Occurrence, sources and transport of antibiotics in the surface water of coral reef regions in the South China Sea: Potential risk to coral growth

Laboratory research has indicated that antibiotics had negative effects on coral growth by disturbing natural microbiota; however, no field studies have reported antibiotic contamination levels and their influence on coral growth in natural coral reef regions (CRRs). This study investigated antibiot...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental Pollution
Main Authors: Zhang, Ruijie, Zhang, Ruiling, Yu, Kefu, Wang, Yinghui, Huang, Xueyong, Pei, Jiying, Wei, Chaoshuai, Pan, Ziliang, Qin, Zhenjun, Zhang, Gan
Format: Report
Language:English
Published: ELSEVIER SCI LTD 2018
Subjects:
Environmental Sciences & Ecology
Antibiotics
Coral reef
South China Sea
Ecological risk
Environmental Sciences
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC-HYDROCARBON
PEARL RIVER-DELTA
POLYCHLORINATED-BIPHENYLS
AQUATIC ENVIRONMENT
OCEAN ACIDIFICATION
TOXICITY
COAST
RESISTANCE
ISLAND
SULFONAMIDES
Ocean acidification
Online Access:http://ir.gig.ac.cn/handle/344008/41856
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2017.09.064
Description
Summary:Laboratory research has indicated that antibiotics had negative effects on coral growth by disturbing natural microbiota; however, no field studies have reported antibiotic contamination levels and their influence on coral growth in natural coral reef regions (CRRs). This study investigated antibiotic occurrence and sources in the surface water from CRRs that have suffered from rapid coral degradation and evaluated their risk to coral growth. These regions are in the South China Sea, including four coastal and two offshore CRRs. The results show that 13 antibiotics were detected in the coastal CRRs with concentrations ranging from 10(-2)-10(0) ng L-1, while 5 antibiotics occurred in offshore CRRs (300-950 km from the mainland), with concentrations ranging from 10(-2) to 10(-1) ng L-1. Their concentrations decreased gradually from the coast to offshore in the transport process. However, Yongxing Island, which is approximately 300 km from the mainland, was an exception with relatively higher concentrations than the surrounding reefs because of the ever-increasing human activity on the island. The presence of anthropogenic contaminants antibiotics in CRRs may be a potential risk to coral growth. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Similar Items