The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded UWM scientist Ryan Newton $2 million to study antimicrobial resistance in wastewater.
Newton, associate professor in the School of Freshwater Sciences, will lead a team that will quantify antimicrobial resistance through wastewater treatment processes and compare resistance patterns over the past 10 years with resistance data from hospital clinics.
The grant is part of $9 million in funding awarded by the EPA to four institutions for research to address knowledge gaps and better identify and manage antimicrobial resistance risk. Antimicrobial resistance is a major public health concern and can make it harder to treat certain infections in animals and people. Wastewater treatment facilities are potential receptors and sources for antibiotic resistant bacteria and genes.
Newton will be working on the project with UWM colleagues Troy Skwor, associate professor of biomedical sciences, and Todd Miller, associate professor of environmental health sciences, along with Patrick McNamara, professor of environmental engineering at Marquette University.
“The results of this project will tell us if antibiotic resistant bacteria are of increasing concern in our wastewater and inform us of the effectiveness of current wastewater processes in removing these bacteria, so that we can make informed decisions when developing new treatment technologies,” Newton said.
Wastewater treatment facilities receive wastewater from a mix of sources including industry, households and hospitals, all of which can contribute to a high density of pathogens and antimicrobial drug residues that enter the plant. Treated wastewater is often released back into rivers and streams but may still contain both antimicrobial products and antimicrobial-resistant bacteria.
These research projects will measure the environmental health impact of antimicrobial resistance in wastewater and advance understanding of the evolution and spread of antimicrobial resistance. Grant winners will study wastewater treatment systems across the country and review past literature and data to assess risk in wastewater. Projects involve developing a risk assessment framework, conducting a systematic review of genomic data and evaluating the fate of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and genes in wastewater treatment processes.
“Antimicrobial resistance is a major concern for public health and the environment,” said Chris Frey, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Research and Development. “The research conducted by these grantees will inform how wastewater treatment plants can help manage this risk as we work together to protect our water resources and public health.”
Other grant recipients are the University of Nebraska, the Water Research Foundation in Denver, Colorado, and Oregon State University.
