Advanced Metagenomics, Sensors and Photocatalysis for Antimicrobial Resistance Elimination (AMSPARE)

This proposal brings together experts on sensor technologies, water treatment and remediation from India with experts on environmental microbiology, meta-omics geochemistry and policy and industrial regulatory processes from the UK, to engage the issue of AMR proliferation in the environment. Specifically, we will focus on the potential for increased AMR due to aggravation by pharmaceutical waste entering waterways. This research would engage with the Indian pharmaceutical industry to study the AMR production 'metabolism', within a complex interplay of environmental geochemical and microbiological processes, in order to refine policy and improve regulatory control in pharmaceutical waste management.

In brief, the inter-disciplinary research team from the UK and India will assess the life cycle of pharmaceutical waste water through analysis of chemical and AMR profiling surrounding small to medium pharmaceutical plants that discharge waste into Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs). CETPS are the main focus in this study for waste water antimicrobial contamination. Large plants now are committed to solid waste disposal. Microbial profiling will include abundance of antibiotic resistant genes and effects of complex microbial communities through a combination of metagenomics, digital droplet PCR and culture studies.

In parallel, waste 'clean up' will be addressed through the the employment of low cost sensors to detect what residues are present in the waste and affordable photocatalytic technology to remove the residues before the effluent is discharged into the environment. Validation of these technologies will be carried out under laboratory conditions using site samples and maintaining the chemical and microbial profile obtained from our mapping work.

Finally, due to the sensitive issues surrounding this project engagement with regulatory bodies and industry is critical. Utilising our data and technology we will be able to influence the creation of policies that work for all stakeholders, including local communities and the environment, thus reducing the impact of antimicrobial waste in the environment.

We seek to utilize low-cost sensor and photocatalytic technologies to 'clean up' the waste effluent and to determine what outcomes this has on the environmental health. Furthermore, we aim to sustain engagement with beneficiaries of this research based on the 'One Health' approach principles. Therefore, impact is integrated into the project proposed. Impacts will be seen in Policy development and regulation, Pharmaceutical Industry, Government of India and other LMICs, Public Understanding as well as the Scientific Community.
Policy/regulatory impact - Impact will be measured by the co-production of outcome planning and integration of our results into regulatory changes and 'buy-in' from Small and Medium Enterprises that utilise Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) to discharge waste.

Pharmaceutical Industry and beyond- Engagement with Industry and Government is essential for the progress of this project and impact will be assessed by the engagement of new technologies and open discussions of how to improve the process. In addition, the reach and transfer of this technology will have impacts in other areas for example in urban sewage systems, clinical waste management for Hospitals and also the food industry (decontamination of antibiotics from meats and dairy). Impact will be assessed on the development of 'Knowledge Transfer Partnership'-type relationships with other industries and in other LMICs.


Public understanding - Engagement with the Public (Schools, Local Communities, Families, Social clubs) is important to ensure that all community members understand how they can contribute in decreasing the risk on the emergence of AMR in the environment. A range of dissemination materials associated with AMR and use of antibiotics, waste and environmental treatment of emerging pollutants, resource efficiency as a tool for environmental improvement will be created. This will involve the tools described below - including online downloads, outreach packs STEM engagement events in local Schools and communities. Impact will be assessed by developing a questionnaire post event for participants to gauge comprehension and levels of awareness.

Scientific community - We aim to involve and integrate undergraduate and postgraduate teaching programmes, which align directly to the study. There will be extensive research exchange and training, such as student summer placements and researcher visits and development of interdisciplinary skills. The interdisciplinary nature of the project also is a focus for capacity building and establishing future collaborations, reporting to conferences and interest groups (e.g. Student vacation scholarships, research pools in Scotland, NERC clusters, professional societies). Impact will be assessed by analysing the number of student and researcher exchanges and integration events initiated in the three year period.