A Framework for Antimicrobial Resistance Risk Assessment, Monitoring, and Risk-Reduction Practices along the Reused Water-Soil-Crop-Human Continuum

Laura Álvarez-Fraga; Mohan Amarasiri; Charlotte Arnal; Xavier Bellanger; Pierre Benoit; Thomas Berendonk; Thibault Bourdin; Carolee Anne Carson; Eddie Cytryn; Oriane Della-Negra; Andrea Di Cesare; Steven P Djordjevic; Barbara Drigo; Erica Donner; Pietro Drei; Dominic Frigon; Pablo Gago-Ferrero; William H Gaze; Karina Yew-Hoong Gin; Danny Greenwald; Bing Guo; Didier Hocquet; Ryo Honda; Jeffrey LeJeune; Caroline Le Maréchal; Roberta Maffettone; Célia M Manaia; Daniel Martak; Fabrice Martin-Laurent; Christophe Merlin; Alexandre Mrozinski; Dominique Patureau; Alfieri Pollice; Amy Pruden; Ben van den Akker; Sotirios Vasileiadis; Nathalie Wéry; Edward Topp

doi:10.1021/acs.est.6c03391

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A Framework for Antimicrobial Resistance Risk Assessment, Monitoring, and Risk-Reduction Practices along the Reused Water-Soil-Crop-Human Continuum

Journal article

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A Framework for Antimicrobial Resistance Risk Assessment, Monitoring, and Risk-Reduction Practices along the Reused Water-Soil-Crop-Human Continuum

Laura Álvarez-Fraga, Mohan Amarasiri, Charlotte Arnal, Xavier Bellanger, Pierre Benoit, Thomas Berendonk, Thibault Bourdin, Carolee Anne Carson, Eddie Cytryn, Oriane Della-Negra, …

Environmental science & technology

08/07/2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.6c03391

PMID: 42421426

Abstract

water reuse

risk assessment

risk management

antimicrobial resistance

crop irrigation

Food security in many parts of the world is threatened by reduced water availability, resulting from population growth and climate change. Under these circumstances, irrigating crops with reclaimed water is becoming an increasingly important agricultural practice. A framework is proposed to address these concerns, evaluate how effectively current regulations ensure safe and sustainable water reuse in the context of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and identify opportunities for more targeted guidance. The paper proposes indicators for water quality assessment that take into account risks specific to AMR and define primary contamination entry points, potential amplification points, and barriers (e.g., contaminant dissipation in soil, delay between irrigation and harvest, postharvest management), along the wastewater-irrigation, water-crop, and production-consumer continuum. In terms of risk management, an overview of the range of water and wastewater treatment options is provided, from secondary sewage treatments to advanced treatments, including weighing the costs and benefits of interventions in the context of local needs and constraints and the availability and quality of alternative irrigation water sources. The recommendations herein were developed through a consensus at an international multidisciplinary expert workshop and literature review.

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Title: A Framework for Antimicrobial Resistance Risk Assessment, Monitoring, and Risk-Reduction Practices along the Reused Water-Soil-Crop-Human Continuum
Creators: Laura Álvarez-Fraga - Université de Montpellier
Mohan Amarasiri - Tohoku University
Charlotte Arnal - Veolia. Scientific and Technological Expertise Department, 30 Rue Madeleine Vionnet, 93300 Aubervilliers, France
Xavier Bellanger - Université de Lorraine
Pierre Benoit - Université Paris-Saclay
Thomas Berendonk - Technische Universität Dresden
Thibault Bourdin - Université Marie et Louis Pasteur
Carolee Anne Carson - Centre for Foodborne, Environmental and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Public Health Agency of Canada, Guelph N1H 7M7, ON, Canada
Eddie Cytryn - Institute of Soil, Water and Environmental Sciences, Volcani Institute, Agricultural Research Organization, Rishon LeZion 7528809, Israel
Oriane Della-Negra - Université de Montpellier
Andrea Di Cesare - Molecular Ecology Group, National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Water Research Institute (IRSA), Verbania 28922, Italy
Steven P Djordjevic - University of Technology Sydney
Barbara Drigo - Cooperative Research Centre for Solving Antimicrobial Resistance in Agribusiness, Food, and Environments (CRC SAAFE), Mawson Lakes 5095, South Australia, Australia
Erica Donner - Future Industries Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes 5095, South Australia, Australia
Pietro Drei - University of Bologna
Dominic Frigon - McGill University
Pablo Gago-Ferrero - Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research
William H Gaze - University of Exeter
Karina Yew-Hoong Gin - Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Singapore, 1 Engineering Drive, Singapore 117576, Singapore
Danny Greenwald - The Israeli Governmental Water and Sewerage Authority, Jerusalem 9195021, Israel
Bing Guo - School of Engineering, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, U.K
Didier Hocquet - Université Marie et Louis Pasteur
Ryo Honda - Kanazawa University
Jeffrey LeJeune - Division of Agrifood Systems and Food Safety, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome 00153, Italy
Caroline Le Maréchal - ANSES, Ploufragan-Plouzané-Niort Laboratory, HQPAP Unit, Ploufragan 22440, France
Roberta Maffettone - European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Ispra 21027, Italy
Célia M Manaia - Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Daniel Martak - Université Bourgogne Europe
Fabrice Martin-Laurent - Université Bourgogne Europe
Christophe Merlin - Université de Lorraine
Alexandre Mrozinski - Université Bourgogne Europe
Dominique Patureau - Université de Montpellier
Alfieri Pollice - IRSA CNR, Water Research Institute, National Research Council of Italy, Bari 70132, Italy
Amy Pruden - Virginia Tech
Ben van den Akker - Adelaide University
Sotirios Vasileiadis - University of Thessaly
Nathalie Wéry - Université de Montpellier
Edward Topp - Department of Biology, Western University, 1151 Richmond Street, London N6A 3K7, ON, Canada
Publication Details: Environmental science & technology
Publication Date: 08/07/2026
Identifiers: 991142222502346
Academic Unit: Mechanical Engineering Sciences
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

A Framework for Antimicrobial Resistance Risk Assessment, Monitoring, and Risk-Reduction Practices along the Reused Water-Soil-Crop-Human Continuum

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