I see superstrict environmental legislation a-coming!
"A study on the impact of tertiary-treated municipal wastewater on the quantity of several antibiotic resistance determinants in Duluth-Superior Harbor was investigated. The abundance of three different genes encoding resistance to tetracycline (tet(A), tet(X), and tet(W)), the gene encoding the integrase of class 1 integrons (intI1), and total bacterial abundance (16S rRNA genes) as well as total and human fecal contamination levels (16S rRNA genes specific to the genus Bacteroides) were evaluated. The quantities found were typically 20-fold higher in the tertiary-treated wastewater than in nearby surface water samples."
J's interpretation: What they are saying is that tertiary treatment of sewage (the highest required today) is not enough. It is a significant source of release of bad genes into the environment. Quaternary treatment is required, the problem being that no one knows what is may be and how much it will cost. I presume Siemens is already working on this new potential market.
2 comments:
What are the absolute levels involved? 20 x some very small # is still a very small #.
K
EPA will not tolerate ANY level of "pollution". WATER REMEMBERS.
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