Occurrence and risks of pharmaceuticals in Mahdia's coastline (Tunisia): distribution, antibiotic resistance, and ecotoxicological impact.

ABSTRACT: Pharmaceutical active compounds (PHACs) pose a significant risk to aquatic ecosystems due to their persistence and potential toxic effects. Despite their documented presence in various coastal environments, their occurrence along the Mahdia coastline remains largely unexplored. Using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS), we analyzed seawater and sediment samples collected over six consecutive months from Mahdia's marine environment. Results revealed that antibiotics were the most prevalent PHACs, with ofloxacin reaching 401 ng/L in seawater. Other consistently detected compounds included flumequine, nalidixic acid, oxytetracycline, and N4-acetylsulfamerazine, with maximum concentrations of 16 ng/L, 17.1 ng/L, 12.1 ng/L, and 59.2 ng/L, respectively.

SUBMITTER: Fenni F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12328540 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature