The removal of organic micropollutants (OMPs) in urban wastewaters is a hot topic all over the world. One of the most worrying groups of OMPs is that of antibiotics, since their contribution to the potential development of antibiotic resistant microorganisms (ARMs) in the environment has been confirmed. The ANTARES proposal aims at advancing at a scientific and a technological level, by combining knowledge on the fate of antibiotics and the presence and dissemination of ARM during wastewater treatment. A singular approach focussed on understanding the relation among antibiotic emissions, the production of transformation products and the generation of resistant genes in conventional and innovative plant layouts is presented. ANTARES combines a strong technological approach with lab, pilot and full-scale biological reactors (WP1, WP2, WP3), with the application of modern molecular microbiological techniques (WP4) and the development of analytical methods not only for antibiotic parent compounds, but also for transformation products (WP5). ANTARES is a coordinated Project between the USC and the ICRA (Girona).

The USC team is formed by Francisco Omil (IP1), Marta Carballa (IP2), Jesús A. López Romalde, Juan M. Garrido, Juan M. Lema and Sonia Suárez, whereas the ICRA team is formed by Jelena Radjenovic (IP1), Maite Pijuán (IP2) and Ignasi Rodríguez-Roda.