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Riverine antibiotics have gained significant attention due to their ecological and human health impacts. Here, we assess the distribution of antibiotic concentrations in rivers globally and identify the driving forces behind antibiotic pollution. We have collated a data set of antibiotics detected in rivers globally, encompassing 21 distinct antibiotics from 287 unique rivers, distributed across 128 sub-basins. We also collated data sets of antibiotics in manure and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and analyzed the relationships between riverine antibiotics and anthropogenic indicators. Sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and trimethoprim (TMP) exhibited the highest average concentrations in studied rivers and WWTPs, particularly in Africa. Conversely, tetracyclines (TCs) were most frequently detected in manure. TCs in rivers are strongly correlated to animal production, particularly with cattle and pig farming. In Africa, humans’ widespread use of antibiotics, combined with insufficient wastewater treatment, were correlated to high concentrations of sulfonamides(SAs), fluoroquinolones(FQs), and Macrolides (MLs) antibiotics in rivers. In Asia, the application of extensive antibiotics in livestock possibly elevated riverine TCs. Our results provide new insights into the global action required to achieve SDG6 on clean water and sanitation, emphasizing the need for enhanced wastewater treatment and controlled antibiotic use.
Li et al. (Thu,) studied this question.