Total Antibiotic Concentration Research Articles

Occurrence, spatiotemporal distribution, and health risk of antibiotics in the Wuhan section of the Yangtze River, China.

The occurrence, spatiotemporal changes, and health hazard of antibiotics in source water and finished water in the Wuhan section of the Yangtze River are not well understood. In this study, 43 source water and finished water samples were collected from 11 water plants in Wuhan in August 2021 and May 2022. Fifty-one antibiotics from eight categories were measured. A total of 41 antibiotics were detected in the source water samples, and 24 in the finished water samples. The total antibiotic concentration in source water ranged from 1.68 to 437.18 ng/L, which is significantly higher than that in finished water (2.04-87.25 ng/L). Sulfonamides and lincosamides were predominant, accounting for nearly 80% of the total antibiotic concentration. Lincomycin constituted nearly 30% of the total antibiotic concentration in the source water. In August 2021, the average total antibiotic concentration in source water was 107.12 ng/L, higher than in May 2022 (63.13 ng/L). Spatially, the total antibiotic concentrations in samples collected from the Han River, a tributary of the Yangtze River, were higher than those in the main stream of the Yangtze River. Ecological risk assessment indicated that the hazard posed by most antibiotics were negligible. Lincomycin potentially posed a high health hazard, and clarithromycin and roxithromycin posed a moderate hazard to infants.

Occurrence Characteristics and Ecological Risk Assessment of Antibiotics in Reclaimed Water-receiving Rivers in Beijing

Taking Liangshui River, the reclaimed water-receiving river in Beijing, as the research area, the types, detection frequencies, and concentrations of 16 antibiotics in water and sediment were analyzed, and their temporal-spatial variation and occurrence characteristics were discussed. The results showed that nine and 13 target antibiotics were detected in the water and sediment of Liangshui River, with the antibiotic concentration ranges of ND-116.68 ng·L-1 and ND-235.42 ng·g-1, respectively. The main antibiotics in water were ofloxacin and clarithromycin, and the main antibiotic in sediment was ofloxacin. The total concentration of antibiotics in water and sediment showed a gradual decrease from the upstream to the downstream in the Liangshui River mainstream, and the concentration of antibiotics in tributaries was higher than that in the mainstream. The inflow of tributaries had an obvious impact on the antibiotic concentration in water for the Liangshui River but had little impact on its sediment. The total concentration of antibiotics in water and sediment during the dry season was generally higher than that during the wet season. The detected antibiotics with the highest concentration were quinolones in water during the wet season and macrolides in the dry season. Quinolones had the highest concentration in sediment in both seasons. The ecological risk assessment results showed that clarithromycin had a low risk in water in the dry season and sediment in both seasons, whereas the other antibiotics had no risk. The combined ecological risk and the most sensitive trophic level ecological risk assessment showed that all sampling sites had low risk or no risk, and the risk of the dry season was generally greater than that of the wet season. The risk values of some sampling points were close to the medium risk threshold during the dry season, which requires further attention.

Pollution Characteristics and Multilevel Risk Assessments of Antibiotics in the Urban Rivers of Beijing, China

