Two studies published in Water and Antibiotics investigate the persistence of veterinary antibiotics, the effect on natural microbial communities and the spread of resistance genes (ARGs) in agricultural soils amended with anaerobic digestate from biogas treatment plants fed with cattle manure. The overall results indicate that the concentration of antibiotics and the presence of ARGs decrease during the anaerobic digestion process and, consequently, their diffusion in amended agricultural soils. The studies also confirm that the spread of ARGs in environmental matrices, where different microorganisms coexist, depends on the complex mechanisms of biodegradation of the residual concentrations of antibiotics.

• Effects of Sulfamethoxazole on Growth and Antibiotic Resistance of A Natural Microbial Community - DOI:10.3390/w13091262
• Anaerobic Digestion and Removal of Sulfamethoxazole, Enrofloxacin, Ciprofloxacin and Their Antibiotic Resistance Genes in a Full-Scale Biogas Plant - DOI:10.3390/antibiotics10050502

• Fig.1 - Dinamiche di immissione di antibiotici umani e veterinari dall’uomo/allevamenti animali all’ambiente
• Fig.2 - Schema sperimentale degli studi di persistenza di antibiotici veterinari e di diffusione di geni della resistenza in suoli agricoli (Progetto Lazio Innova 2018-2020 AZeRO antibiotici: Valutazione della Presenza di Antibiotici nei Reflui Zootecnici e nel Digestato di Impianti a Biogas: Studio di Strategie per la loro Rimozione)