title: Antibiotic Pollution in Marine Food Webs in Laizhou Bay, North China: Trophodynamics and Human Exposure Implication.
abstract: Little information is available about the bioaccumulation and biomagnification of antibiotics in marine food webs. Here, we investigate the levels and trophic transfer of 9 sulfonamide (SA), 5 fluoroquinolone (FQ), and 4 macrolide (ML) antibiotics, as well as trimethoprim in nine invertebrate and ten fish species collected from a marine food web in Laizhou Bay, North China in 2014 and 2015. All the antibiotics were detected in the marine organisms, with SAs and FQs being the most abundant antibiotics. Benthic fish accumulated more SAs than invertebrates and pelagic fish, while invertebrates exhibited higher FQ levels than fish. Generally, SAs and trimethoprim biomagnified in the food web, while the FQs and MLs were biodiluted. Trophic magnification factors (TMF) were 1.2-3.9 for SAs and trimethoprim, 0.3-1.0 for FQs and MLs. Limited biotransformation and relatively high assimilation efficiencies are the likely reasons for the biomagnification of SAs. The pH dependent distribution coefficients (log D) but not the lipophilicity (log KOW) of SAs and FQs had a significant correlation (r = 0.73; p < 0.05) with their TMFs. Although the calculated estimated daily intakes (EDI) for antibiotics suggest that consumption of seafood from Laizhou Bay is not associated with significant human health risks, this study provides important insights into the guidance of risk management of antibiotics.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education), School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology , Linggong Road 2, Dalian 116024, China.
authors.forename: Sisi
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-8223-5257
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education), School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology , Linggong Road 2, Dalian 116024, China.
authors.forename: Hongxia
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-3934-8082
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, College of Public Health, The University of Iowa , Iowa City, Iowa 52242, United States.
authors.forename: Hans-Joachim
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-9163-927X
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lehmler
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education), School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology , Linggong Road 2, Dalian 116024, China.
authors.forename: Xiyun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education), School of Environmental Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology , Linggong Road 2, Dalian 116024, China.
authors.forename: Jingwen
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-5756-3336
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D061006:Bays; D002681:China; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005399:Fishes / Q000378:metabolism; D020387:Food Chain; D006801:Humans; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical