Balancing Water Sustainability and Public Health Goals in the Face of Growing Concerns about Antibiotic Resistance

Global initiatives are underway to advance the sustainability of urban water infrastructure through measures such as water reuse. However, there are growing concerns that wastewater effluents are enriched in antibiotics, antibiotic resistant bacteria, and antibiotic resistance genes, and thus could...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental science & technology 2014-01, Vol.48 (1), p.5-14
Main Author: Pruden, Amy
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Antibiotics
Bacteria
Conservation of Natural Resources
Drug resistance
Drug Resistance, Bacterial
Goals
Public Health
Sustainability
Sustainable development
Waste Water - microbiology
Water Microbiology
Water Pollutants
Water reuse
Water Supply
Water treatment
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Global initiatives are underway to advance the sustainability of urban water infrastructure through measures such as water reuse. However, there are growing concerns that wastewater effluents are enriched in antibiotics, antibiotic resistant bacteria, and antibiotic resistance genes, and thus could serve as a contributing factor to growing rates of antibiotic resistance in human infections. Evidence for the role of the water environment as a source and pathway for the spread of antimicrobial resistance is examined and key knowledge gaps are identified with respect to implications for sustainable water systems. Efforts on the part of engineers along with investment in research in epidemiology, risk assessment, water treatment and water delivery could advance current and future sustainable water strategies and help avoid unintended consequences.
ISSN:0013-936X
1520-5851
DOI:10.1021/es403883p