Antimicrobial compounds used in human and veterinary settings can enter the environment through wastewater, runoff, and land‑based applications, where they may persist at levels capable of exerting selective pressure on microbial communities. Agricultural catchments are of particular interest, as they often represent key interfaces between antimicrobial use, environmental transport pathways, and ecological exposure.
This project aims to improve understanding of the occurrence and distribution of environmental antimicrobial residues in agricultural catchments including livestock environments and to evaluate their potential to contribute to antimicrobial resistance selection. By integrating environmental monitoring with exposure and risk assessment frameworks, the research seeks to identify conditions under which antimicrobial concentrations may pose ecological and public‑health concerns.
The outcomes of this work will support evidence‑based assessments of environmental antimicrobial exposure and contribute to broader One Health efforts to manage antimicrobial resistance through improved surveillance, risk characterisation, and environmental management strategies in agricultural environments.
