Uptake of Antibiotics by Plants

Antibiotics are bioactive substances that are given to human and animals for disease treatments. Antibiotics that are added to the feed of poultry, fattening livestock, and other meat-producing animals to promote growth and reduce illness are released in manure as the parent compound and/or their metabolites. When manure containing antibiotic residues is used as a plant fertilizer, it may become a potential risk for human, environment and consequently, they become available for plant uptake. Several researchers investigated this topic and argued about the common consumption of vegetables containing low levels of antibiotics may lead to the development of bacterial antibiotic resistance and plants are capable of spreading antibiotics from the soil into the food chain. Agriculture is only one source of antibiotics contamination among several other routes that poses risks to the environment and human health. The phytotoxicity of different classes of antibiotics varies in different soil types and plant species. This chapter provides an overview of antibiotics in soil-plant-system including the accumulation of antibiotics in different plants. As antibiotics are used in escalating quantities, there is a growing concern over the presence, toxicity, and fate of antibiotics in soil which may pose adverse effects on soil biology, crop yield, and quality of production.