Occurrence of High Levels of Fluoroquinolones in Aquatic Environment due to Effluent Discharges from Bulk Drug Manufacturers

Improper disposal of effluents from bulk drug manufacturing units creates a pathway for antibiotics to enter the aquatic environment. This study investigated the presence and distribution of antibiotics belonging to fluoroquinolone group (ciprofloxacin, lomefloxacin, ofloxacin, norflaxacin, enrofloxacin, pefloxacin, and difloxacin) in the aquatic environment of the Musi River in India. Results showed that fluoroquinolones were present in exceptionally high concentrations in the river. Ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, and norfloxacin were frequently detected with the highest concentrations, up to 5,015, 542.4, and 251 μg/