Influence of Pollution by Antibiotics on Biological Properties of Soils (Through the Example of Ordinary Chernozem)

Yuliya Akimenko

doi:10.1007/s11270-021-05178-0

Abstract

In model laboratory and field conditions, the influence of pollution by antibiotics (benzylpenicillin, ampicillin, streptomycin, oxytetracycline, tylosin, pharmasin, tromexin, aliseryl, and nystatin) on the biological properties of ordinary chernozem was examined in concentrations of 1–1000 mg/kg. A decrease in the majority of the basic biological parameters (ammonifying bacteria, amylolytic bacteria, micromycetes, bacteria of the genus Azotobacter, activity of catalase, dehydrogenase, invertase, phosphatase, peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase) of chernozem occurs when the concentration of antibiotics is 100 mg/kg of soil. In most cases, there was a direct relationship between the content of antibiotics in the soil and the scale of a decrease in the studied parameters. The degree of the influence of antibiotics was determined by their nature, concentration, and time of exposure. Antibacterial antibiotics had more negative impact on the studied indicators than fungicidal ones. By the degree of inhibiting the biological properties of chernozem, antibiotics formed the following sequence: ampicillin > benzylpenicillin ≥ streptomycin ≥ oxytetracycline > tylosin ≥ pharmasin > nystatin > tromexin > aliseryl. Among the examined biological indicators, the number of ammonifying bacteria and the activity of dehydrogenases were reacting most sensitive to a soil pollution by antibiotics. From the investigated enzyme activities, the catalase shows a low response and was no suitable indicator for an antibiotic pollution. The abundance of bacteria of the genus Azotobacter in case of pollution by antibiotics was not informative. The degree of a decrease in biological indicators was more pronounced in laboratory conditions than in the field ones. The rate of the biological activity recovery of chernozem after pollution in the field was 2 times higher. According to the degree of resistance to antibiotics, the investigated microorganisms of chernozem formed the following sequence: bacteria of the genus Azotobacter > micromycetes > amylolytic bacteria > ammonifying bacteria. Enzymes formed the following sequence: peroxidase ≥ polyphenol oxidase > catalase > dehydrogenase > invertase ≥ phosphatase. Antibiotics had prolonged influence on the biological properties of ordinary chernozem. The examined parameters were observed not to be recovered to control values even on the 120th day after the pollution.

Highlights

Unlike pesticides, which have long been used in agriculture, antibiotics have not been of interest as potential pollutants of the environment
In model laboratory and field conditions, the influence of pollution by antibiotics on the biological properties of ordinary chernozem was examined in concentrations of 1-1000 mg/kg
There was a direct relationship between the content of antibiotics in the soil and the scale of a decrease in the studied parameters

Summary

Introduction

Unlike pesticides, which have long been used in agriculture, antibiotics have not been of interest as potential pollutants of the environment. Given the intensification of their use in all spheres of agriculture, special attention at present is given to the problem of polluting natural ecosystems by antibiotics. As knowledge about antibiotics deepened, data on the adverse effects of uncontrolled use of these drugs began to be accumulated. The data of the research company Research Techart (2013) testified that approximately 3.5 thousand tons of antibiotics were used annually in Russia, 36% of them were used as antiparasitic drugs, 23% – for animals' treatment and disease prevention, 19% – as growth stimulants, and 22% – as prophylactic agents. One of the first countries that initiated the ban on the use of antibiotics in the animal industry was Sweden, followed by Switzerland, the Netherlands and several other European countries. Many attempts are made today to fill the gaps in scientific knowledge about the behavior and distribution of antibiotics in the environment and, in accordance with this knowledge, to make amendments in legislation (World Health Organization ..., 2014)

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