PuSH - Publication Server of Helmholtz Zentrum München

Pereira, A.R.* ; Gomes, I.B.* ; Harir, M. ; Ribeiro, A.R.L.* ; Gorito, A.M.* ; Santos, L.* ; Simões, M.J.*

Impact of chlorinated methylparaben derivatives on drinking water biofilm structure and antibiotic susceptibility.

J. Water Process. Eng. 80:109061 (2025)
Publ. Version/Full Text Research data DOI
Open Access Hybrid
Creative Commons Lizenzvertrag
Chlorination is a disinfection strategy widely used in drinking water distribution systems that can lead to the formation of harmful disinfection by-products. Parabens, a class of emerging contaminants, can react with chlorine and form parabens transformation products (PTP). This study investigates the formation and biological impact of PTP resulting from the chlorination of methylparaben (MP) with free chlorine. Both mono-chlorinated MP (3-Cl-MP) and di-chlorinated MP (3,5-diCl-MP) were produced and the characteristics of 7-days-old dual-species biofilms of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia exposed to these PTP were assessed. Although 3,5-diCl-MP reduced bacterial culturability, 3-Cl-MP and 3,5-diCl-MP exposure increased the number of viable but non-culturable (VBNC) cells of A. calcoaceticus from dual-species biofilms by 3-and 5-fold, respectively. Exposure to 3-Cl-MP also increased VBNC cells in dual-species biofilms and the biofilm thickness by 10 mu m. Extracellular polymeric substances showed a 2-fold increase in polysaccharide content upon exposure to both PTP. Interestingly, while MP exposure increased bacterial tolerance to chlorine, PTP exposure enhanced susceptibility. Biofilms exposed to PTP showed higher reductions in total and culturable cells, increased numbers of cells with damaged membranes, and improved chlorine efficacy in reducing the biofilm extracellular protein and thickness. Furthermore, 3,5-diCl-MP exposure increased S. maltophilia susceptibility to minocycline and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. These findings demonstrate the complex effects of PTP on DW biofilms and highlight the need to evaluate conventional disinfection strategies to protect DW from the impact of parabens and their chlorinated by-products.
Altmetric
Additional Metrics?
Edit extra informations Login
Publication type Article: Journal article
Document type Scientific Article
Keywords Chlorination; Drinking water distribution systems; Dual-species biofilms; Methylparaben-chlorinated by-products; Parabens transformation products; Extracellular Polymeric Substances; Halogenated By-products; Waste-water; Organic-matter; Disinfection; Parabens; Bacteria; Contaminants; Metabolites; Genes
ISSN (print) / ISBN 2214-7144
e-ISSN 2214-7144
Quellenangaben Volume: 80, Issue: , Pages: , Article Number: 109061 Supplement: ,
Publisher Elsevier
Publishing Place Radarweg 29, 1043 Nx Amsterdam, Netherlands
Reviewing status Peer reviewed
Grants FCT