Volume : IV, Issue : XII, December - 2014

Littering of Unexpended Antibiotics–a Threat to Environment

Alakananda J Adur, Ramya R

Abstract :

Antibiotic, a potential bioactive substance and a threat to natural environmental systems disseminate either as a result of consumption, excretion, persistence or unsafe disposal. Scientists have documented many adverse effects of unsafe disposal of antibiotics on population of native soil microbiome. Residues of antibiotics have already been reported ranging from few µg to g Kg–1 in soil. In addition to which various antibiotics also occur in soil due to microbes’ natural defense mechanism. The overall goal of our study was to investigate inappropriate usage of antibiotics amongst the literate population in the age group of 10 to 50 years. The primary data was collected by survey method in schedule format of fixed sample size. The few parameters included were age, BMI, common ailments, habit of self–medication, commonly used antibiotics, frequency, discontinuation of antibiotics, duration, method used for disposal etc. Since the effect of antibiotic on soil organisms are very diverse inspite of their bioactive properties, preliminary study was conducted to check the impact of commonly used commercially available antibiotic on micro biome of the devised experimental plot. There was a selective pressure of soil microorganisms. Thus the result obtained was an eye opener to study further impact of unexpended antibiotics on soil biome. The result also showed more than 70% of the literate population was still unaware of the proper usage and safe disposal of antibiotics leading to environmental contamination and toxicity. Though many such research and publications were made in view to this topic the status–quo of unsafe disposal in India has to be taken as priority

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Article: Download PDF   DOI : 10.36106/ijar  

Cite This Article:

Alakananda J Adur,Ramya R Littering of Unexpended Antibiotics – a Threat to Environment Indian Journal of Applied Research, Vol.4, Issue : 12 December 2014

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