SPREAD AND PRESENCE OF ANTIBIOTIC RESIDUES IN WASTEWATER AS BIO-INDICATORS OF POLLUTION

Abstract

Among the different pharmaceuticals present in soil and water ecosystems as micro-contaminants, considerable attention has been paid to antibiotics The abusive of the use and misuse of antibiotics pose  a global public health crisis: antibiotic-resistant bacteria are on the rise, making it harder to treat infections. Wastewater treatment plants are one of the main sources of spread of antibiotic resistance into the environment, especially from hospitals and pharmaceutical plants, and through agricultural runoff, and has led to contamination to contamination of surface and groundwater, lakes, rivers and coastal sea water, which indicates pollution of these habitats. However, since extensive use of antibiotics results in the inhibition of susceptible organisms while selecting for the resistant ones, and contributing substantially to the emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance in the environment. The persistence of antibiotics in the environment depends on factors and  also on physical-chemical characteristics of the different types of antibiotics. Monitoring studies showed that substantial concentrations of antibiotic residues can occur in soil and water. Little is known about the concentrations that will exert selective pressure on environmental microorganisms and promote persistence or even enrichment of the environmental resistance gene pool. This review paper discusses the environmental contamination of antibiotics, the occurrence, release, and removal of antibiotics from water and wastewater and the effect of these residues on persistence.