NEWSLETTER

Antibiotics and mobile

resistance elements in

wastewater reuse

applications: risks

and innovative

solutions (ANSWER)

In This Issue

Training Event F

Scientific progress so far

Dissemination activities

Deliverables completed so far

ANSWER synergies

Secondments’ status

XENOWAC II Conference

Future Activities

Contact us

Training Event F The Environmental Institute s.r.o. (EI) and HighChem organized a very successful Training

Event entitled "Practical exercise on computer tools for identification and structure eluci-

dation of antibiotics, their metabolites and transformation products", in Bratislava and

Bela, Slovak Republic on the 23rd to 26th of January, 2018. It was an open event, to the general

public and not only ESRs were able to participate but also Ph.D. students working in the field of

Chemistry, Chemical/Environmental Engineering and Environmental Sciences. Four (4) ESRs

participated in TE-F and 4 Ph.D. students not participating in the ANSWER project.

During this TE-F the theory and practice of Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)

and accurate Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) techniques were presented in

lectures and practical demonstration together with state-of-the-art models and computer tools for

structural elucidation and spectral libraries including Mass Frontier, publicly accessible m/zCloud

and the open source database ‘NORMAN MassBank’. Moreover, structure generation and public

database search together with approaches to yield fragmentation-based classifiers were pre-

sented. The participants had also the opportunity to test the abovementioned tools themselves

on their own data.

In addition to studying, the participants had the opportunity to enjoy interesting tours and explore

the snowy Slovakia in their free time. For more details please visit the following link: http://

www.answer-itn.eu/event/training-event-_-f/

H2020-MSCA-ITN-2015/675530 Newsletter April 2018

Scientific Progress so far

Conference participations

A. Chandrasekar, D. Kneis, R. Liedl, "Modelling the transport of antibiotic resistant bacteria in the subsurface", 26th Meeting of the German Association for

Hydrogeology 2018, 21-24 March 2018, Bochum, Germany. (Poster presentation)

N. Scaccia, I. Vaz-Moreira, C. M. Manaia, "Can wastewater antibiotic resistant bacteria survive a healthy human gut microbiome?", Microbiotec17, 7-9 December

2017, Porto, Portugal. (Poster presentation)

K. Slipko, R. Marano, V. Merkus, N. Kreuzinger, "The effects of sub-inhibitory concentrations of fluoroquinolone antibiotic on nutrient removal in activated sludge

processes", 18th European meeting of environmental chemistry (EMEC18), 26-29 November, 2017, Porto, Portugal. (Poster presentation)

F. Biancullo, N. F. F. Moreira, A. R. Ribeiro, J. L. Faria, S. Castro-Silva, A. M. T. Silva, "Removal of organic micropollutants in urban wastewater by using UV-LEDs

heterogeneous photocatalysis", 18th European meeting of environmental chemistry (EMEC18), Porto, Portugal, November 26-29, 2017. (Poster presentation)

N. Alygizakis, M. Gramblicka, R. Mistrik, N. Thomaidis, J. Slobodnik, "Novel workflow for identification and determination of antibiotics and their transformation

products in wastewater by liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution-mass spectrometry", 15th International Conference on Environmental Science and

Technology (CEST2017), 31 August-2 September 2017, Rhodes, Greece. (Poster presentation)

V. G. Beretsou, I. Michael-Kordatou, N.S. Thomaidis, D. Fatta-Kassinos, "Assessment of sulfamethoxazole UV-C/H2O2 oxidation: Elucidation and stability of

transformation products", 15th International Conference on Environmental Science and Technology (CEST2017), 31 August-2 September 2017, Rhodes, Greece.

(Oral presentation)

R.B.M. Marano, E. Cytryn, "Following the mobile resistome through the path of reclaimed wastewater: from treatment plants to irrigated crops", 4th International

Symposium on the environmental dimension of antibiotic resistance (EDAR 2017), 13-17 August, 2017, East Lansing, Michigan, United States. (Poster

presentation)

G.K. Paulus, L. Hornstra, G. Medema "Development and application of Multiplex qPCR for Antibiotic Resistance Genes in the Water Cycle", 4th International

Symposium on the environmental dimension of antibiotic resistance (EDAR 2017), 13-17 August, 2017, East Lansing, Michigan, United States. (Poster

presentation)

F. Cerqueira, D. Tadic, V. Matamoros, J.M. Bayona, B. Piña, "Distribution of Antibiotic Resistance Genes and Microbiome analysis in agricultural soil and Edible

Plants in Catalonia", 10th Micropol & Ecohazard Conference 2017, Vienna, Austria, 17-20 September 2017. (Oral presentation)

D. Tadic, V. Matamoros, J.M. Bayona, "Simultaneous determination of five classes of antibiotics in vegetable matrices by sonication, SPE cleanup and UPLC-MS/

