University of Thessaly Research And Innovation Center "IASON" (PΑ.K.E.K. IASON)
STRESS: reuSe of TReated urban wastewater in agriculture: microbial load and rESistance to antibioticS
MIS #5162177
Fresh-water shortage is an issue faced by 80% of the global population. Climate change, population explosion and the current global trend of urbanization are expected to intensify this phenomenon. Several Greek territories have historically been facing water scarcity, with increasing occurrence of such events over the last years. For example, Thessaly plains, of prime importance for the wider agro-food sector of Greece, experience the recurrence of droughts due to flow interruption of the fresh-water supplying Pinios river over summer periods.
Non-conventional water sources for covering crop irrigation needs seem an appealing solution. One such source is treated urban wastewater with the byproducts of wastewater treatment like sludge also being used for soil fertilization, as mandated by the principles of a modern circular economy.
The microbial content of such inputs may range from beneficial to opportunistic pathogenic and to pathogenic populations. Moreover, as currently acknowledged, such inputs may entail the intensification of the antibiotic resistance potential of the receiving soil microbial communities, with possible adverse effects for mankind and the environment.
STRESS aims at addressing this problem through an in-depth study of the effects of such inputs on the receiving microbial communities, through the:
- Assessment of the dispersal of microorganisms and resistance to antimicrobials from the urban wastewater outputs to soil and plants receiving such amendments.
- Investigation of natural attenuation mechanisms of antibiotic resistance development, like e.g. biodegradation of commonly used antibiotics by native microbial community members.
Sotirios Vasileiadis (project role: Primary Ivestigator) is Assistant Professor at the department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology (DBB), of the University of Thessaly (UTh), with expertise in Microbial Ecology, Meta-omics and associated bioinformatics
Dimitrios G Karpouzas (project role: team member) is Professor and Director of DBB (UTh), and an expert in Soil Microbial Ecology, Pesticides/Pharamceuticals Environmental Fate, Biodegradation
Konstantinos Kormas (project role: team member) is Professor at the Department of Ichthyology and Aquatic Environment of the School of Agricultural Sciences (UTh) and an expert in Aquatic Microbial Ecology
Efi Levizou (project role: team member) is Associate Professor at the Department of Agriculture Crop Production and the Rural Environment of the School of Agricultural Sciences (UTh) and an expert in Plant Physiology
Panagiotis Madesis (project role: team member) is Assistant Professor at the Department of Agriculture Crop Production and the Rural Environment of the School of Agricultural Sciences (UTh) and an expert in Cellular and Molecular Biology
Georgios D Nanos (project role: team member) is Professor at the Department of Agriculture Crop Production and the Rural Environment of the School of Agricultural Sciences (UTh) and an expert in Pomology
Evangelia Papadopoulou (project role: team member) is Assistant Professor in Environmental Microbiology at the Department of Environmental Sciences (UTh) and an expert at the soil N-cycling pathways
Kalliope K Papadopoulou (project role: team member) is Professor at DBB (UTh), and an expert at Rhizosphere-associated Microorganisms, Plant-Microbe interations, and Plant Secondary Metabolism
Urania Pavli (project role: team member) is Assistant Professor at the Department of Agriculture Crop Production and the Rural Environment of the School of Agricultural Sciences (UTh) and an expert in Plant Breeding
Ioannis Vaggelas Vaggelas (project role: team member) is Assistant Professor at the department of Agriculture Crop Production and the Rural Environment of the School of Agriculatural Sciencies (UTh) and a Plant Pathology expert
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