Research establishes safe water thresholds for antimicrobials, to help mitigate resistance

Researchers have made progress towards a G7 commitment to establish safe standards for the release of antimicrobials into the environment, by developing a new framework that establishes safe thresholds.

A major issue is the spread of antimicrobials and resistant bacteria through water systems. When we take antibiotics, 70 per cent passes through our bodies into wastewater. Farm animals are treated with antibiotics which can also end up in aquatic systems through run-off and flooding. University of Exeter research has previously shown that even when antimicrobials are present in these waters at low levels, they can contribute to the evolution of resistant bacteria. These bacteria can make their way into our guts, potentially causing health problems.