To comprehensively assess the pollution characteristics and ecological risks of antibiotics in the rivers in Beijing, the concentrations of 35 common antibiotics belonging to four categories were quantified by using solid phase extraction combined with high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The ecological risks of antibiotics were evaluated using the methods of risk quotient (RQ) and joint probability curves (JPCs). The results showed that a total of 33 antibiotics were detected in the surface water of ten rivers in Beijing, and the total concentrations of antibiotics ranged from N.D. to 1 573.57 ng·L-1. Sulfamethoxazole showed the highest concentration (N.D.-160.04 ng·L-1), followed by sulfadiazine (0.09-147.90 ng·L-1) and ofloxacin (0.28-94.72 ng·L-1). There were 16 antibiotics with a detection frequency greater than 50.0 %. The RQ method showed that there were 12 antibiotics with potential ecological risks. Tetracycline, clarithromycin, and trimethoprim showed the highest risks, with RQs of 3.99, 1.86, and 1.01, respectively. The risks of antibiotics at the outlets of wastewater treatment plants were higher than those in mainstream rivers. The PNEC exceedance rates of tetracycline, clarithromycin, and trimethoprim were above 2.3 %. Based on JPCs, the maximum risk product of clarithromycin was 1.66 %, and it showed low risks to 0.3 %-7.0 % of species. The risks of other antibiotics could be ignored. The detection frequency, distribution of concentrations, most sensitive species, and species sensitivity distribution of antibiotics had important impacts on the ecological risk assessment. Using the multilevel ecological risk assessment strategy can effectively avoid inadequate protection and overprotection and is also conducive to the hierarchical and zoning management of antibiotics throughout the region.

Antibiotics in Surface Sediments from the Anning River in Sichuan Province, China: Occurrence, Distribution, and Risk Assessment.

The occurrence, distribution, and ecological risk assessment of 36 antibiotics from five groups, including macrolides (MLs), fluoroquinolones (FQs), tetracyclines (TCs), amphenicols (APs), and sulfonamides (SAs), were investigated for the first time in the Anning River, Sichuan Province, China. The results show that antibiotics were widely present in the sediments of the Anning River, with a total of 22 antibiotics detected. FQs were among the most abundant antibiotics, followed by TCs, MLs, APs, and SAs. The total concentrations of antibiotics in surface sediments varied from 0.05 to 53.35 ng/g, with an average of 8.09 ng/g. Among these groups, MLs, FQs, and TCs emerged as the predominant classes of antibiotics. The midstream sediments showed the highest residual levels of antibiotics, with lower levels observed in the downstream and upstream sediments. Anthropogenic activities, such as human clinical practices and animal breeding, might be sources of antibiotics released into the river. An ecological risk assessment revealed that trimethoprim from the SA group exhibited high risks, and MLs showed medium risks in the Anning River, whereas most antibiotics presented minimal to low risks. This study provides valuable information on antibiotic pollution in the upstream region of the Yangtze River, and future management measures are needed for the Anning River.

Improving antibiotic resistance removal from piggery wastewater by involving zero-valent iron within an integrated anoxic-aerobic biofilm reactor

This study introduces zero-valent iron (ZVI) to enhance the removal of antibiotic resistance in piggery wastewater. Two integrated anoxic-aerobic biofilm reactors (IAOBRs) were operated simultaneously for 120 days, with one serving as a control reactor and the other as experimental reactor supplemented with ZVI. The experimental reactor demonstrated superior antibiotic removal efficiencies (89.8 ± 4.5 %), eliminating 99.7 ± 0.7 % of sulfonamides, 91.6 ± 4.5 % of tetracyclines and 81.1 ± 8.4 % of quinolones. The antibiotic resistance bacteria, antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and mobile genetic elements removal efficiency reached 0.69–1.74, 2.06 and 2.15 logs, respectively. In comparison to the control reactor, the activated sludge in the experimental reactor also experienced a reduction in total antibiotic concentrations by 57.58 ± 19.99 %. The enhanced performance of the iron-mediated process in antibiotic resistance removal is attributed to the augmentation of enzymatic activity, biodegradation ability, and enrichment of specific microorganisms. The introduction of ZVI also modified the microbial community composition and decreased the potential hosts of ARGs. The proposed iron-mediated process greatly enhances antibiotic resistance removal from wastewater and mitigates antibiotic accumulation in activated sludge, offering new insights into wastewater biological treatment for eliminating antibiotic resistance.

