The objective is to find the most influencing parameters (pH, waterflow, temperature, antibiotics load ...) of ARGs persitence in water.
The major factor is presence of antimicrobials in environment which exerts continuous pressure on microbial population to maintain and share antimicrobial resistance genes. For more details you may see
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/326247269_Who_is_responsible_for_Emerging_Antimicrobial_Drug_Resistance_Antibiotic_Use_in_Veterinary_Practice_or_Someone_Else
Water bodies act as bowl of assortment for different bacteria, coming together from from various sources, such as, sewage, pharmaceutical industrial wastes and many more. Once bacteria, that have already acquired resistance genes, come in contact with other bacteria, they transfer resistance genes through various means, such as conjugation, transformation etc, thereafter, cascade goes on continuing.
Bacteriophages are also acting as potential transmission vehicle of ARGs. Particularly, under stress conditions the phageome acts as a reservoir of Abx resistance genes, as the lysogenic phage turns in to lytic and packages the random host DNA, including ARGs in to progeny phage leading to increased transduction ratio. Best example is waste water treatment plants (WWTPs), where the application of bacteriophages to treat MDR microbes turning WWTPs in to hotspots for ARG spreading.
Article Revisiting Antibiotic Resistance Spreading in Wastewater Tre...
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