Water Testing: Antimicrobial Resistance in Water

This Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 3, SDG 6 and SDG 14.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global public health threat. AMR is associated with millions of deaths worldwide and has impacts on global food security and economies. AMR exists naturally in environmental microbiomes but is exacerbated by anthropogenic activity, such as urban and agricultural releases. Interactions between humans, animals and the environment underscore the One Health approach to tackling the problem of AMR. As a result, there is an urgent need to better understand the environment's role in the selection, maintenance and dissemination of AMR, and the potential impacts of human activity, such as wastewater releases or agriculture, on environmental AMR. Aquatic environments can act as a sink, source, and distributor of AMR and AMR-driving chemicals; therefore, research into these environments is critical to fully understanding AMR in the One Health continuum.

This Collection aims to bring together impactful research on AMR and antimicrobials in natural aquatic environments and engineered water environments, and examine the role of these environments as disseminators and reservoirs of resistance. The Collection calls for research on AMR and antimicrobials in natural aquatic environments, and seeks to highlight research on the transformation and dynamics of AMR and antimicrobials in engineered water environments, for example, drinking water and wastewater treatment systems (including nature-based solutions, such as constructed wetlands). The Collection will also explore the effects of release of antimicrobials from engineered water environments on AMR in aquatic environments, and the potential to impact human health.

A range of topics are covered in the scope of the Collection, including:

• Sources and fate of antimicrobial resistant microorganisms and resistance genes in natural or engineered water environments
• Antimicrobials and selective agents in natural or engineered water environments
• Chemical mixture effects on AMR in natural or engineered water environments
• The assessment of AMR selection risk from antimicrobials in aquatic environments
• Policy aspects relating to AMR in natural or engineered water environments