CONTAMINANTS OF EMERGING CONCERNS (CECS) HAVE BECOME A GLOBAL WATER QUALITY ISSUE AND DRAWN INCREASING ATTENTION IN TERMS OF PUBLIC HEALTH EFFECTS AND ECOLOGICAL RISKS. WATER SCARCITY IN ARID AND SEMI-ARID REGIONS OF THE UNITED STATES MAKES IRRIGATION WITH RECLAIMED WATER AN ECONOMICALLY VIABLE AND ECOLOGICALLY BENEFICIAL PRACTICE FOR THE AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY. HOWEVER, THE PRESENCE OF CECS IN THE RECLAIMED WATER MAY CAUSE SUB-THERAPEUTIC HUMAN EXPOSURE TO CECS. THE LONG-TERM GOAL OF THIS RESEARCH IS TO BETTER CHARACTERIZE HUMAN EXPOSURE TO CHEMICAL AND MICROBIOLOGICAL CECS IN FOOD CROPS IRRIGATED WITH RECLAIMED WATER, WITH A SPECIFIC EMPHASIS ON ANTIBIOTICS AND ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE. THIS RESEARCH WILL BETTER INFORM FUTURE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES TO MITIGATE RISKS AND ENSURE FOOD SAFETY WHEN USING RECLAIMED WATER FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION. THE OBJECTIVES OF THIS RESEARCH ARE AS FOLLOWS: 1) EVALUATE ACCUMULATION OF CECS IN EDIBLE PLANTS IRRIGATED WITH RECLAIMED WATER, 2) EVALUATE THE PERSISTENCE AND TRANSPORT OF CECS DURING IRRIGATION WITH RECLAIMED WATER, 3) EVALUATE CHANGES IN THE MICROBIAL COMMUNITY AND THE OCCURRENCE OF ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANT BACTERIA (ARB) AND ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE GENES (ARGS) DURING IRRIGATION WITH RECLAIMED WATER, AND 4) EDUCATE STUDENTS FROM UNDERGRADUATE TO THE DOCTORAL LEVEL, PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO ARE HISTORICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED IN STEM FIELDS, IN RESEARCH AREAS RELATED TO WATER QUALITY, AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING, AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. THE PROPOSED RESEARCH SIMULTANEOUSLY EVALUATES CHEMICAL (ANTIBIOTICS) AND MICROBIOLOGICAL (ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE) CONCERNS RELATED TO THE USE OF NONTRADITIONAL (RECLAIMED) WATER IN SOIL-BASED AND HYDROPONICS FARMING APPLICATIONS. THE RESEARCH IS PARTICULARLY NOVEL BECAUSE IT EVALUATES THE ROLE OF ADVANCED TREATMENT, SPECIFICALLY ULTRAFILTRATION AND OZONATION, IN POTENTIALLY REDUCING UPTAKE AND ACCUMULATION OF CECS. FURTHERMORE, THE RESEARCH CONSIDERS THE DIRECT INTEGRATION OF HYDROPONICS SYSTEMS INTO WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO TRANSPORTING RECLAIMED WATER TO DISTANT AGRICULTURAL FIELDS--A POTENTIAL ADVANCEMENT IN AGRICULTURAL SUSTAINABILITY. THROUGH COLLABORATION WITH URBAN FARMING OPERATIONS, THIS RESEARCH MAY SIGNIFICANTLY ENHANCE THE FEASIBILITY, EFFICIENCY, AND PUBLIC ACCEPTANCE OF ALTERNATIVE FARMING METHODS.