剂量率，估算了设施气溶胶中与细菌相关的健康风险。与进水相比，1 吨和 10 吨处理规模设施的出水处检测到的致病细菌和致病真菌数量较少。农村污水处理设施处理后，病原体的出流水浓度明显低于进水浓度。从污水处理设施的气溶胶中分别检测到 16 种和 29 种潜在的致病细菌和真菌。此外，潜在病原体的浓度高于背景空气中的浓度。好氧单元是气溶胶中病原体排放的主要来源。污水污泥中有 42 种潜在的致病细菌和 34 种潜在的致病真菌。生化单元是污水污泥中潜在病原体的主要来源，更多的潜在空气传播病原体来自污水。在具有更大污染物暴露的农村污水资源化过程中，农村污水处理设施（WWTF）的出水、下游河流和设施气溶胶可能是微生物风险的重要潜在来源。吸入是人类接触空气中细菌的主要途径。因此，应更加关注农村污水处理工艺中的微生物风险。
