ecological risk assessment.xlsx

To examine the residues and distributions of
tetracycline antibiotics in Weihe basin, SPE-UPLC (solid phase extraction-ultra performance liquid
chromatography) was employed to analyze the Oxytetracycline (OTC),
Chlortetracycline (CTC) and Minocycline (MC) of 41 surface water and 35
sediment samples collected from main streams, tributaries and main sewage outlets. The Results showed that (1) The order of
residual levels of tetracycline antibiotics in water and sediment from high to
low was following: OTC>CTC>MC. The concentrations of OTC in water and
sediment were in the range of 1.56-87.89 ng/L and 6.13-45.38 ng/g (mean value
of 16.13 ng/L and 20.60 ng/g), respectively; while CTC was 1.07-26.78 ng/L and
6.17-32.29 ng/g (mean value of 4.96 ng/L and 14.48 ng/g), respectively; and MC
was 0.28-12.35 ng/L and 4.80-29.74 ng/g (mean value of 1.70 ng/L and 12.96
ng/g), respectively. There were maximum concentrations in all sewage outlets.
Compared with other areas in China, tetracyclines residues in Weihe basin was
at a medium level; (2) In spatial
distribution, the levels of tetracyclines in water and sediment from the middle
and upper reaches were higher than the lower reaches. Meanwhile, the sewage
outfalls and livestock farm waste water discharge were main sources of
tetracycline antibiotics in Weihe basin; (3) Ecological risk assessment
revealed that in main streams and tributaries, OTC and CTC may be at low
ecological risk level; while in sewage outfalls, they may be at medium ecological risk level.