Distribution and risk assessment of antibiotics under water level fluctuation in the riparian zone of the Hanjiang River

Yuqiong Li; Lei Tong; Jiayue Zhang; Hui Liu; Minjing Li; Zhang Wen

doi:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.114833

Distribution and risk assessment of antibiotics under water level fluctuation in the riparian zone of the Hanjiang River

Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2023 May:256:114833. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.114833. Epub 2023 Mar 28.

Authors

Yuqiong Li¹, Lei Tong², Jiayue Zhang¹, Hui Liu¹, Minjing Li¹, Zhang Wen¹

Affiliations

¹ School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, 430074 Wuhan, China.
² School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, 430074 Wuhan, China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Source Apportionment and Control of Aquatic Pollution, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, 430074 Wuhan, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Yangtze Catchment Environmental Aquatic Science, 430074 Wuhan, China. Electronic address: tonglei@cug.edu.cn.

PMID: 36996666
DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.114833

Abstract

The riparian zone (RZ) is an important region connecting surface water and groundwater, and it has widely been acknowledged for its pollutant buffering capacity. However, the decontaminating effect of RZ on trace organic compounds such as antibiotics has received little attention. This study explored the distribution of 21 antibiotics and 4 sulfonamide metabolites in river water and groundwater in the lower reaches of the Hanjiang River. The diffusion and exchange of contaminants between the river and riverbanks under the influence of water conservancy projects (Xinglong Dam and the Yangtze-Hanjiang Water Diversion Project) were investigated. Macrolide antibiotics were prevalent in river water (62.5-100%) and groundwater samples (42.9-80.4%). Ofloxacin and chlortetracycline were detected with the highest concentrations in river water (12.2 ng L^-1) and groundwater (9.3 ng L^-1) respectively. Higher levels of antibiotics were observed in spring and winter than in other seasons. The river-groundwater interaction has a certain interception effect on antibiotics, especially near riverbanks. Redox sensitive element Fe²⁺ showed significantly positive correlations with some tetracycline and macrolide antibiotics (p < 0.05), and thus the migration mechanism between Fe²⁺ and antibiotics under the condition of redox change should be investigated further. Environmental risks posed by antibiotics were assessed for algae, daphnids, and fish in surface water and groundwater. Only clarithromycin and chlortetracycline presented a medium risk to algae (0.1 < RQ < 1), and the rest presented low risk (RQ < 0.1). Nevertheless, the risk range may be further extended by interactions between groundwater and surface water. Accurate understanding of antibiotic transport in RZ is critical for developing management strategies aimed at reducing the pollution load on the watershed.

Keywords: Antibiotic; Hanjiang River; Riparian zone; River water–groundwater interaction; Xinglong Dam.

MeSH terms

Animals
Anti-Bacterial Agents / analysis
China
Chlortetracycline*
Clarithromycin
Environmental Monitoring
Groundwater*
Risk Assessment
Rivers
Water
Water Pollutants, Chemical* / analysis

Substances

Water
Chlortetracycline
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Clarithromycin
Water Pollutants, Chemical