The objective of the project HOTMATS is to design and demonstrate effective and compact solutions for the source-treatment of wastewater emitted from AMR hotspots.
The goal is to stop the spreading of antimicrobial resistant bacteria (ARB), antibiotic resistance genes (ARG), and other health-critical microorganisms from hotspots to the public sewage network, which currently is one of the major AMR transmission links between the three pillars of One-Health. This intervention will unburden the sewage network including wastewater treatment plants from the load of AMR, and hence reduces their release to the environment.
The capability of different treatment principles will be investigated, novel treatment units will be designed, and the destruction of ARB/ARGs in contaminated wastewater will be demonstrated. Ozone, AOP, MF, and UV-C based pilot-reactors will be developed and their effectiveness to destroy ARB/ARGs in concentrated wastewater streams will be assessed at a hospital, nursery homes, and animal facilities.
Compared to existing methods, the investigated treatment solutions are more effective, have a lower footprint, and consume less energy and resources, making them attractive options for treatment at AMR hotspots, as retrofits at old building infrastructures, and where space is limited. The socio-economy assessment including the transfer from HIC to LMIC is part of the HOTMATS project by integration partners from LMICs.
Project partners
- Thomas Schwartz, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany (Coordinator)
- Carsten Schwermer, Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Norway
- Jaqphet Opintan, University of Ghana, Ghana
- Richard Wulwa, University of Nairobi, Kenya
