Monitoring of Antibiotics in the Soil and Sediment Near at the Animal Feeding Operation and Wastewater Treatment Plant

Abstract

Antibiotics have been used for treating human and animal disease and enhancing growth of cattle, swine, and poultries. However, overused antibiotics can be released into the environment and produce antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the environment. Main objective of this research was to monitor residual of antibiotics in solid matrix such as manure, wastewater sludge, soil and sediment. Total of six antibiotics, Chlortetracycline (CTC), Oxytetracycline (OTC), Tetracycline (TC), Sulfamethazine (SMT), Sulfamethoxazole (SMX), Sulfathiazole (STZ), used for both human and animal was monitored. Result showed that the detection frequency of 6 antibiotics was ordered SMT (100%) > TC = CTC (75%) > OTC (38%) > STZ (13%) > SMZ (0%) and the highest concentration (309.83 μg kg-1, SMT) was observed in manure. Comparing residual concentration of antibiotics (TC, CTC, and OTC) in soil and sediment, higher concentration was observed in sediment indicating that dissolved forms of antibiotics are released into river and sorbed into sediment particle. In conclusion, monitoring for residual of antibiotics in the environment is necessary and more research should be conducted to verify the source of antibiotic release.Antibiotic residuals in soil, sediment, manure, and sludge and its transport in the environment.