MS determination", 19th International Symposium on Advances in Extraction Technologies, ExTech2017, 27-30 June 2017, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

(Poster presentation)

E. Radu, M. Woegerbauer, M. Oismüller, N. Kreuzinger, "Impact of antibiotics of anthropogenic origin on bacterial soil communities in agricultural ecosystems", 20th

International Symposium "Environment and Industry" SIMI 2017, 28-29 September 2017Bucharest, Romania. (Poster presentation)

K. Slipko, D. Reif, N. Kreuzinger, "Effect Of Use Of Different Types Of Membranes On Cell Free Bacterial DNA Removal From Wastewater Treatment Plant

Effluent ", 10th Micropol & Ecohazard Conference 2017, 17-20 September 2017, Vienna, Austria. (Oral presentation) -Third Prize award for Best Oral Presentation

I. Zammit, R. Cucciniello, V. Vaiano, D. Sannino, A. Proto, L. Rizzo, "Disinfection efficiency of selected photocatalysts on E. coli indigenous to wastewater

treatment plant", Environmental Applications on Advanced Oxidation Processes (EAAOP5), 25-29 June, 2017, Prague, Czech Republic. (Poster presentation)

Journal Publications

I. Michael-Kordatou, P. Karaolia, D. Fatta-Kassinos, "The role of operating parameters and oxidative damage mechanisms of Advanced Chemical Oxida-

tion Processes in the combat against antibiotic-resistant bacteria and resistance genes present in urban wastewater″, Water Research, 2018, 128, 1-23.

R. Elkayam, A. Aharoni, D. vaizel-Ohayon, O. Sued, Y. Katz, I. Negev, R.B.M. Marano, E. Cytryn, L. Shtrasler, O. Lev, "Comprehensive survey of viral

and microbial pathogens, indicator microorganisms, microbial source tracking indicators and antibiotic resistance genes in a confined managed effluent

recharge system", Journal of Environmental Engineering, 2017 (accepted).

C.M. Manaia, "Assessing the Risk of Antibiotic Resistance Transmission from the Environment to Humans: Non-Direct Proportionality Between Abundance

and Risk", Trends in Microbiology, 2017, 25 (3), 173-181.

Book Chapters

R.B.M. Marano, E. Cytryn. "The mobile resistome in wastewater treatment facilities and downstream environments". Book Chapter in Patricia L. Keen and

Raphaël Fugère (Eds), "Antimicrobial Resistance in Wastewater Treatment Process", John Wiley & Sons, 2017, ISBN: 1119192455, 9781119192459.

Dissemination Activities

The Net4Mobility (https://www.net4mobility.eu/), which is a Network of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie

Actions National Contact Points has selected the ANSWER project as a success story, to be presented

as a short documentary. The film-making took place at the New and the Old Campus of the University

Of Cyprus, in Nicosia, Cyprus, on October 17, 2017.

Ms. Vasiliki Beretsou, (ESR14 of the Answer project) participated in this documentary, presenting her

research work in the framework of the project and her experiences gained up to now by being an ESR

in a MSCA ITN project, which is all about research training, networking and collaboration opportuni-

ties. In addition, Dr. Despo Fatta-Kassinos (ANSWER Coordinator), presented, among others, the

benefits of ITN for the Principal Investigators and the host organizations, talked about what makes AN-

SWER project so unique, and gave some tips for building collaborative consortium and for successful

recruitment campaign.

You can watch the video at: http://www.answer-itn.eu/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/videoplayback.mp4

ANSWER PROJECT

DOCUMENTARY

ESRs’ Outreach Activities implemented so far

Type of outreach

activity

Number of activities and number of ESRs

participated

Visit to schools 13 ESRs visited 26 schools

Radio talks 7 ESRs participated in radio talks

Articles in newspapers 10 ESRs published press articles

Visit to end-users 5 ESRs informed more than 90 end-users

regarding their works and the ANSWER project

Café Scientifique

events 11 ESRs participated in Café Scientifique events

organized by them in the framework of the project

Dissemination Activities

Newspapers/online portals with a specific focus on the areas of research and

innovation are used to disseminate information about ANSWER.

You can find ANSWER press articles at the following link: http://www.answer-

itn.eu/in-the-spotlight.

Fo r

With the growing importance of the social media, which increase the possibility to

reach different audiences, the ANSWER consortium use various channels to in-

form the wider public about the project, through the creation of a network interest-

ed in the different aspects of ANSWER.

Four social media are used: Facebook, Twitter, ResearchGate and LinkedIn.