Occurrence, distribution and potential environmental risks of pollutants in aquaculture ponds during pond cleaning in Taihu Lake Basin, China

During the process of cleaning aquaculture ponds, the drainage contributes significantly to antibiotic pollution in the surrounding water environment. Therefore, we conducted a study on the distribution of 26 antibiotics in 57 ponds within the Taihu Lake basin. The results revealed that the detection frequency of antibiotics ranged from 1.75 % to 80.7 %, with the overall detection concentrations ranging from 3.27 to 708.72 ng/L. Among them, the detection rate of 8 antibiotics exceeded 50 %. Regarding the spatial distribution, the concentration of antibiotics was relatively high in aquaculture ponds located in the Changzhou area, with the highest concentration reaching 708.72 ng/L. This observation is likely due to the large size and intensive breeding practices in Changzhou. Fish ponds exhibited a significantly higher total antibiotic concentration of 3.27 to 445.57 ng/L compared to crab ponds (13.01 to 206.30 ng/L) and shrimp ponds (23.17 to 107.40 ng/L). Quinolones and sulfonamides were the predominant antibiotic classes found in fish ponds, accounting for 51.49 % of the total antibiotic concentration. Notably, sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and enrofloxacin (ENR) exhibited the highest antibiotic concentrations. Risk assessments demonstrated that SMX, ENR, and ofloxacin (OFX) contributed significantly to ecological risks. Furthermore, the study found that the tertiary constructed wetland treatment process achieved a remarkable removal rate of 92.44 % for antibiotics in aquaculture wastewater, while other treatment processes displayed limited effectiveness in removing antibiotics. This study addresses the knowledge gap concerning antibiotic pollution during the cleaning process of aquaculture ponds within the Taihu Lake basin.

Fine particulate matter as a key factor promoting the spread of antibiotics in river network

The extensive utilization of antibiotics has resulted in their frequent detection, contributing to an increased abundance of antibiotic resistance genes in rivers and posing a significant threat to environmental health. Particulate matter plays a crucial role as the primary carrier of various pollutants in river ecosystem. Its physicochemical properties and processes of sedimentation and re-suspension can influence the migration and transformation of antibiotics, yet the mechanisms of this impact remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the distribution characteristics at the micro-scale of particles in the upstream plain river network of the Taihu basin and the adsorption behaviors of antibiotics in particulate matter. The results revealed that particles were predominantly in the size range of 30 to 150 μm in the river network and highest total antibiotic concentrations in 0 to 10 μm particle size fractions. Adsorption experiments also confirmed that the smaller the suspended particle size, the stronger the adsorption capacity for antibiotics. Spatially, both the average particle size and total antibiotic concentrations were lower downstream than upstream. The distribution mechanism of antibiotic in river network sediments was significantly influenced by frequent resuspension and settling of fine particles with a stronger capacity to adsorb antibiotics under hydrodynamic conditions. This ultimately facilitated the release of antibiotics from sediment into the water, resulting in lower antibiotic concentrations in downstream sediments relative to upstream These findings suggest that fine particles serve as the primary carriers of antibiotics, and their sorting and transport processes can significantly influence the distribution of antibiotics in water-sediment systems. This study enhances our understanding of the migration mechanisms of antibiotics in river networks and will prove beneficial for the development of management strategies aimed at controlling antibiotic dissemination.

Temporal dynamics, key influencing factors and source tracking of antibiotics in the biofloc zero-change aquaculture system

As environmental pollutants, antibiotic residues have become a research hotspot. The source, transfer, and influencing factors of antibiotics in the biofloc zero-change aquaculture system remain uncertain. The biofloc zero-change shrimp system during the cycle of shrimp production of a typical aquaculture enterprise in China were investigated. Sulfadiazine and erythromycin-H2O were the dominant antibiotics in source water, pond water, biofloc, and feed. The total concentrations of antibiotics (TCAs) in source water and pond water increased, and were significantly higher (1.28–3.91 times) in source water than those in pond water at the corresponding stage (p<0.05). Pearson correlation showed that positive correlations were observed between suspended solids (SS), chemical oxygen demand (COD) and erythromycin-H2O, with correlation coefficients of 0.84 and 0.82, respectively (p<0.01). Multivariable linear regression analysis showed that COD was positively correlated with the TCAs. RDA demonstrated that COD and SS were positively correlated with erythromycin-H2O. We found that the total amount of antibiotics from feed input throughout the rearing period was 12.24 mg, significantly less than those at the late-stage in the pond water and bioflocs (28.66–29.17 mg) in a shrimp pond. The total amount of antibiotics in the source water of the same volume as the aquaculture pond was 27.90–35.07 mg. This study demonstrates that COD and SS are critical factors affecting the transfer and distribution of antibiotics in the biofloc zero-change aquaculture system, and that source water is the most critical source of antibiotics in the aquaculture system.

