Chlorine sewage treatment may be boosting antibiotic resistance

Early studies are showing that chlorine treatment may encourage the formation of new antibiotics that could also enter the environment, potentially contributing to antibiotic resistance


Chlorine may not be completely eliminate pharmaceuticals during waste treatment, according to an article on the Infection Control Today website.

Early studies are showing that chlorine treatment may encourage the formation of new antibiotics that could also enter the environment, potentially contributing to antibiotic resistance, the article said.

“Treated wastewater is one of the major sources of pharmaceuticals and antibiotics in the environment,” said Olya Keen, PhD. “Wastewater treatment facilities were not designed to remove these drugs. The molecules are typically very stable and do not easily get biodegraded. Instead, most just pass through the treatment facility and into the aquatic environment.”

But besides failing to remove all drugs from wastewater, sewage treatment facilities using chlorine may have the unintended consequences of encouraging the formation of other antibiotics in the discharged water.

Read the article.

 

 



March 31, 2015


Topic Area: Safety


Recent Posts

Redefining What Mental Health Facilities Look Like

A new Mental Health and Addictions Center uses design and architecture to challenge the stigma and create a more open model of care.


Managing High-Volume Laundry Operations 

Tips and tricks one director has learned in three decades of managing a large, high-volume laundry operation.


University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Falls Victim to Vendor Data Breach

A health information network named “Health Gorilla” improperly accessed medical records available through the national network used to exchange medical information.


Optimizing the Engineering Design of Ambulatory Care Facilities

Designing cost-effective engineering systems is not about minimizing investment but about investing strategically.


Construction Completed on Washington Health Urgent Care Facility in California

The design team maximized the existing footprint to accommodate five exam rooms, a dedicated procedure room and an X-ray room.


 
 


FREE Newsletter Signup Form

News & Updates | Webcast Alerts
Building Technologies | & More!

 
 
 


All fields are required. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

 
 
 
 

Healthcare Facilities Today membership includes free email newsletters from our facility-industry brands.

Facebook   Twitter   LinkedIn   Posts

Copyright © 2023 TradePress. All rights reserved.