D5.1: Web-based database for antibiotics, TPs, ARB&ARGs in

wastewater, soil, ground/surface water and crops matrices

D6.1: Summer School Documentation

D6.3: 1st Workshop documentation

D6.4: 15 Personal Career Development Plans

D7.1: Guidelines for the recruitment process

D7.2: Consortium Agreement

D7.3: IPR management plan

D7.4: Researcher Declarations

D7.6: Progress Report

D7.7: Mid-term review meeting

D7.8: Draft Periodic Report

D7.9: Supervisory Board of the network

D7.10: ETHICS - Delivery of documents

D8.1: Website

D9.1: Environment Protection Question -Requirement No1

D9.2: Environment Protection Question -Requirement No2

D9.3: Environment Protection Question -Requirement No3

ESRs Secondments implemented so far

ESR1 Nireas-IWRC, UCY HUJI TUD

ESR2 WABAG UCP

ESR3 AVBS

ESR4 AVBS TU-Wien

ESR5 UCP

ESR6 TUD KWR

ESR7 ISS

ESR8 HighChem

ESR9 AGES

ESR10 UCP WABAG

ESR11 Adventech UCP

ESR12 Adventech

ESR13 UNISA UCP

ESR14 EI HighChem BDS

ESR15 HighChem KWR Nireas-IWRC, UCY

On-going secondments

Completed secondments

Deliverables completed so far

Secondments’ status

ANSWER beneficiaries are actively seeking and exploring

synergies, partnerships and collaborations with other

initiatives/projects/organizations, in order to identify new

opportunities for further knowledge transfer/training, and to

be fully up to date concerning new developments in the

field of wastewater treatment/reuse and antibiotic re-

sistance.

ANSWER’s synergies

Nireas International Water Research Center (Nireas-IWRC) of the University of Cyprus is proud to host the

XENOWAC II conference, a decade after the first XENOWAC conference (XENOWAC I) which took place in Cyprus in

March 2009, in the framework of the COST Action 636.

The Conference embraces the work performed in the framework of H2020-MSCA-ITN-2015/675530 ANSWER and

NEREUS COST Action ES1403, both coordinated by Nireas-IWRC, UCY.

The XENOWAC II Organizing Committee together with the Scientific Committee is dedicated to develop a fascinating sci-

entific program. In response to the increasing problem of water shortage, treated urban wastewater is currently widely re-

used, considered to be a reliable alternative water source. Regions inhabited by more than 40% of the world's population

already are in the situation where water demand exceeds supply. The ever-increasing shortage of water, the increasing

needs for food due to the expanding world population, and for irrigation water, both in respect to good quality and quantity,

render reuse a 'sine qua non' condition. Although reuse is accompanied by a number of benefits, and major advances

have been made with respect to producing safe treated effluents for reuse (e.g. successful removal of nutrients, metals,

chemical oxygen demand down to low levels), several important questions are still unanswered and barriers exist regard-

ing the safe/sustainable reuse practices especially in relation to contaminants of emerging concern.

Join us and be part of this leading event for presenting and discussing the latest concepts and developments in the field of

contaminants of emerging concern and urban wastewater reuse. We will try to answer various quite challenging questions

including the following:

A new perspective on wastewater contaminants – Is it about time to look for THE contaminant?

The deeper we look . . . the more numerous the risks are?

Wastewater once . . . wastewater forever?

Monitoring big or monitoring smart?

How can we create a Blue Circle Society?

HIGHLIGHTS

Talks from international authorities in the field

Exchange of information between academia and stakeholders

A platform for early-career investigators to present their work

Science Slam

Wonderful venue, social activities and great food

Satellite event by the Water Joint Programming Initiative (JPI)

10-12 October 2018

Limassol, Cyprus

GrandResort Hotel

KEY DATES

Abstract Submission Deadline: April 21, 2018

Notification of Acceptance/Rejection: May 31, 2018

Early Fee Deadline: June 30, 2018

http://www.xenowac2018.com/

CONTACT US

Email

info@answer-itn.eu

Website

http://www.answer-itn.eu

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/answer.itn/

Twitter

https://twitter.com/answer_itn

Future Activities:

Training Event G:

The Technische Universität Wien (TU-Wien), the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES) and the VA TECH

WABAG GmbH (WABAG) organize a Training Event on "Microbiology in wastewater treatment - Design criteria for

wastewater treatment plants - Horizontal resistance gene transfer in soil", which will be held in Vienna, Austria on

the 23rd to 27th of April, 2018. More info regarding this event coming soon in the following link: http://www.answer-itn.eu/

event/training-event-g/.

Acknowledgments:

“This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie

grant agreement No 675530”

Disclaimer:

“The content of this article is only the authors’ view and the Agency is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains”

2nd ANSWER workshop and Training Event Η:

The 2nd ANSWER workshop on "Modelling and risk assessment

tools towards sustainable wastewater reuse" will be held on

June 18-21, 2018, in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and will be

organized by KWR (ANSWER Beneficiary). This workshop will be

a combined event with the Training Event H on "Environmental

and human health risk assessment of antibiotics". More info

regarding these events will be presented soon at the following link:

http://www.answer-itn.eu/training-events/