A Review of the Distribution of Antibiotics in Water in Different Regions of China and Current Antibiotic Degradation Pathways

Antibiotic pollution is becoming an increasingly serious threat in different regions of China. The distribution of antibiotics in water sources varies significantly in time and space, corresponding to the amount of antibiotics used locally. The main source of this contamination in the aquatic environment is wastewater from antibiotic manufacturers, large scale animal farming, and hospitals. In response to the excessive antibiotic contamination in the water environment globally, environmentally friendly alternatives to antibiotics are being developed to reduce their use. Furthermore, researchers have developed various antibiotic treatment techniques for the degradation of antibiotics, such as physical adsorption, chemical oxidation, photodegradation, and biodegradation. Among them, biodegradation is receiving increasing attention because of its low cost, ease of operation, and lack of secondary pollution. Antibiotic degradation by enzymes could become the key strategy of management of antibiotics pollution in the environment in future. This review summarizes research on the distribution of antibiotics in China’s aquatic environments and different techniques for the degradation of antibiotics. Special attention is paid to their degradation by various enzymes. The adverse effects of the pollutants and need for more effective monitoring and mitigating pollution are also highlighted.