Impacts on concentrations in the environment and development of multi-resistance in pathogens and environmental bacteria.

In response to the DFG call for research on the impact of the Corona pandemic, it was obvious to take a very close look at the disinfectants that both participating working groups were already dealing with before the pandemic. We are investigating, among other things, in cooperation with the Federal Environment Agency, whether an increased entry of disinfectants into the environment is occurring and whether this exacerbates the risk of multi-resistance development in pathogens.

Regarding the photo: While the treated wastewater is discharged to the receiving water body through a polishing pond, pressed sewage sludge after anaerobic treatment in the digester tower is being sampled here. Disinfectants that were not degraded throughout the entire treatment process were found here in enriched form.