(Bester 2003). It was noted that the concentration of triclosan (100 ng L
À1 ) in the
influent was reduced by 30% and only about 5% of all discharged influent was found
in the effluent. This reflects the weak adsorption of triclosan onto sludge and also
impose that these compounds will not recover as a parent form and may transform
with other metabolic substances. Similarly, the fate and behavior of triclosan in
wastewater treatment plant was also reported (Singer et al. 2002), where about 79%
of overall concentration of triclosan was removed by biological degradation; 15% by
adsorption on to sludge and 6% released to the surface water, and the concentration
was estimated in the range of 42–213 ng L
À1 in wastewater effluent and
11–98 ng L
À1 in the receiving surface water. In a study, Cha et al. (2006) reported
that the concentration of antibiotics oxacillin and ampicillin in the effluents of
WWTPs toward cache la Poudre river is 95 μg L
À1 and 86 μg L
À1 , respectively, in
Colorado, whereas their concentration from WWTPs effluent to Msunduzi river in
South Africa was about 27 μg L
À1 and 9 μg L
À1 , respectively (Matongo et al. 2015).
The tendency of some pharmaceuticals in the secondary effluent of STPs varies.
The most detectable antibiotics in Italy is tramadol, with a concentration of
57 μg L
À1 , followed by ibuprofen (48 μg L
À1 ), diclofenac (11 μg L
À1 ), trimethoprim
(6.7 μg L
À1 ), erythromycin (6.3 μg L
À1 ), ciprofloxacin (5.7 μg L
À1 ), sulfamethoxazole and roxithromycin (5 μg L
À1 ) (Verlicchi et al. 2013). The effluent of WWTPs
from industrial area act as a massive mass of accumulated antibiotics that would be
much more alarming to threat the aquatic environment, even at low concentration.
For instance, ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin were detected at high level (31,000 μg L
À 1
and 160 μg L
À1 , respectively) in the effluent WWTPs of well-known industrial city
in India (Larsson et al. 2007; Larsson 2014). The dissemination of pharmaceuticals
is not limited in the effluent from WWTPs only, but may reach to far areas found in
the study of Li et al. (2008), where oxytetracycline was detected 20 km downstream
from WWTPs effluent in Xiao River in Asia, with a relative high concentration of
484 μg L
À1 .
Several studies have shown the presence of pharmaceutical compounds in the
effluent from WWTPs universally. Sulfamethazine was detected in wastewater
treatment plant in Vietnam at a concentration of 19 μg L
À1 (Managaki et al.
2007), whereas sulfamethoxazole; another form of sulfamethazine; and ofloxacin
were found in Latin America with concentrations of 14.3 μg L
À1 and 17.7 μg L
À1 ,
respectively (aus der Beek et al. 2016). The concentration of sulfamethoxazole was
significantly high in Kenya and Mozambique, with estimated concentration of
38.9 μg L
À1 and 53.8 μg L
À1 , respectively (Lindsey et al. 2001; Madikizela et al.
2017. Quinolones, sulfonamide, and macrolides were also administered in municipal
wastewater plant in Beijing, with the mean concentration of 4916, 2916, and
356 ng L
À1 , respectively (Li et al. 2013).
The fate and presence of quinolones and fluoroquinolones in municipal wastewater treatment plants were studied during anaerobic, anoxic, and aerobic treatment
processes. All antibiotics showed to bind with biosolids and being in contact with
microbial mass, which then create a medium to transfer genetic material through
horizontal transfer, therefore WWTPs are considered as a prominent place for
3 Existence of Antibiotics in Wastewater as a Pollution Indicator
51
À1 ) in the
influent was reduced by 30% and only about 5% of all discharged influent was found
in the effluent. This reflects the weak adsorption of triclosan onto sludge and also
impose that these compounds will not recover as a parent form and may transform
with other metabolic substances. Similarly, the fate and behavior of triclosan in
wastewater treatment plant was also reported (Singer et al. 2002), where about 79%
of overall concentration of triclosan was removed by biological degradation; 15% by
adsorption on to sludge and 6% released to the surface water, and the concentration
was estimated in the range of 42–213 ng L
À1 in wastewater effluent and
11–98 ng L
À1 in the receiving surface water. In a study, Cha et al. (2006) reported
that the concentration of antibiotics oxacillin and ampicillin in the effluents of
WWTPs toward cache la Poudre river is 95 μg L
À1 and 86 μg L
À1 , respectively, in
Colorado, whereas their concentration from WWTPs effluent to Msunduzi river in
South Africa was about 27 μg L
À1 and 9 μg L
À1 , respectively (Matongo et al. 2015).
The tendency of some pharmaceuticals in the secondary effluent of STPs varies.
The most detectable antibiotics in Italy is tramadol, with a concentration of
57 μg L
À1 , followed by ibuprofen (48 μg L
À1 ), diclofenac (11 μg L
À1 ), trimethoprim
(6.7 μg L
À1 ), erythromycin (6.3 μg L
À1 ), ciprofloxacin (5.7 μg L
À1 ), sulfamethoxazole and roxithromycin (5 μg L
À1 ) (Verlicchi et al. 2013). The effluent of WWTPs
from industrial area act as a massive mass of accumulated antibiotics that would be
much more alarming to threat the aquatic environment, even at low concentration.
For instance, ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin were detected at high level (31,000 μg L
À 1
and 160 μg L
À1 , respectively) in the effluent WWTPs of well-known industrial city
in India (Larsson et al. 2007; Larsson 2014). The dissemination of pharmaceuticals
is not limited in the effluent from WWTPs only, but may reach to far areas found in
the study of Li et al. (2008), where oxytetracycline was detected 20 km downstream
from WWTPs effluent in Xiao River in Asia, with a relative high concentration of
484 μg L
À1 .
Several studies have shown the presence of pharmaceutical compounds in the
effluent from WWTPs universally. Sulfamethazine was detected in wastewater
treatment plant in Vietnam at a concentration of 19 μg L
À1 (Managaki et al.
2007), whereas sulfamethoxazole; another form of sulfamethazine; and ofloxacin
were found in Latin America with concentrations of 14.3 μg L
À1 and 17.7 μg L
À1 ,
respectively (aus der Beek et al. 2016). The concentration of sulfamethoxazole was
significantly high in Kenya and Mozambique, with estimated concentration of
38.9 μg L
À1 and 53.8 μg L
À1 , respectively (Lindsey et al. 2001; Madikizela et al.
2017. Quinolones, sulfonamide, and macrolides were also administered in municipal
wastewater plant in Beijing, with the mean concentration of 4916, 2916, and
356 ng L
À1 , respectively (Li et al. 2013).
The fate and presence of quinolones and fluoroquinolones in municipal wastewater treatment plants were studied during anaerobic, anoxic, and aerobic treatment
processes. All antibiotics showed to bind with biosolids and being in contact with
microbial mass, which then create a medium to transfer genetic material through
horizontal transfer, therefore WWTPs are considered as a prominent place for
3 Existence of Antibiotics in Wastewater as a Pollution Indicator
51