TY - JOUR
T1 - Antibiotics in the Hong Kong metropolitan area
T2 - Ubiquitous distribution and fate in Victoria Harbour
AU - Minh, Tu Binh
AU - Leung, Ho Wing
AU - Loi, I. Ha
AU - Chan, Wing Hei
AU - So, Man Ka
AU - Mao, J. Q.
AU - Choi, David
AU - Lam, James C.W.
AU - Zheng, Gene
AU - Martin, Michael
AU - Lee, Joseph H.W.
AU - Lam, Paul K.S.
AU - Richardson, Bruce J.
N1 - Funding Information:
We thank staff of the Office of the Drainage Services Department of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and at Stonecutters Island, Shatin, Tai Po, Central, Wan Chai East, Wan Chai West and North Point sewage treatment plants for permission to take sewage samples, for supplying technical support during our sampling surveys, and providing relevant information concerning the sewage treatment plants. This study was funded by a Strategic Research Grant from City University of Hong Kong (Grant No. 7002005), and the Area of Excellence Scheme under the University Grants Committee of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China (Project No. AoE/P-04/2004).
PY - 2009/7
Y1 - 2009/7
N2 - We investigated the presence and fate of 16 antibiotics belonging to seven groups (β-lactams, fluoroquinolones, macrolides, sulfonamides, tetracyclines, trimethoprim and amphenicols) in effluents of sewage plants and receiving waters in Hong Kong. Cefalexin, amoxicillin, ofloxacin and erythromycin-H2O were ubiquitous in sea water throughout Victoria Harbour, indicating continuous discharge to the environment. This is one of the few studies reporting the frequent occurrence of cefalexin and amoxicillin in sewage effluents and sea water (170-5070 and 64-1670 ng/L in sewage; 6.1-493 and 0.64-76 ng/L in sea water, respectively). Mass flows from seven sewage plants discharged an estimated total of 14.4 kg/day to the Harbour. Typhoon shelters also appeared to play an important role as sources of antibiotics, as evidenced by elevated concentrations within their boundaries. Mass balance estimations suggested significant quantities of antibiotics are discharged to the Harbour without passage through treatment plants.
AB - We investigated the presence and fate of 16 antibiotics belonging to seven groups (β-lactams, fluoroquinolones, macrolides, sulfonamides, tetracyclines, trimethoprim and amphenicols) in effluents of sewage plants and receiving waters in Hong Kong. Cefalexin, amoxicillin, ofloxacin and erythromycin-H2O were ubiquitous in sea water throughout Victoria Harbour, indicating continuous discharge to the environment. This is one of the few studies reporting the frequent occurrence of cefalexin and amoxicillin in sewage effluents and sea water (170-5070 and 64-1670 ng/L in sewage; 6.1-493 and 0.64-76 ng/L in sea water, respectively). Mass flows from seven sewage plants discharged an estimated total of 14.4 kg/day to the Harbour. Typhoon shelters also appeared to play an important role as sources of antibiotics, as evidenced by elevated concentrations within their boundaries. Mass balance estimations suggested significant quantities of antibiotics are discharged to the Harbour without passage through treatment plants.
KW - Antibiotics
KW - Attenuation
KW - Mass balance
KW - Sewage treatment plants
KW - Victoria Harbour
KW - β-Lactams
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=67649424465&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2009.02.004
DO - 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2009.02.004
M3 - Article
C2 - 19268314
AN - SCOPUS:67649424465
SN - 0025-326X
VL - 58
SP - 1052
EP - 1062
JO - Marine Pollution Bulletin
JF - Marine Pollution Bulletin
IS - 7
ER -