1 AIT Asian Institute of Technology

Investigations of amoxicillin and antimicrobial resistance in Up-flow Thermophilic Septic Tank (UTST) treating toilet wastewater

AuthorPeerawit Janta
Call NumberAIT Thesis no.EV-20-07
Subject(s)Septic tanks
Wastewater--Treatment

NoteA thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Engineering in Environmental Engineering and Management
PublisherAsian Institute of Technology
AbstractThe wide spread of antimicrobial resistance becomes a major concern around the world. Apart from the misuse or overuse of antibiotics, the occurrence of antimicrobial resistance could be due to improper sanitation systems especially in most developing countries. In such an improper sanitation, antibiotic compounds which are excreted from the human body can lead to the occurrence of antimicrobial resistant organisms. The Up-flow Thermophilic Septic Tank (UTST), an innovative treatment technology, could effectively remove organic compounds and pathogens but might produce antimicrobial resistant microorganisms in the effluent. Therefore, this research studied the effects of HRTs and antibiotic compounds on treatment performance and the possibility of the occurrence of antimicrobial-resistance in UTST reactors in both batch and laboratory-scale experiments. The batch test found that the conventional septic tank at the ambient temperature was higher opportunity to generate the antimicrobial resistance microorganisms than those in thermophilic reactors. The laboratoryscale experiments employed 2 UTST reactors feeding with blackwater (Reactor no.1) and blackwater with amoxicillin compounds (Reactor no.2). Reactor no.1 operated at HRT of 32 hr could obtain average TCOD, TS, VS, and TKN removals of 62%, 52%, 54% and 23%, respectively. At this condition, the biogas production was 1.86 L/d, while the methane yield was 0.01 L CH4/CODinput while the log reduction of fecal coliform and E. coli were 6.3 and 5.6, respectively. In reactor no. 2 at the same HRT, TCOD, TS, VS, and TKN removals of 59%, 52%, 54% and 29%, respectively, could be achieved with the relatively higher biogas production of 2.11 L/d and the methane yield of 0.02 LCH4/gCODinput. Fecal coliform and E.coli reduction of 5.67 and 4.33 log reduction, respectively, were in the same magnitude of reactor no. 1. At this condition, amoxicillin removal of greater than 81% could be observed and indicate the possible effects on anaerobic biodegradation and N removals in UTST. Kinetic coefficients on TCOD removals of reactor no.1 and no. 2 at 20 oC was 0.0145 and 0.0119, while the correlation coefficient (R2) of the kinetic coefficient for each reactor was 0.9989 and 0.6709, respectively.
Year2020
TypeThesis
SchoolSchool of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD)
DepartmentDepartment of Energy and Climate Change (Former title: Department of Energy, Environment, and Climate Change (DEECC))
Academic Program/FoSEnvironmental Engineering and Management (EV)
Chairperson(s)Thammarat Koottatep;
Examination Committee(s)Chongrak Polprasert;Xue, Wenchao;Tatchai Pussayanavin;Peeraya Ekchariyawat;
Scholarship Donor(s)Royal Thai Government Fellowship;
DegreeThesis (M. Eng.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2020


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