A review targeting veterinary antibiotics removal from livestock manure management systems and future outlook

Veterinary antibiotics (VAs) contamination has been considered as a worldwide environmental and health concern in recent decades. This paper reviewed the variability of contents of VAs and their release from the animal breeding industry into the surrounding environment along with the performance of the manure treatment technologies. The data collected revealed that VAs were mostly excreted in animal feces and observed in manure, soil, water, and sediment. The findings illustrate the disparity of VAs in excretion rates, consumption, and their residues in the environment with relatively high distribution for tetracyclines, fluoroquinolones, and sulfonamides. Anaerobic digestion has a capacity to remove of 73% VAs while manure composting and constructed wetlands can remove 84.7%, and 90% VAs. Due to the profound effect of antibiotics on the environment, further research and intensive management strategies for livestock manure need to be designed to improve the removal efficiency and manure management technologies.