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Volume 13
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10.3390/antibiotics13121161
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Article

Local Electric Field-Incorporated In-Situ Copper Ions Eliminating Pathogens and Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Drinking Water

by
Ruiqing Li
1,
Haojie Dai
2,
Wei Wang
1,
Rulin Peng
1,
Shenbo Yu
3,
Xueying Zhang
1,
Zheng-Yang Huo
4,*,
Qingbin Yuan
1,3,* and
Yi Luo
3
1
School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, China
2
State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
3
School of Environment and Natural Resources, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, China
4
School of Chemistry and Life Resources, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, China
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Antibiotics 2024, 13(12), 1161; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics13121161
Submission received: 21 October 2024 / Revised: 26 November 2024 / Accepted: 27 November 2024 / Published: 2 December 2024
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Distribution, Sources and Risks of Bacteria and Their Antimicrobial Resistance Genes in the Environment)
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Abstract

Background/Objectives: Pathogen inactivation and harmful gene destruction from water just before drinking is the last line of defense to protect people from waterborne diseases. However, commonly used disinfection methods, such as chlorination, ultraviolet irradiation, and membrane filtration, experience several challenges such as continuous chemical dosing, the spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), and intensive energy consumption. Methods: Here, we perform a simultaneous elimination of pathogens and ARGs in drinking water using local electric fields and in-situ generated trace copper ions (LEF-Cu) without external chemical dosing. A 100-μm thin copper wire placed in the center of a household water pipe can generate local electric fields and trace copper ions near its surface after an external low voltage is applied. Results: The local electric field rapidly damages the outer structure of microorganisms through electroporation, and the trace copper ions can effectively permeate the electroporated microorganisms, successfully damaging their nucleic acids. The LEF-Cu disinfection system achieved complete inactivation (>6 log removal) of Escherichia coli O157:H7, Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1, and bacteriophage MS2 in drinking water at 2 V for 2 min, with low energy consumption (10−2 kWh/m3). Meanwhile, the system effectively damages both intracellular (0.54~0.64 log) and extracellular (0.5~1.09 log) ARGs and blocks horizontal gene transfer. Conclusions: LEF-Cu disinfection holds promise for preventing horizontal gene transfer and providing safe drinking water for household applications.
Keywords: electroporation; pathogens; antibiotic resistance genes; copper ions electroporation; pathogens; antibiotic resistance genes; copper ions

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Li, R.; Dai, H.; Wang, W.; Peng, R.; Yu, S.; Zhang, X.; Huo, Z.-Y.; Yuan, Q.; Luo, Y. Local Electric Field-Incorporated In-Situ Copper Ions Eliminating Pathogens and Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Drinking Water. Antibiotics 2024, 13, 1161. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics13121161

AMA Style

Li R, Dai H, Wang W, Peng R, Yu S, Zhang X, Huo Z-Y, Yuan Q, Luo Y. Local Electric Field-Incorporated In-Situ Copper Ions Eliminating Pathogens and Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Drinking Water. Antibiotics. 2024; 13(12):1161. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics13121161

Chicago/Turabian Style

Li, Ruiqing, Haojie Dai, Wei Wang, Rulin Peng, Shenbo Yu, Xueying Zhang, Zheng-Yang Huo, Qingbin Yuan, and Yi Luo. 2024. "Local Electric Field-Incorporated In-Situ Copper Ions Eliminating Pathogens and Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Drinking Water" Antibiotics 13, no. 12: 1161. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics13121161

APA Style

Li, R., Dai, H., Wang, W., Peng, R., Yu, S., Zhang, X., Huo, Z.-Y., Yuan, Q., & Luo, Y. (2024). Local Electric Field-Incorporated In-Situ Copper Ions Eliminating Pathogens and Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Drinking Water. Antibiotics, 13(12), 1161. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics13121161

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