on all biota. Not all antibiotics are present in the environment at high levels to cause
remarkable effects but low concentration is sometimes enough to cause effects on
animals and plants. The biological and physicochemical properties and persistence
decide the chronic and long-term effects of pharmaceuticals on the environment.
Some of the pharmaceuticals are able to biodegrade easily, while others need more
time to degrade and thus the probability of causing negative effects also varies.
Likewise, the exposure route, dose of residues, time of exposure, and kinetic
mechanisms are factors responsible for antibiotic-induced effects.
Antibiotics can reach the surface water, drinking water, groundwater, seawater,
soil, plants, and aquatic organisms by variety of ways, but WWTPs are considered as
the most significant source for dissemination of antibiotics. Pharmaceutical
manufacturing plant, hospital effluent, and application of livestock manures are
other means for antibiotic discharge. Landfill application of WWTPs sludge, sewage, and fertilizer are shown to be important sources for antibiotics entrance into the
food chain through animals and agriculture practices. Several processes contribute to
eliminate antibiotics in conventional and advanced WWTPs such as sorption,
biodegradation, photodegradation, and oxidation; however, the efficiency of antibiotic removal in WWTPs is variable due to the ability of some pharmaceuticals for
sorption onto biosolids or to be remaining at their aqueous phase. Many questions
have risen regarding the identification of parent antibiotics or their transformation
products with other toxic organic and inorganic substances, as the mixtures and their
compositions. The presence of such mixtures with other toxic compounds in wastewater treatment plants has another effect on non-target organisms. The development
of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes in the environment is gaining a great
concern over the time, and their impact on ecosystem needs fast pace to understand
the interaction of these compounds with the environmental constituents.
References
Adler N, Balzer F, Blondzik K et al (2018) Antibiotics and antibiotic resistances in the environment
background, challenges and options for action. The Publisher German Environment Agency/
UBA. ISSN 2363-829X. P:44.
Adzitey F (2015) Antibiotic classes and antibiotic susceptibility of bacterial isolates from selected
poultry; a mini review. World Vet J 5(3):36–41
Agunbiade FO, Moodley B (2016) Occurrence and distribution pattern of acidic pharmaceuticals in
surface water, wastewater, and sediment of the Msunduzi River, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa.
Environ Toxicol Chem 35:36–46
Ahmad M, Vithanage M, Kim K et al (2014) Inhibitory effect of veterinary antibiotics on
denitrification in groundwater: a microcosm approach. Sci World J 879831
Al Aukidy M, Verlicchi P, Jelic A et al (2012) Monitoring release of pharmaceutical compounds:
occurrence and environmental risk assessment of two WWTP effluents and their receiving
bodies in the Po Valley, Italy. Sci Total Environ 438:15–25
Alidina M, Hoppe-Jones C, Yoon M et al (2014) The occurrence of emerging trace organic
chemicals in wastewater effluents in Saudi Arabia. Sci Total Environ 478:152–162
3 Existence of Antibiotics in Wastewater as a Pollution Indicator
59
remarkable effects but low concentration is sometimes enough to cause effects on
animals and plants. The biological and physicochemical properties and persistence
decide the chronic and long-term effects of pharmaceuticals on the environment.
Some of the pharmaceuticals are able to biodegrade easily, while others need more
time to degrade and thus the probability of causing negative effects also varies.
Likewise, the exposure route, dose of residues, time of exposure, and kinetic
mechanisms are factors responsible for antibiotic-induced effects.
Antibiotics can reach the surface water, drinking water, groundwater, seawater,
soil, plants, and aquatic organisms by variety of ways, but WWTPs are considered as
the most significant source for dissemination of antibiotics. Pharmaceutical
manufacturing plant, hospital effluent, and application of livestock manures are
other means for antibiotic discharge. Landfill application of WWTPs sludge, sewage, and fertilizer are shown to be important sources for antibiotics entrance into the
food chain through animals and agriculture practices. Several processes contribute to
eliminate antibiotics in conventional and advanced WWTPs such as sorption,
biodegradation, photodegradation, and oxidation; however, the efficiency of antibiotic removal in WWTPs is variable due to the ability of some pharmaceuticals for
sorption onto biosolids or to be remaining at their aqueous phase. Many questions
have risen regarding the identification of parent antibiotics or their transformation
products with other toxic organic and inorganic substances, as the mixtures and their
compositions. The presence of such mixtures with other toxic compounds in wastewater treatment plants has another effect on non-target organisms. The development
of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes in the environment is gaining a great
concern over the time, and their impact on ecosystem needs fast pace to understand
the interaction of these compounds with the environmental constituents.
References
Adler N, Balzer F, Blondzik K et al (2018) Antibiotics and antibiotic resistances in the environment
background, challenges and options for action. The Publisher German Environment Agency/
UBA. ISSN 2363-829X. P:44.
Adzitey F (2015) Antibiotic classes and antibiotic susceptibility of bacterial isolates from selected
poultry; a mini review. World Vet J 5(3):36–41
Agunbiade FO, Moodley B (2016) Occurrence and distribution pattern of acidic pharmaceuticals in
surface water, wastewater, and sediment of the Msunduzi River, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa.
Environ Toxicol Chem 35:36–46
Ahmad M, Vithanage M, Kim K et al (2014) Inhibitory effect of veterinary antibiotics on
denitrification in groundwater: a microcosm approach. Sci World J 879831
Al Aukidy M, Verlicchi P, Jelic A et al (2012) Monitoring release of pharmaceutical compounds:
occurrence and environmental risk assessment of two WWTP effluents and their receiving
bodies in the Po Valley, Italy. Sci Total Environ 438:15–25
Alidina M, Hoppe-Jones C, Yoon M et al (2014) The occurrence of emerging trace organic
chemicals in wastewater effluents in Saudi Arabia. Sci Total Environ 478:152–162
3 Existence of Antibiotics in Wastewater as a Pollution Indicator
59