(Description) Figure 1 Main antibiotic routes into the soil and waterways. 1. Uptake of resistant bacteria in the food chain 2. Excreted antibiotics and their metabolites enter the sewage system 3. Water treatment facilities are not completely effective at removing bacteria which then enter waterways 4. Animal waste containing resistant bacteria and unmetabolised antibiotics contaminates soil and water directly and also used to fertilise crops 5. Antibiotics in crop sprays contaminate soil and waterways directly 6. Pharmaceutical waste containing antibiotics may be released directly into the environment.

Week 5: How antibiotic resistance has become such a big problem

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Main antibiotic routes into the soil and waterways. 1 Uptake of resistant bacteria in the food chain. 2 Excreted antibiotics and their metabolites enter the sewage system. 3 Water treatment facilities are not completely effective at removing bacteria which then enter waterways. 4 Animal waste, containing resistant bacteria and unmetabolised antibiotics, contaminates soil and water directly and is also used to fertilise crops. 5 Antibiotics in crop sprays contaminate soil and waterways directly. 6 Pharmaceutical waste containing antibiotics may be released directly into the environment.