Chemosphere. 2017 Feb;168:1637-1647. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2016.11.132. Epub 2016 Dec 5.
- 1Leibniz
Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bio-Economy Potsdam, Dept.
Bioengineering, Max-Eyth-Allee 100, D-14469 Potsdam, Germany.
- 2Faculty of Life Sciences and Technology, Beuth University of Applied Sciences, Berlin, Germany; Division of Infectious Diseases, University Medical Centre Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
- 3Leibniz
Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bio-Economy Potsdam, Dept.
Bioengineering, Max-Eyth-Allee 100, D-14469 Potsdam, Germany. Electronic address: nkrakat@atb-potsdam.de.
Abstract
Poultry
manure is a nitrogen rich fertilizer, which is usually recycled and
spread on agricultural fields. Due to its high nutrient content, chicken
manure is considered to be one of the most valuable animal wastes as
organic fertilizer. However, when chicken litter is applied in its
native form, concerns are raised as such fertilizers also include high
amounts of antibiotic resistant pathogenic Bacteria and heavy metals. We
studied the impact of an anaerobic thermophilic digestion process on
poultry manure. Particularly, microbial antibiotic resistance profiles,
mobile genetic elements promoting the resistance dissemination in the
environment as well as the presence of heavy metals were focused in this
study. The initiated heat treatment fostered a community shift from
pathogenic to less pathogenic bacterial groups. Phenotypic and molecular
studies demonstrated a clear reduction of multiple resistant pathogens
and self-transmissible plasmids in the heat treated manure. That
treatment also induced a higher release of metals and macroelements.
Especially, Zn and Cu exceeded toxic thresholds. Although the
concentrations of a few metals reached toxic levels after the anaerobic
thermophilic treatment, the quality of poultry manure as organic
fertilizer may raise significantly due to the elimination of antibiotic
resistance genes (ARG) and self-transmissible plasmids.
Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
KEYWORDS:
Anaerobic digestion; Antibiotic resistance genes; Conjugative plasmids; Metals; Poultry manure; Thermophilic temperature
