The inter-sectorial and interdisciplinary IDYEA was hosted at University of Bath, UK with a secondment supported by Technical University of Denmark. The project trained one experienced researcher in areas of analytical chemistry, molecular microbiology and bioinformatics, statistical data evaluation methods and process modelling. IDYEA offered excellent opportunities for mutual knowledge exchange and technology development. IDYEA was carried out via seven work packages, including experimentation, model identification and risk assessment, the researcher was fully involved to the project management and supported by advanced leadership trainings organised by the host institution.
Based on extensive international data a new antibiotic chemical consumption-based PEC (predicted environmental concentration) calculation and environmental risk prediction method has been developed for selected widely used antibiotics – ciprofloxacin, sulfamethoxazole and tetracycline; this new framework is used to critically assess heuristic PEC calculation methods in literature and to identify key areas for future research to improve the prediction of antibiotic and resistome release into natural watercourses. Laboratory-scale experiments were carried out both in continuous-flow and batch mode to assess antibiotic-exposure related factors - i.e. concentration levels, temporal variation, and wastewater as matrix – on the development of AMR in biofilms. Results show that these factors and the interactions thereof can influence to different extent AMR development and decay; statistical meta-models identified are demonstrated to efficiently predict the impacts of these factors in biofilms – a promising outcome to increase the predictive accuracy in ERA and science-informed policy making.
IDYEA disseminated results via public engagement, three international scientific conferences during the project period as well as regional early-career researcher events (GW4 AMR Alliance), local symposiums and poster presentation events at University of Bath.