Occurrence, removal efficiency, and emission of antibiotics in the sewage treatment plants of a low-urbanized basin in China and their impact on the receiving water

Sewage treatment plants (STPs) are primary sources of antibiotics in aquatic environments. However, limited research has been conducted on antibiotic attenuation in STPs and their downstream waters in low-urbanized areas. This study analyzed 15 antibiotics in the STP sewage and river water in the Zijiang River basin to quantify antibiotic transport and attenuation in the STPs and downstream. The results showed that 14 target antibiotics, except leucomycin, were detected in the STP sewage, dominated by amoxicillin (AMOX), ofloxacin, and roxithromycin. The total antibiotic concentration in the influent and effluent ranged from 158 to 1025 ng/L and 99.9 to 411 ng/L, respectively. The removal efficiency of total antibiotics ranged from 54.7 % to 75.7 % and was significantly correlated with total antibiotic concentration in the influent. The antibiotic emission from STPs into rivers was 78 kg/yr and 4.6 g/km2yr in the Zijiang River basin. The total antibiotic concentration downstream of the STP downstream was 23.6 to 213 ng/L and was significantly negatively correlated with the transport distance away from the STP outlets. Antibiotics may pose a high ecological risk to algae and low ecological risk to fish in the basin. The risk of AMOX and ciprofloxacin resistance for organisms in the basin was estimated to be moderate. This study established antibiotic removal and attenuation models in STPs and their downstream regions in a low-urbanized basin, which is important for simulating antibiotic transport in STPs and rivers worldwide.

Microbial phylogenetic divergence between surface-water and sedimentary ecosystems drove the resistome profiles

Antibiotic pollution and the evolution of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are increasingly viewed as major threats to both ecosystem security and human health, and have drawn attention. This study investigated the fate of antibiotics in aqueous and sedimentary substrates and the impact of ecosystem shifts between water and sedimentary phases on resistome profiles. The findings indicated notable variations in the concentration and distribution patterns of antibiotics across various environmental phases. Based on the partition coefficient (Kd), the total antibiotic concentration was significantly greater in the surface water (1405.45 ng/L; 49.5 %) compared to the suspended particulate matter (Kd = 0.64; 892.59 ng/g; 31.4 %) and sediment (Kd = 0.4; 542.64 ng/g; 19.1 %). However, the relative abundance of ARGs in surface water and sediment was disproportionate to the abundance of antibiotics concentration, and sediments were the predominant ARGs reservoirs. Phylogenetic divergence of the microbial communities between the surface water and the sedimentary ecosystems potentially played important roles in driving the ARGs profiles between the two distinctive ecosystems. ARGs of Clinical importance; including blaGES, MCR-7.1, ermB, tet(34), tet36, tetG-01, and sul2 were significantly increased in the surface water, while blaCTX-M-01, blaTEM, blaOXA10-01, blaVIM, tet(W/N/W), tetM02, and ermX were amplified in the sediments. cfxA was an endemic ARG in surface-water ecosystems while the endemic ARGs of the sedimentary ecosystems included aacC4, aadA9-02, blaCTX-M-04, blaIMP-01, blaIMP-02, bla-L1, penA, erm(36), ermC, ermT-01, msrA-01, pikR2, vgb-01, mexA, oprD, ttgB, and aac. These findings offer a valuable information for the identification of ARGs-specific high-risk reservoirs.

Liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry methods for quantification of total and free antibiotic concentrations in serum and exudate from patients with post-sternotomy deep sternal wound infection receiving negative pressure wound therapy

BackgroundSystemically administered antibiotics are thought to penetrate the wounds more effectively during negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT).To test this hypothesis total and free antibiotic concentrations were quantified in serum and wound exudate. MethodsUHPLC-MS/MS methods were developed and validated for the determination of ceftazidime, cefepime, cefotaxime, cefuroxime, cefazolin, meropenem, oxacillin, piperacillin with tazobactam, clindamycin, ciprofloxacin, sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (cotrimoxazole), gentamicin, vancomycin, and linezolid. The unbound antibiotic fraction was obtained by ultrafiltration using a Millipore Microcon-30kda Centrifugal Filter Unit. Analysis was performed on a 1.7-µm Acquity UPLC BEH C18 2.1 × 100-mm column with a gradient elution. ResultsThe validation was performed for serum, exudates and free fractions. For all matrices, requirements were met regarding linearity, precision, accuracy, limit of quantitation, and matrix effect. The coefficient of variation was in the range of 1.2–13.6%.and the recovery 87.6–115.6%, respectively. Among the 29 applications of antibiotics thus far, including vancomycin, clindamycin, ciprofloxacin, oxacillin, cefepime, cefotaxime, cotrimoxazole, and gentamicin, total and free antibiotic concentrations in serum and exudate were correlated. ConclusionThis method can accurately quantify the total and free concentrations of 16 antibiotics. Comparison of concentration ratios between serum and exudates allows for monitoring individual antibiotics' penetration capacity in patients receiving NPWT.

Critical role of multiple antibiotics on the denitrification rate in groundwater: Field investigative proof

The impact of antibiotics on denitrification has emerged as a significant topic; however, there is a dearth of mechanistic understanding regarding the effects of multiple antibiotics at the ng/L level on denitrification in groundwater. This study conducted five field samplings between March 2019 and July 2021 at two representative monitoring wells. The investigation utilized metagenomic sequencing to unveil the antibiotic mechanisms influencing denitrification. Results revealed the detection of 16 out of 64 antibiotics, with a maximum detection frequency and total concentration of 100 % and 187 ng/L, respectively. Additionally, both nitrate and total antibiotic concentrations exhibited a gradual decrease along the groundwater flow direction. Metagenomic evidence indicated that denitrification served as the dominant biogeochemical process controlling nitrate attenuation in groundwater. However, the denitrification capacity experienced significant inhibition in the presence of multiple antibiotics at the ng/L level. This inhibition was attributed to decreases in the relative abundance of dominant denitrifying bacteria (Candidatus_Scalindua, Herminiimonas and unclassified_p_Planctomycetes) and denitrifying functional genes (narGH, nirKS and norB), signifying the pressure exerted by antibiotics on denitrifying bacteria. The variation in antibiotic concentration (∆Cantibiotics) indicated a change in antibiotic pressure on denitrifying bacteria. A larger ∆Cantibiotics corresponded to a greater rebound in the relative abundance of denitrifying functional genes, resulting in a faster denitrification rate (Kdenitrification). Field observations further demonstrated a positive correlation between Kdenitrification and ∆Cantibiotics. Comparatively, a higher Kdenitrification observed at higher ∆Cantibiotics was primarily due to the enrichment of more nondominant denitrifying bacteria carrying key denitrifying functional genes. In conclusion, this study underscores that multiple antibiotics at the ng/L level in groundwater inhibited denitrification, and the degree of inhibition was closely related to ∆Cantibiotics.

