Effects of Tetracyclines on Enzymatic Activity and Soil Nutrient Availability

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of tetracyclines associated with swine wastewater on the enzymatic activity of soil over time, in relation to the biogeochemical cycle of the nutrients during two seasons of the year. The experiment was carried out in soil-containing pots that received two successive applications of swine wastewater treatments, in the summer and autumn seasons, corresponding to two experimental periods. The swine wastewater was applied in doses of 0.2 and 0.3 L, with or without tetracycline, chlortetracycline, and doxycycline. Soil samples were collected at 2, 4, 8, 15, 30, 45, and 75 days after treatment application to determine the activities of the enzymes dehydrogenase, β-glucosidase, acid phosphatase, and urease. During both experimental periods, there was an increase in the activities of all enzymes in the presence of swine wastewater. However, these activities decreased in the presence of the applied antibiotics. The observation of enzyme activity over time facilitated construction of longitudinal predictive models, which described the activity of enzymes over time. Our findings indicate that swine wastewater treatments led to a reduction in the bioavailability of nutrients, thereby reducing soil quality and fertility.

The Role of Grass Compost and Zea Mays in Alleviating Toxic Effects of Tetracycline on the Soil Bacteria Community

“…The sensitivity of dehydrogenases and catalase to tetracycline was relatively low. This is consistent with sparse and inexplicit reports related to the effect of this group of antibiotics on the activity of soil enzymes [ 85 , 95 ]. Wei et al [ 72 ] and Kessler et al [ 95 ] emphasized that soil contamination with Tc impaired the enzymatic activity of soil, particularly in the case of dehydrogenases.…”

“…This is consistent with sparse and inexplicit reports related to the effect of this group of antibiotics on the activity of soil enzymes [ 85 , 95 ]. Wei et al [ 72 ] and Kessler et al [ 95 ] emphasized that soil contamination with Tc impaired the enzymatic activity of soil, particularly in the case of dehydrogenases. According to Chen et al [ 76 ], oxytetracycline doses of 15 and 200 mg kg −1 adversely affected activity of dehydrogenases, whereas cultivation of Amarantus mangestnus L. and Trifolium repens L. played an insignificant role in alleviating the adverse effect of this antibiotic.…”