Role of Earthworms in Mitigating Antimicrobial Resistance During Wastewater Treatment by Vermifiltration Technology

Abstract

Antibiotic‐resistant microorganisms in wastewater pose significant threats to public health and the environment due to the limited effectiveness of conventional treatment systems. This study investigates the potential of vermifiltration technology, utilising Eisenia fetida earthworms, to reduce antibiotic‐resistant bacteria (ARB) and pollutant load in institutional wastewater by comparing a vermifilter (VF) against a biofilter (BF) lacking earthworms at pilot scale. Treatment performance was evaluated based on physicochemical parameters, microbial community shifts and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) reduction assessed using the VITEK 2 system. VF achieved substantial reductions in biochemical oxygen demand (85%), chemical oxygen demand (82%), total suspended solids (64%), ammoniacal nitrogen and pathogen load. Microbial profiling revealed a shift toward non‐pathogenic Gram‐positive bacteria, with Bacillus (25%) becoming dominant and E. coli being reduced to 10%. PCA revealed reduced fluoroquinolone, beta‐lactam and aminoglycoside resistance in vermifiltration due to earthworm‐induced aeration and diversity, suggesting its sustainable potential for wastewater treatment and resistance control.