Source Apportionment and Source-specific Risk of Typical Antibiotics in Baiyangdian Lake

The current situation of antibiotic pollution in lakes is critical. At present, most of the previous studies on antibiotics in lakes have focused on the spatiotemporal distribution and risk assessment, while less attention has been paid to the source apportionment. Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to determine the concentration of tetracyclines (TCs), sulfonamides (SAs), and quinolones (QNs) in the samples. The source apportionment and source-specific risk of typical antibiotics in the study area were analyzed using the combination of a PMF model and risk quotients (RQ). The results showed that ① the total concentrations of target antibiotics (Σ antibiotics) ranged from ND to 2635 ng·L-1 for surface water and from ND to 259.8 ng·g-1 for sediments. ② The spatial distribution of QNs in surface water decreased from west to east, SAs decreased from middle to north and south, and TCs increased from middle to north and south. In the sediment, QNs decreased from middle to east and west, whereas SAs and TCs increased from east to west. ③ Aquaculture was the major antibiotic source, accounting for the highest proportion (33.2%), followed by sewage treatment plants (29.2%), livestock activities (18.9%), and domestic sewage (18.7%). ④ The ecological risk assessment results showed that enrofloxacin and flumequine were at a medium-high risk level. ⑤ For the spatial distribution of source-specific risk, the results showed that the aquaculture at S1 was at a high risk level, whereas the source-specific risks for other sites were at a medium-low risk level. In terms of source types, aquaculture was at a medium-high risk level, whereas the other sources were at a medium-low risk level. Therefore, considering the major sources and source-specific risk level of antibiotics, more precise and scientific antibiotic risk control should be adopted in Baiyangdian Lake.

Simultaneous Screening of Six Families of Antibiotic Residues in Milk Samples by Biochip Multi-array Technology.

Antimicrobial compounds are used in animal husbandry to prevent and treat bacterial diseases and as illegal growth-promoting agents. Due to the excessive and inappropriate use of antibiotics, the antibiotic residues in milk can cause allergic reactions and antibiotic resistance. A rapid biochip-based method for the multi-analyte screening of 6 families of antibiotic residues (quinolones, ceftiofur, florfenicol, streptomycin, tylosin, and tetracyclines) in milk was validated based on Commission Decision 2002/657 and the European guidance for screening methods for veterinary medicinal products. This methodology allows the 6 antibiotic families to be detected simultaneously, increasing the screening capacity and reducing costs in test settings. The method's applicability was shown by screening 38 UHT cow milk samples taken from Tehran province, IR Iran. The results showed that the positive threshold T was above Fm, and the CCβ was below the European Commission's Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) (100 ppb for ceftiofur and tetracycline and 50 ppb for tylosin in milk). Norfloxacin was detected in about 8% of the samples and tylosin in 2.63%. The total antibiotic concentration in UHT cow milk samples was lower than the European Commission's MRL. This study showed that the biochip technique is valid for screening tylosin, ceftiofur, streptomycin, tetracycline, norfloxacin, and florfenicol in milk. It was found that the method was easy, quick, and capable of detecting 6 families of antibiotic residues simultaneously from a single milk sample without sample preparation.

Occurrence, distribution, and potential ecological risks of antibiotics in a seasonal freeze-thaw basin

Antibiotics have gained increasing attention as pharmaceuticals widely existing in human society. Under low temperature conditions, antibiotics tend to have higher environmental persistence, which poses a potential threat to ecological environment, but research on antibiotics in low-temperature basins is still lacking. Therefore, for investigating occurrence, spatio-temporal distributions, and ecological risks of antibiotics in a seasonal freeze-thaw basin, rivers in Tumen River basin were selected and sampled, including 25 samples during the river-freezing season and 27 samples during the non-freezing season. Overall, climate characteristics of different latitudes and renewal frequency of antibiotics are important factors that lead to diversity of antibiotics in basins. Eleven target antibiotics were detected and their average concentrations during the river-freezing season (0.83–27.5 ng L−1) were lower than that during the non-freezing season (2.80–45.30 ng L−1), severely impacted by river flow, ice sealed-melting, and local feeding practices. In addition, total antibiotic concentrations are usually highest in downstream areas of human settlements, receiving input from husbandry and sewage, respectively. Through ecological risk assessment, norfloxacin and amoxicillin posed high risks to algae, which were identified as high-risk pollutants in basin

