Common Antibiotics in Wastewater of Sina and Besat Hospitals, Hamadan, Iran

Background & Aims of the Study: Antibiotics utilize with the aim of improving human, animal and plant health; also, for treating infections caused by pathogenic bacteria. When these compounds introduce into ecosystems, could affect the microbial community and jeopardize human health. Therefore, the aim of present study is to determination of the presence of six common utilized antibiotics (Amoxicillin, Ciprofloxacin, Erythromycin, Sulfamethoxazole, Imipenem and Cefixime) in wastewater effluent of Sina and Besat hospitals in Hamadan, Iran. Methods: This study was descriptive-applied type. Sampling was conducted as compound samples from nearest manhole to hospitals containing toilets wastewater. Samples were transferred into the laboratory in dark conditions at 4°C and after centrifugation, passed through 0.45µ filters. Then, samples were extracted up to 24h and kept at -18°C until analysis. Prepared samples measured via HPLC (High Pressured Liquid Chromatography) system. Results: Data analysis indicated the presence of large and unfavorable amounts of three antibiotics including Amoxicillin, Cefixime and Imipenem in hospital wastewaters of Sina hospital, so that; mean concentration of identified antibiotics for Sina hospital was 5.86, 10.85 and 25.53 µg/L, respectively. Also, none of the most common antibiotics were observed in wastewater from Besat hospital. Conclusion: Results showed that great difference between measured antibiotics from hospitals’ wastewater is due to intensive fluctuations in quantity and quality of effluent wastewater from hospitals. Generally, identified amounts of three antibiotics (Amoxicillin, Cefixime and Imipenem) represent improper status of presence of residuals in Sina hospital’s effluent wastewater which mixing this flow in urban wastewater; this flow could result in increasing concerns about entering antibiotic compounds into environment.