Abstract
Antibiotic pollutions in the aquatic environment have attracted widespread attention due to their ubiquitous distribution and antibacterial properties. The occurrence, distribution, and ecological risk assessment of 17 common antibiotics in this study were preformed in a vital drinking water source represented as a river-reservoir system in South China. In general, 15 antibiotics were detected at least once in the watershed, with the total concentrations of antibiotics in the water samples ranging from 193.6 to 863.3 ng/L and 115.1 to 278.2 μg/kg in the sediment samples. For the water samples, higher rain runoff may contribute to the levels of total concentration in the river system, while perennial anthropic activity associated with the usage pattern of antibiotics may be an important factor determining similar sources and release mechanisms of antibiotics in the riparian environment. Meanwhile, the reservoir system could act as a stable reactor to influence the level and composition of antibiotics exported from the river system. For the sediment samples, hydrological factor in the reservoir may influence the antibiotic distributions along with seasonal variation. Ecological risk assessment revealed that tetracycline and ciprofloxacin could pose high risks in the aquatic environment. Taken together, further investigations should be performed to elaborate the environmental behaviors of antibiotics in the river-reservoir system, especially in drinking water sources.
Highlights
Antibiotics have been extensively and effectively used for several decades to relieve symptoms and treat human and animal diseases, and to promote growths in the livestock, aquaculture and plant agriculture [1,2]
NOR, CIP, OFC, CLX, PENG, PENV, OTC, and TC showed the second highest detection frequencies greater than 80%. These results suggest that the drinking water source has been severely disrupted by anthropic activities
The total concentrations of antibiotics in the water samples ranged from 193.6 ng/L located in the reservoir system to 863.3 ng/L located in the river system (Supplementary Materials Figure S2)
Summary
Antibiotics have been extensively and effectively used for several decades to relieve symptoms and treat human and animal diseases, and to promote growths in the livestock, aquaculture and plant agriculture [1,2]. Estimated annual antibiotic consumption in the world ranged from 100,000 to 200,000 tons, and antibiotic consumption is on the rise [3,4]. Based on the market survey, China is considered as the largest producer and user of antibiotics in the world, with approximately. It has been reported that antibiotics could only be partially metabolized by humans or animals [3]. Active substances associated with the antibiotics pass through artificial environments, and may end up in different environmental. Antibiotics can contribute to the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and subsequently pose potential risk to human health [9,10]
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