Comprehensive overview of antibiotic distribution, risk and priority: A study of large-scale drinking water sources from the lower Yangtze River

Antibiotics have attracted widespread attention around the world because they are ubiquitous in the environment and can lead to antibiotic-resistant microbes developing and pose ecotoxicological risks. In this study, we determined the spatiotemporal distributions of 39 antibiotics in 19 drinking water sources in Jiangsu area of the lower Yangtze River and attempted to identify the sources of the antibiotics and to prioritize the antibiotics. The total antibiotic concentrations in spring and fall were 234.56–6515.99 and 151.12–2562.59 ng/L, respectively. In spring, the total antibiotic concentration gradually increased from upstream to downstream. In fall, the antibiotic concentration did not markedly vary upstream to downstream (total concentrations 151.12–432.17 ng/L) excluding site S9 and S10. Analysis using a positive matrix factorization (PMF) model indicated that the antibiotics had four main sources. Pharmaceutical wastewater was the main source, contributing 34.1% and 41.2% of total antibiotics in spring and fall, respectively, and domestic wastewater was the second most important source, contributing 24.4% and 43% of total antibiotics in spring and fall, respectively. Pharmaceutical wastewater was the main source from midstream to downstream, but the other sources made different contributions in different areas because of the various ranges of human activities. An ecological risk assessment was performed. Stronger risks were posed by antibiotics in spring than fall, and fluoroquinolone antibiotics posed the strongest risks. Optimized risk quotients indicated that norfloxacin was a high-risk contaminant. An assessment of the risk of resistance development indicated that norfloxacin, ciprofloxacin, and enrofloxacin posed moderate to high risks of resistance development and should be prioritized for risk management. The results of this study are important reference data for identifying key sources of antibiotics and developing strategies to manage antibiotic contamination in similar areas.

Characteristics of antibiotic resistance genes and microbial community distribution in Wanfeng Lake, upper Pearl River, China.

Wanfeng Lake, a highland lake in the upper part of the Pearl River Basin, China, has long been disturbed by aquaculture and human activities, resulting in the accumulation of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), which pose a major threat to humans and animals. In this study, 20 antibiotics, 9 ARGs, 2 mobile genetic elements (intl1 and intl2), and microbial community structure were investigated in Wanfeng Lake. The results of the study showed that the total concentration of antibiotics in surface water was 372.72ng/L, with ofloxacin (OFX) having the highest concentration (169.48ng/L), posing a high ecological risk to aquatic organisms. The total concentration of antibiotics in sediments was 235.86ng/g, with flumequine (FLU) having the highest concentration (122.54ng/g). This indicates that the main type of antibiotics in Wanfeng Lake are quinolones. QPCR analysis results of the relative abundance of ARGs in both surface water and sediments showed that sulfonamide resistance genes > macrolide resistance genes > tetracycline resistance genes > quinolone resistance genes, indicating that sulfonamide resistance genes were the dominant type. The metagenomic results showed that the predominant microorganisms in the sediment under the phylum level were Planctomycetes, Proteobacteria, Euryarchaeota, and Chloroflexi. Pearson's correlation analysis showed a significantly positive correlation between antibiotics and environmental factors with ARGs in Wanfeng Lake and a significant positive correlation between antibiotics and ARGs with microorganisms in sediments. This suggests that there is a potential pressure of antibiotics on ARGs, while microorganisms provide the driving force for the evolution and spread of ARGs. This study provides a basis for further research on the occurrence and spread of antibiotics and ARGs in Wanfeng Lake. A total of 14 antibiotics were detected in surface water and sediments. OFX poses a high ecological risk in all points of surface water. Antibiotics and ARGs were significantly positively correlated in Wanfeng Lake. Antibiotics and ARGs in sediments were positively correlated with microorganisms.

