The Distribution Characteristics of the Typical Antibiotics in the Aquatic Environment of a City in China

Abstract

The distribution characteristics of six typical antibiotics in the aquatic environment (wastewater treatment plant effluent, Shiao-ching River, Yellow River, Yellow river Reservoir, drinking water treatment plant effluent) of a city in china were analyzed by using high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The results show that except for erythromycin, other five antibiotics include sulfamethoxazole, sulfamethazine, amoxicillin, tetracycline and oxytetracycline were detected in the aquatic environment, the concentrations of tetracycline and oxytetracycline were relatively higher, the tetracycline and oxytetracycline concentrations of wastewater treatment plant effluent were 32.39 ng/L and 59.36 ng/L respectively. The wasterwater treatment plant process can not completely remove the antibiotic,and the five antibiotics concentrations in the wastewater treatment plant effluent were higher than their concentrations in the other water bodies. A certain content antibiotics was discharged into the receiving water and wastewater treatment plant drainage is the main way of antibiotics to release into the water environment. Traces of antibiotics were detected in the water samples which were taken from the Yellow River and the Shiao-ching River in the city, but they were less polluted by antibiotics levels. The antibiotics removal effect of conventional drinking water treatment process is not obvious.