Effect of Agricultural Antibiotics on the Persistence and Transformation of 17β-Estradiol in a Sequatchie Loam |
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| Authors: | SOUL CHUN JAEHOON LEE ROLAND GEYER DAVID C WHITE D RAJ RAMAN |
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| Institution: | 1. Biosystems Engineering and Environmental Science Department, University of Tennessee, Knoxville , Tennessee, USA;2. Center for Biomarker Analysis, University of Tennessee, Knoxville , Tennessee, USA |
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| Abstract: | A laboratory incubation study was conducted to investigate the effect of agricultural antibiotics (sulfamethazine, tylosin, and chlortetracycline) on the persistence and transformation of 17β-estradiol in Sequatchie loam. We measured concentrations of 17β-estradiol and its primary metabolite (estrone) in soils spiked with antibiotics and 17β-estradiol. Dehydrogenase activity (DHA) was also measured as an indicator of the total microbial activity of the soils. The presence of antibiotics significantly decreased transformation of 17β-estradiol to estrone. There was a positive correlation between the DHA and the concentrations of estrone in soil spiked with 17β-estradiol only, implying that the reaction is mainly catalyzed by dehydrogenases. However, the positive correlation was weakened in soil spiked with 17β-estradiol and antibiotics together. We recommend that any study evaluating the fate and transport of estrogenic hormones in soil should include the effect of agricultural antibiotics because antibiotics and estrogenic hormones are commonly excreted together in environmental samples. |
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| Keywords: | 17β-Estradiol Agricultural antibiotics Persistence Dehydrogenase activity |
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