Industrial release of fluoroquinolones (FQs) in the waste water bodies with their associated ecological risk in Pakistan

•Prevalence of elevated concentration of FQs in the Hattar industrial zone.•Risk associated with CIP contamination was high for aquatic organisms.•Release of antibiotics in the waste water could be attributed to negligence of pharmaceutical industries.

The unchecked production and use of fluoroquinolones (FQs) for the treatment of infections in human and livestock has increased in Pakistan, which resulted in large amount of antibiotics in water bodies. In the current study, the prevalence and associated ecological risk of three FQs were investigated in waste-water bodies and sludge samples of Kahuta and Hattar industrial zones. The average concentrations of ciprofloxacin (CIP), enrofloxacin (ENR) and levofloxacin (LEV) in the waste-water samples were slightly higher in Kahuta (i.e. 58, 32.9, and 36.7 μg L−1 respectively), than those in Hattar sites (i.e. 42.1, 41.2, and 48.9 μg L−1 respectively). However, the concentrations of CIP, ENR and LEV in the sludge samples were significantly higher (i.e. 159; 153 and 164 μg kg−1 respectively) in Hattar sites, compared to those in Kahuta sites (i.e. 129, 58 and 91 μg kg−1 respectively). The uses of FQs in the health sector resulted in water pollution and poses the ecological risk to aquatic organisms. The individual risk associated with CIP was highest in Kahuta industrial sites for green algae ranging (2900-9100) followed by M. aeruginosa (5800-18200), cyanobacteria (580-18204) and invertebrates (24.2-75.8). These values suggested that the prevalence of antibiotics in the waste-disposal sites could be potential risk for the aquatic ecosystem, and harmful to biodiversity.

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