title: Uptake of antibiotics from irrigation water by plants.
abstract: The capacity of carrot (Daucus corota L.) and lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), two plants that are usually eaten raw, to uptake tetracycline and amoxicillin (two commonly used antibiotics) from irrigated water was investigated in order to assess the indirect human exposure to antibiotics through consumption of uncooked vegetables. Antibiotics in potted plants that had been irrigated with known concentrations of the antibiotics were extracted using accelerated solvent extraction and analyzed on a liquid chromatograph-tandem mass spectrometer. The plants absorbed the antibiotics from water in all tested concentrations of 0.1-15 mg L(-1). Tetracycline was detected in all plant samples, at concentrations ranging from 4.4 to 28.3 ng/g in lettuce and 12.0-36.8 ng g(-1) fresh weight in carrots. Amoxicillin showed absorption with concentrations ranging from 13.7 ng g(-1) to 45.2 ng g(-1) for the plant samples. The mean concentration of amoxicillin (27.1 ng g(-1)) in all the samples was significantly higher (p = 0.04) than that of tetracycline (20.2 ng g(-1)) indicating higher uptake of amoxicillin than tetracycline. This suggests that the low antibiotic concentrations found in plants could be important for causing antibiotics resistance when these levels are consumed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana. Electronic address: azanudavid@gmail.com.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Azanu
authors.affiliation: Department of Theoretical and Applied Biology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
authors.forename: Christiana
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mortey
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
authors.forename: Godfred
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Darko
authors.affiliation: Toxicology Laboratory, Analytical Biosciences, Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Johan Juhl
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Weisser
authors.affiliation: Toxicology Laboratory, Analytical Biosciences, Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Bjarne
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Styrishave
authors.affiliation: Department of Theoretical and Applied Biology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
authors.forename: Robert Clement
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Abaidoo
mesh_terms: D057914:Agricultural Irrigation; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D018552:Daucus carota / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D018545:Lactuca / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D062065:Wastewater / Q000737:chemistry*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Amoxicillin; Carrot; Irrigation water; Lettuce; Soil; Tetracycline