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Occurrence of antibiotics and antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the Lebanese polluted Litani River

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Abstract

Antibiotic contamination in polluted rivers is well recognized as an environmental and public health challenge. In this study, the occurrence, distribution, and ecological risk assessment of three commonly used antibiotics (amoxicillin, ciprofloxacin, and azithromycin) were assessed in the Litani River, the most important and highly polluted river in Lebanon. Physicochemical and microbiological water quality parameters including the antibiotic-resistant ones were in parallel determined in the same sites. Water samples from five sites stretching across the river upper basin were analyzed for the antibiotics under study using high-performance liquid chromatography, with both fluorometric and UV detectors post-extraction using a solid-phase method with a hydrophilic-lipophilic balance cartridges. The disc diffusion method and standardized water quality methods were used for antibiotic-resistant bacteria and water quality assessment, respectively. Amoxicillin and ciprofloxacin were found at concentrations of 250 ng/L and 107.2 ng/L, while azithromycin was not detected in any of the sites under study. Varying levels of antibiotic resistance were detected with the isolated Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) while the total coliforms showed resistance to multiple antibiotics. COD, TP, PO43-, TN, NO3-, NH4 + , E. coli, total coliform, P. aeruginosa, and Cd levels surpassed permissible levels. Correlation analysis with water quality parameters (COD, total phosphate, phosphate, total nitrogen, and cadmium) showed a significant positive correlation with ciprofloxacin (r > 0.5, p value < 0.05). Also, the resistant P. aeruginosa showed a significant positive correlation with cadmium (r > 0.5, p value < 0.05) while the resistant E. coli was positively correlated with total nitrogen, nitrate, and lead levels (r > 0.5, p value < 0.05). The ecological risk assessment revealed that all the tested antibiotics pose low risks (ecological risk quotient RQ < 0.1) except ciprofloxacin, which could pose a medium risk (0.1 < RQ < 1). Future research concerning the long-term assessment of antibiotics’ residues and the identification of resistance genes in the river is recommended.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are very grateful to the Environmental Observatory O-Life and the Litani River Authority (LRA) for their support in the successful completion of the research work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Beirut Arab University, Debbieh, Lebanon

    Carine K. Mounzer & Jamilah M. Borjac

  2. Research Center for Environment and Development, Beirut Arab University, Bekaa, Lebanon

    Safaa A. Baydoun

  3. Department of Environmental Biotechnology, GEBRI, City of Scientific Research and Technology Applications, SRTA - City, Egypt

    Ranya A. Amer

Authors
  1. Carine K. Mounzer
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  2. Safaa A. Baydoun
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  3. Ranya A. Amer
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  4. Jamilah M. Borjac
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Contributions

RA and SB conceptualized the study, designed the survey tool, sampling, and laboratory and led the preparation of the manuscript with input from all authors. CM contributed to the field and laboratory work, data analysis, interpretation, and preparation of the manuscript. JB performed data analysis and visualization with input from all authors and a review of manuscripts. SB performed the co-funding acquisition. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Jamilah M. Borjac.

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Mounzer, C.K., Baydoun, S.A., Amer, R.A. et al. Occurrence of antibiotics and antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the Lebanese polluted Litani River. Environ Monit Assess 196, 90 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-023-12267-6

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