Electrofiltration-activated peroxymonosulfate and permanganate processes for nonradical oxidation of antibiotic-resistant contaminants: Comparing 1O2 with active Mn(III)aq

The selective and simultaneous removal of antibiotics (ABs), antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARBs), and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) from complex water matrices is crucial but remains challenging. Herein, relatively pure nonradical oxidation systems of singlet oxygen ( 1 O 2 ) and reactive trivalent manganese (Mn( III ) aq ) were established through electrofiltration-activated peroxymonosulfate and permanganate processes, respectively. Both systems simultaneously removed ABs, ARBs, and > 99 % of 20 selected ARGs within 15 min, while the addition of anions and nature organic matter slightly inhibited ARB inactivation. A multiperspective investigation confirmed that 1 O 2 demonstrated superior efficacy in ARB inactivation and protein damage compared to Mn( III ) aq , whereas Mn( III ) aq destroyed the ARB cell membrane, induced oxidative stress, and damaged almost all ARGs more rapidly than 1 O 2 . In particular, 1 O 2 exhibited selectivity toward four ARGs, which was attributed to a positive dependence on the 5′-GG-3′ doublet content. Moreover, 1 O 2 and Mn( III ) aq significantly reduced the risks of ARB regrowth and horizontal gene transfer of ARGs while providing resilience in real water matrices with improved energy-effectiveness. The findings of this study offer new insights into nonradical reactive species dominated advanced oxidation processes for controlling antibiotic resistance in real water.