Good News From The MPCA: Antibiotic levels have declined in local waters

by Doug Moran

The MPCA recently reported some very good news: the amount of antibiotics detected in MN waters has declined! See the article and charts below.

And don't flush your old meds, drop them off at locations noted on the map here: https://mpca.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=f6e2ca44e7594dd29ff015a97aaee259

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Antibiotics in Minnesota’s Lakes, Rivers, and Streams
by Mark Ferrey, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
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For over 15 years, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and our partners have been monitoring the presence of pharmaceuticals in surface water.  While these chemicals are typically associated with the effluent of wastewater treatment plants, we have discovered that they are often present in waters across the state – sometimes in very remote lakes or rivers.

This effort has included monitoring for antibiotics. Of the 32 total that we have tested, 19 have been found at least once in rivers, lakes, and streams. While some of these antibiotics are associated only with veterinary medicine, others are used in human health care. Sulfa drugs, such as sulfamethoxazole, sulfamethazine, and sulfadimethoxine, are among the most frequently detected antibiotics. Carbazole, an antibiotic used exclusively in treating swine, and erythromycin, are also detected in water.

These antibiotics, like many other chemicals of emerging concern, are found at very, very low concentrations. However, some studies have shown that even at concentrations in the part per trillion range (a few drops in 20 swimming pools!), some chemicals can adversely affect the reproduction and development of fish and wildlife.  It is also possible that antibiotics in the environment can promote antibiotic resistance in bacteria – a serious and growing global health problem.

The good news is that we may be seeing fewer antibiotics in our surface water in the last few years. This may be due to the growing use of pharmaceutical drop off locations in Minnesota, where residents can dispose of any unused medications – keeping them out of wastewater and our surface water. While we need more study to determine the long-term trend, it is possible that we are all making a difference in the antibiotics that end up in Minnesota’s lakes, rivers, and streams.