Evaluation of On-Site Wastewater Treatment as a Source of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Groundwater

Background/Need:
Concerns surrounding the presence of pharmaceutically active compounds in our water resources are driving efforts to
characterize their occurrence, fate, and transport in the environment. One potential consequence of the release of antibiotics is the proliferation of resistant bacteria. This work addresses the need to identify sources of antibiotic resistant bacteria in the environment. Onsite-wastewater treatment systems are evaluated as a potential source of genes encoding antibiotic resistance.

Objectives:

1. 1. Characterize the genotypic diversity of genes conferring resistance to tetracycline, in effluent from individual onsite wastewater treatment systems.
   2. Assess the impact of onsite wastewater treatment systems on the occurrence of tetracycline resistance genes in groundwater.