Mål for prosjektet
The primary objective is to monitor the release of antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs) and antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARBs) from sewage water to Lake Mjøsa.
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARBs) and antibiotic-resistant genes (ARGs) have been reported in various environmental compartments such as drinking water and wastewater treatment plants. The HiAS wastewater treatment plant uses unique biofilm technology to clean approximately 7 million m3 of sewage annually from approx—65,000 inhabitants and industrial units in four municipalities, including Hamar, Stange, Ringsaker, and Løten. The effluent water from HiAS is discharged into Lake Mjøsa, the largest lake in Norway, which also serves as a vital source of drinking water for the region.
Currently, there is no data on the frequency of the ARBs and ARGs circulating into the HiAS system. Furthermore, what is less clear is the presence of ARGs/ARBs, antibiotic residues, and other chemicals that are important in developing resistance in the effluent water from HiAS. Therefore, the effectiveness of the HiAS process in removing those ARGs/ARBs and other essential elements is unclear. The Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences coordinates the project. HiAS IKS and the Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA) are cooperating partners. HiAS IKS provides the samples, and NIVA contributes by providing the nanofiltration method to mitigate the ARBs and ARGs.
Outcomes and impacts
The project is designed to contribute to the region's health status by providing data regarding water contamination with ARBs and ARGs. This will eventually contribute to the fight against antibiotic resistance as a threat, and combat against it is challenging. Furthermore, this project forms the environmental angle of one health approach, an integrated, unifying approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimize the health of people, animals, and ecosystems.
UN Sustainable Development Goals
Moreover, the results of this project contribute significantly to several UN Sustainable Development Goals:
- Goal 3 – Good Health & Well-Being: assisting food quality and reducing the risk of antibiotic resistance contamination.
- Goal 6 – Celan water and sanitation: providing data regarding ARBs and ARGs contamination and helping with cleaning.
- Goal 9 – industry, innovation, & and infrastructure: providing information and technology to minimize the release of antibiotic resistance into the environment.
- Goal 12 – responsible consumption: providing knowledge to guide the industry regarding the wise use of chemicals and antibiotics.
- Goal 14 – life below water: providing a potential risk of antibiotic resistance contamination is one of the most difficult challenges in the aquatic environment.
- Goal 15 – life on land: providing information regarding the unwanted effects of microplastics on animals.
Collaborating partners
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- abdolrahman.khezri@inn.no
- Phone
- +47 62 59 79 48