Animal production predominantly contributes to antibiotic profiles in the Yangtze River

Human-induced antibiotic pollution in the world's large rivers poses significant risk to riverine ecosystems, water quality, and human health. This study identified geophysical and socioeconomic factors driving antibiotic pollution in the Yangtze River by quantifying 83 target antibiotics in water and sediment samples collected in its 6300-km-long reach, followed by source apportionment and statistical modeling. Total antibiotic concentrations ranged between 2.05–111 ng/L in water samples and 0.57–57.9 ng/g in sediment samples, contributed predominantly by veterinary antibiotics, sulfonamides and tetracyclines, respectively. Antibiotic compositions were clustered according to three landform regions (plateau, mountain-basin-foothill, and plains), resulting from varying animal production practices (cattle, sheep, pig, poultry, and aquaculture) in the sub-basins. Population density, animal production, total nitrogen concentration, and river water temperature are directly associated with antibiotic concentrations in the water samples. This study revealed that the species and production of food animals are key determinants of the geographic distribution pattern of antibiotics in the Yangtze River. Therefore, effective strategies to mitigate antibiotic pollution in the Yangtze River should include proper management of antibiotic use and waste treatment in animal production.

Pollution Characteristics and Risk Assessment of Antibiotics in Beiyun River Basin in Beijing

To investigate the pollution characteristics and risk levels of antibiotics in water of the Beiyun River Basin in Beijing, the concentration of antibiotics was analyzed by using the solid-phase extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (SPE-HPLC-MS/MS) method. The results showed that seven types of four categories of antibiotics were detected in the samples from 12 sampling points; the total concentration of antibiotics including sulfapyridine, clarithromycin, azithromycin, roxithromycin, erythromycin, ofloxacin, and lincomycin ranged from 59.19 to 703.44 ng·L-1. Among these antibiotics, the detection rate of clarithromycin, azithromycin, roxithromycin, ofloxacin, and lincomycin was 100%; that of erythromycin was 41.67%; and that of sulfapyridine was 33.33%. Compared with that in some rivers in China, the Azithromycin, Erythromycin, and Clarithromycin in the Beiyun River Basin were at a relatively high level. The ecological risk assessment results showed that the most sensitive species was algae. The health risk quotients indicated that sulfapyridine, lincomycin, roxithromycin, azithromycin, and erythromycin presented no risk for every age group, whereas the health risk of clarithromycin was at a low level.

Occurrence and risk levels of antibiotic pollution in the coastal waters of eastern China.

In order to preliminarily explore the distribution of antibiotic pollution in the coastal waters of eastern China, the concentrations of 13 antibiotics in 5 representative coastal rivers in Jiangsu and 21 sampling sites in the coastal waters of Jiangsu were analyzed. The total antibiotic concentrations in the 5 rivers ranged from 33.14 to 417.78 ng L-1, and the total antibiotic concentrations in the 21 sampling sites ranged from 0.90 to 86.33 ng L-1. Macrolides exhibited the highest total concentration and the maximum detection frequency in both coastal rivers and the coastal waters. The concentrations of antibiotics in a sampling site decreased as the distance of the sampling site from the coastline increased, indicating that river inputs are important sources of antibiotic pollution in the coastal waters of Jiangsu. The detection frequencies of roxithromycin, lincomycin, azithromycin, and sulfamethoxazole in the rivers and sampling sites were above 70%. Correlation analysis showed that the concentrations of antibiotics were positively correlated with the levels of chemical oxygen demand, total phosphorus, and total nitrogen. Risk assessments revealed that roxithromycin and ofloxacin posed medium ecological and resistance risks, respectively, to the most sensitive aquatic organisms in the coastal waters of Jiangsu. The results of this study highlight the significance of monitoring and controlling the concentrations of antibiotic contaminants in the coastal waters of Jiangsu.