Airborne antibiotics, antimicrobial resistance, and bacterial pathogens in a commercial composting facility: Transmission and exposure risk

This study quantifies airborne antibiotics, antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), and human pathogenic bacteria (HPBs) in composting facilities compared to compost. The burden of antibiotics in the air is higher than in compost, and the concentration of ARGs also increases. The study highlights the severity of airborne antimicrobial resistance elements in composting facilities, the coexistence of antibiotics with ARGs and HPBs, and the potential role of airborne antibiotics in environmental AMR evolution.