Occurrence and risk assessment of fluoroquinolones and tetracyclines in cultured fish from a coastal region of northern China

Abstract

Occurrence and levels of 11 fluoroquinolones (FQs) and four tetracyclines (TC) in 14 cultured fish species from a coastal city in the northern China were investigated. Five FQs (ofloxacin, enoxacin, ciprofloxacin, enrofloxacin, and sarafloxacin) and oxytetracycline were detected. Lower detection frequencies of antibiotics were observed in the marine fish. The concentrations of ΣFQs ranged from not detectable (nd) to 130 ng/g wet weight (ww) (median, 7.2 ng/g ww), and the concentration range of ΣTCs was nd to 200 ng/g ww (median, nd ng/g ww). The Chinese snakehead contained the highest concentrations of ΣFQs (130 ng/g ww) and the small yellow croaker accumulated the highest concentrations of ΣTCs (200 ng/g ww), respectively. Although the calculated estimated daily intakes (EDI) suggested that the consumption of these cultured fish from this region was not associated with significant human health risks, this study provides useful information that will be helpful in the appropriate antibiotic use in aquaculture. To our knowledge, this can be the first report on the occurrence and levels of antibiotics in cage-cultured marine fish from the Bohai Rim region, China.