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Accumulation of Residual Antibiotics in the Vegetables Irrigated by Pharmaceutical Wastewater

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Abstract

Soil and vegetables are the most integral environmental segments for human and animal life. Day by day both of these segments are becoming polluted by anthropogenic resources, and one of the major sources of contamination is pharmaceutical wastewater entering environment. Contamination levels of antibiotics namely ofloxacin (OFL), ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin (LEV), oxytetracycline (OTC), and doxycycline were determined (found) in soil and vegetables samples in surrounding areas of pharmaceutical industry. HPLC with DAD detector, C-18 column and solid-phase cartridges were used to extract and analyze antibiotic residues in soil, carrot, wheat, and spinach samples. In wheat samples, LEV and OFL in spinach and carrot samples were accumulated highest. OFL, in soil of wheat and spinach samples, and OTC, in soil of carrot samples, were determined as highest level contaminant. In all types of vegetable samples, the contamination of each antibiotic was highest in leaves and lowest in fruits. The order of accumulation was leaves > stem/shoot > root > fruit. The contamination level was higher in soil samples than vegetable samples. Plants and vegetables directly or indirectly are part of human food. From soil, antibiotics accumulates to plants and vegetables, and leach to groundwater.

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Acknowledgments

Authors would like to acknowledge College of Earth and Environmental Sciences (CEES), University of the Punjab Lahore, Pakistan and Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) Labs Complex, Ferozepur Road Lahore, Pakistan for providing all laboratory facilities for sample preparation and analysis of this study. This scientific study has been supported financially through the grant No. 106-1762-Ps6-059 by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (HEC).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan

    Shoaib Hussain & Muhammad Nawaz Chaudhry

  2. Applied Chemistry Research Centre (ACRC), Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) Labs Complex, Lahore, Pakistan

    Muhammad Naeem

  3. School of Chemical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800-USM, Penang, Malaysia

    Muhammad Adnan Iqbal

  4. Department of Chemistry, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, 38000, Pakistan

    Muhammad Adnan Iqbal

  5. Community College, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, 38000, Pakistan

    Muhammad Adnan Iqbal

Authors
  1. Shoaib Hussain
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  2. Muhammad Naeem
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  3. Muhammad Nawaz Chaudhry
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  4. Muhammad Adnan Iqbal
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Shoaib Hussain or Muhammad Adnan Iqbal.

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Hussain, S., Naeem, M., Chaudhry, M.N. et al. Accumulation of Residual Antibiotics in the Vegetables Irrigated by Pharmaceutical Wastewater. Expo Health 8, 107–115 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12403-015-0186-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12403-015-0186-2

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