T
he main objective is to develop well-trained and scientifically-creative Early-Stage Researchers (ESRs) through innovative PhD projects to unravel the highly complex factors driving antibiotics and antibiotic-resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes (A&ARB&ARG) propagation in the framework of urban wastewater reuse, in order to assess the relevant environmental/public health risks, able to face current and future challenges and to convert knowledge and ideas into products and services for economic and social benefit.
I. Scientific Research Objectives
II. Scientific Training Objectives
- To provide a solid approach for effect analysis concerning wastewater reuse in a European regulatory and monitoring context;
- To develop novel multidisciplinary approaches/techniques to enhance the diagnostic, mitigation and prevention capacity of antibiotics and antibiotic-resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes (A&ARB&ARG) propagation, with cost-efficiency and wide applicability;
- To integrate all of the empirical data into a web-based database which will allow for:
- Automated prioritisation of chemical/biological risk factors;
- Use of the data in models for large-scale projections;
- Interpretation by ANSWER internal and external stakeholders for future policy development;
- Science-based emission limits values (ELVs) for antibiotics and their transformation products (TPs) and antibiotic-resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes (ARB&ARG) in treated wastewater.
- State-of-the-art of wastewater, soil and plant-associated microbiology, with emphasis on the innovative diagnosis of antibiotics and antibiotic-resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes (A&ARB&ARG);
- Comprehensive understanding of horizontal gene transfer dynamics in environmental microbiome as correlated to different wastewater treatments and environmental conditions;
- Novel endpoints using advanced bioassays that can be applied to assess the effects that antibiotics and their transformation products (TPs) resulting from conventional/innovative treatment may induce in the environment;
- Assessment of transformation products (TPs) of antibiotics formed during the oxidative treatment of the wastewater for their capacity to select antibiotic resistance (AR) in the environment.