Investigation of tetracycline, sulfonamide, and fluoroquinolone antimicrobial compounds in manure and agricultural soils in North Marmara Region

Abstract

Occurrence of antibiotic residuals in the environment is of concern because of the emergence and development of antibiotic-resistance in pathogen bacteria, and the ecotoxicological behaviour of these compounds. Investigation of antibiotic pollution in animal manure has special importance since they constitute the major source for the dissemination of them into the environment. Hence, this study was conducted to determine the level of antimicrobial pollution in eight animal manure and nine agricultural soil samples collected from different sampling points located in the North part of Marmara Region. While tetracyclines (TCs) and sulfonamides (SAs) extraction were carried out by ultrasonic agitation followed by tandem solid phase extraction, fluoroquinolones (FQs) were extracted by ultrasonic agitation followed by 0.45 μm filtration. The antibiotic analysis was performed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). TCs, SAs, and FQs were determined in manure up to 0.47, 35.5, and 0.057 mg kg-1, respectively. In manure amended agricultural soils, TCs, SAs, and FQs were detected at the maximum concentrations of 0.50, 0.40, and 0.053 mg kg-1, respectively. At least one antimicrobial compound was detected in all the agricultural soil and animal manure samples. The recovery rates of the antimicrobial compounds from soil and manure were assessed, and the relationship between these results and sample characteristics was statistically evaluated.|Keywords: Tetracyclines, Sulfonamides, Fluoroquinolones, Soil, Manure