Framework for establishing regulatory guidelines to control antibiotic resistance in treated effluents

Antibiotic resistance is a major threat to human-health and wellbeing. resistant bacteria (ARB) antibiotic genes (ARGs) are environmental contaminants that circulate among humans, animals the environment. In urban areas, wastewater treatment plants recipients of these contaminants. Despite partial elimination during treatment, final effluents, even after disinfection, contain high doses ARB&ARG. The consequent continuous discharge effluents has important adverse impacts, which particularly intense in vulnerable deteriorated receiving environments (e.g., due pollution, droughts or floods, reduced biodiversity). ARB&ARGs biological capable self-replication horizontal gene-transfer, capabilities pollution-induced selective pressure effects absence competition can be enhanced environments. Moreover, as other contaminants, transported, mainly through water, increasing risks circling back source exposure humans. current knowledge about implications terms contamination human-health, well advances on technology quantification methods, support need timeliness implementing regular monitoring systems. Because no single chemical microbiological parameter used infer load, its specific should part parameters assess quality. definition minimal requirements integrated essential map at time- space scales, design implement corrective measures. These goals technically economically feasible incorporated into quality directives.