The spread of sewage sludge on farmland - long term effects on soils and crops and effects on antibiotic resistance
Field trials with sewage sludge application on arable land in southwestern Sweden are ongoing since 1981, and these trials are thereby unique in the world. The goal is to evaluate and quantify the effects of applied nutrients, metals, trace elements and humus forming substances.
Project funded by Svenskt Vatten Utveckling during 2017-2018. The project is coordinated by Hushållningssällskapet Skåne and the Larsson group is responsible for the antibiotic resistance research. (475,000 SEK). PI: Joakim Larsson.
Field trials with sewage sludge application on arable land in southwestern Sweden are ongoing since 1981, and these trials are thereby unique in the world. The goal is to evaluate and quantify the effects of applied nutrients, metals, trace elements and humus forming substances. The results from the trials have contributed significantly to the current knowledge about long term effects of sludge application on soil as well as crops. Within the context of the long term field trials, a dedicated study will now be performed on the possible presence of antibiotics, antibiotic resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes in sludge and sludge-fertilized soil. This study, funded by Svenskt Vatten Utveckling 2017-2018 will be performed by the Larsson group at CARe, employing both cultivation-based approaches as well as next generation sequencing of complex communities. The overall project is coordinated by Hushållningssällskapet, Skåne.