Antibiotics in the Environment: Sources, Risks and Remedies

Abstract

Antibiotics are compounds that can kill or stop the growth of germs, and are used by humans. Improper usage and disposal of antibiotics is a major source of antibiotic residual pollution. This paper aims to review on the sources, risks and remedies of antibiotics in the environment in Ghana.  The search was employed to find published articles which reported antibiotic residues or occurrence in the environment through PubMed and Google Scholar. The review included 17 papers that met the inclusion criteria. Most of the studies were from the Ashanti Region, followed by the Greater Accra Region. The top three antibiotics detected were Amoxycillin (7), Ciprofloxacin (6) and Tetracycline (6). The highest overall antibiotic residue observed was 90% in honey, followed by 35.5% in cow milk obtained from Accra and Kumasi. Most of the authors noted that the risks involved in the presence of antibiotics in the environment were Antibiotic resistance by bacteria, allergies, overall hazards to exposure and promotion of growth of bacteria. The remedy which was mostly suggested was the monitoring of the amount of antibiotic residues in the environment. Antibiotics in the environment can cause allergies and antibiotic resistance, so it is important to educate farmers and invest in technologies that will remove and reduce the amount of antibiotics in the environment.