Distribution of sulfamethazine, chlortetracycline and tylosin in manure and soil of Canadian feedlots after subtherapeutic use in cattle

• Published in: Environmental pollution (1987) 2008-12, Vol.156 (3), p.1243-1251
• Main Authors: Aust, Marc-Oliver, Godlinski, Frauke, Travis, Greg R., Hao, Xiying, McAllister, Tim A., Leinweber, Peter, Thiele-Bruhn, Sören
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: agricultural soils; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Animal Husbandry; Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents - analysis; antibiotic residues; antibiotics; Applied sciences; beef cattle; Biological and medical sciences; Biological and physicochemical properties of pollutants. Interaction in the soil; Canada; Cattle; Cattle feedlot; cattle manure; chlortetracycline; Chlortetracycline - analysis; Depth profiles; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Exact sciences and technology; feedlot soils; feedlots; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; grassland soils; leaching; Manure - analysis; Manure layer; medicated feeds; Pollution; Pollution, environment geology; runoff; Soil; Soil - analysis; Soil and sediments pollution; Soil and water pollution; soil depth; Soil Pollutants - analysis; Soil science; soil transport processes; sulfamethazine; Sulfamethazine - analysis; Tylosin - analysis; Veterinary antibiotics; Veterinary Drugs - analysis
• ISSN: 0269-7491; 1873-6424
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2008.03.011

Feedlots are potential point sources for the flow of antibiotics into the environment due to common use of antibiotics such as sulfamethazine, chlortetracycline and tylosin. Hence soils and manures originating from a grassland control, an experimental and a commercial feedlot were analyzed and mass balances were calculated for these antibiotics. Up to 9990 μg kg −1 sulfamethazine and 401 μg kg −1 chlortetracycline on a dry matter basis were determined in feedlot manure. Soil concentrations were two orders of magnitude smaller. This corresponds to 7–40% of the calculated residual amount. In the commercial feedlot chlortetracycline was found down to soil depths of −40 cm; sulfamethazine was still detectable 1 year after medication. Sulfamethazine and chlortetracycline were additionally determined in manure of a control treatment in the experimental feedlot where cattle never received antibiotics. This was attributed to runoff from upslope pens. Consequently, antibiotics partially persist within feedlots and may be dislocated into the surrounding environment by vertical transport and runoff. Veterinary antibiotics partially persist within feedlots and may be dislocated to the environment by transport processes following subtherapeutic application to cattle.