Anthropogenic antimicrobial micropollutants and their implications for agriculture

Anahid A. Moghadam, Weitao Shuai, Erica M. Hartmann

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

Antibiotics and disinfectants have saved millions of human lives and cured uncountable animal diseases, but their activity is not limited to the site of application. Downstream, these chemicals become micropollutants, contaminating water at trace levels, resulting in adverse impacts on soil microbial communities and threatening crop health and productivity in agricultural settings and perpetuating the spread of antimicrobial resistance. Especially as resource scarcity drives increased reuse of water and other waste streams, considerable attention is needed to characterize the fate of antibiotics and disinfectants and to prevent or mitigate environmental and public health impacts. In this review, we hope to provide an overview of why increasing concentrations of micropollutants such as antibiotics are concerning in the environment, how they can pose health risks for humans, and how they can be countered using bioremediation strategies.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number102902
JournalCurrent Opinion in Biotechnology
Volume80
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 2023

Funding

WS and EMH are supported in part by the National Science Fundation Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems Division , USA (grant ID: 2043156 ).

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biotechnology
  • Bioengineering
  • Biomedical Engineering

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