Excess Antibiotic Waste Fills Rivers Around the World - Study
In the largest study of its kind led by the University of York, with its associated partners and teams from around the world, have found hundreds of rivers across the globe with dangerously high levels of antibiotics.
The teams have said that Asia and Africa have the most rivers far exceed the 'safe' limits set by AMR Industry Alliance.
The researchers and teams looked for 14 commonly used antibiotics in rivers in 72 countries across six continents and found antibiotics at 65% of the sites monitored.
According to the University of York, the project was a major logistical challenge: there were 92 sampling kits flown out to partners all over the world, who were asked to take samples from locations along their local river system(s).
Massive undertakings like this are typically avoided by researchers due to to their time, cost, the aforementioned logistical challenge, and massive compiling and analysis of data.
The samples then had to be immediately frozen and couriered back to the University of York for testing, as to provide proper conditions for study.
Some of the world's most well known rivers were sampled, including the Chao Phraya, Danube, Mekong, Seine, Thames, Tiber and Tigris.
The Culprits
Metronidazole
Metronidazole, an anti-bacterial which is used to treat bacterial infections including skin and mouth infections, was found to have exceeded safe levels by the biggest margin, in most countries, with concentrations at one site in Bangladesh 300 times greater than the ‘safest' levels.
Compared to more developed nations, like in England, the River Thames and one of its tributaries in London, the researchers detected a maximum total antibiotic concentration of 233 ng/L, whereas in Bangladesh the concentration was found to be 170 times higher.
The monitoring data was compared with ‘safe’ levels recently established by the AMR Industry Alliance and, depending on the antibiotic, range from 20-32,000 ng/L.
Trimethoprim
Trimethoprim, which was detected at 307 of the 711 sites tested and is primarily used to treat urinary tract infections, and was thus found to be the most prevalent drug of all tested.
Ciproflaxacin
Ciproflaxacin, which is used to treat a number of bacterial infections, was the compound that most frequently exceeded safe levels, surpassing the safety threshold in 51 places.
The Challenge Ahead
“The results are quite eye opening and worrying, demonstrating the widespread contamination of river systems around the world with antibiotic compounds," said Professor Alistair Boxall, the Theme Leader of the York Environmental Sustainability Institute.
“Many scientists and policy makers now recognize the role of the natural environment in the antimicrobial resistance problem. Our data show that antibiotic contamination of rivers could be an important contributor.”
“Solving the problem is going to be a mammoth challenge and will need investment in infrastructure for waste and wastewater treatment, tighter regulation and the cleaning up of already contaminated sites.”