SPU’s Prof Nhamo Chaukura, Acting Head of the Department of Physical and Earth Sciences in the Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences, and his team have achieved a significant milestone with the publication of their study, Profiling the bacterial microbiome diversity and assessing the potential to detect antimicrobial resistance bacteria in wastewater in Kimberley, South Africa, in Nature, a leading DHET-accredited journal.
The study tackles the pressing issue of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in wastewater, which Prof Chaukura describes as a major threat to infection treatment. Antibiotics remain essential to modern medicine, saving millions of lives, yet antibiotic resistance jeopardises these advances, posing significant risks to both human and ecological health. Understanding and mitigating these risks is critical, especially as wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) often act as hotspots for such pathogens.
Using advanced environmental DNA (eDNA) techniques, the research team analysed microbial diversity in wastewater. However, they encountered challenges, such as limited access to specialised analytical equipment, which required outsourcing certain tests. Additionally, the eDNA method, while powerful, can produce artefacts like false positives due to DNA persistence in the environment. Despite these hurdles, the team successfully isolated microbial DNA from samples across three WWTPs in Kimberley, discovering concerning levels of antibiotic-resistant bacteria within local wastewater.
This pioneering research offers significant potential to improve wastewater treatment practices locally and globally. Prof Chaukura and the team envision a future where eDNA analysis is routinely used to monitor and manage microbial communities within WWTPs, ultimately advancing public health and ecological stability. As Prof Chaukura explains, “Research on eDNA is beginning to influence wastewater treatment practices by providing new methods for tracking microbial activity.”
This project, funded through Sol Plaatje University’s Multi/Inter/Trans (MIT) Disciplinary Research Seed Funding, aligns with SPU’s commitment to community engagement and research impact. By exploring the quality and reuse potential of wastewater, this study supports the university’s goal of fostering locally impactful and globally relevant research, demonstrating SPU’s dedication to creating knowledge that directly benefits the community and addresses regional health concerns.
Building on this study’s success, the research team plans to expand their scope to additional wastewater treatment plants across various districts in the Northern Cape, aiming to provide a broader understanding of antibiotic resistance in the region. This work not only highlights the need to address antibiotic resistance in wastewater but also affirms Sol Plaatje University’s position as a leader in community-focused, impactful research.
