Country-level antibiotic risk assessment in the multiple environmental matrices based on decennial data.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Environmental Chemistry
• Public Health

Background:

• Antibiotic overuse has led to widespread environmental contamination.
• Global country-level antibiotic risks are not well understood, necessitating worldwide management strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a global assessment of antibiotic detection frequencies and concentrations.
• To compare antibiotic detection levels across environmental compartments in different countries.
• To perform a risk assessment using predicted no-effect concentrations (PNECs) and minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for microbial nitrogen cycling.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of a decennial dataset with 431,441 records for 137 antibiotics across eight environmental compartments in 45 countries.
• Assessment of antibiotic detection frequencies, concentrations, and risk levels (PNECs and MICs).

Main Results:

• Kenya showed the highest cumulative detection frequencies in aqueous media. Wastewater treatment plant effluent and animal manure had the highest antibiotic levels.
• Wastewater treatment plant effluent exhibited the highest detections and concentrations, with quinolones dominating in France and the USA, and sulfonamides in Kenya.
• Malaysia, China, and Canada ranked highest for PNECs and MICs risk. Sulfonamides were the most frequently exceeded and highest-risk antibiotic class globally.

Conclusions:

• Antibiotic contamination poses a significant global environmental risk, particularly in Asia.
• Wastewater treatment plants are key hotspots for antibiotic contamination.
• Effective global antibiotic management strategies are crucial to mitigate environmental risks, with a focus on sulfonamides.