Effects of adding biochar on tetracycline removal during anaerobic composting of swine manure. Issue 1 (2nd January 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Shan, Shengdao; Wang, Hua; Fang, Chengran; Chu, Yixuan; Jiang, Lanhui
• Is Part Of: Chemistry and ecology. Volume 34:Issue 1(2018)
• Page Start: 86
• Page End: 97
• Publication Date: 2018-01-02
• Subjects: Antibiotics -- emerging contaminants -- adsorption -- manure composting; Pollution -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Ecology -- Periodicals; 577.2
• DOI: 10.1080/02757540.2017.1400022
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0275-7540

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Residual antibiotics in manure pose a potential threat to public and ecological health when the manure is released to the environment via land application of manure as fertiliser. Anaerobic composting has the potential to decrease antibiotic concentrations prior to land application. We therefore investigated the degradation of the antibiotics tetracycline (TC) and oxytetracycline (OTC) during anaerobic composting under different conditions. All composting treatment conditions were able to effect significant decreases in the antibiotic concentrations, though without biochar antibiotic residues remained. TC and OTC were removed more efficiently when the compost was treated at 55°C than treatments at 35°C or 25°C. Adding biochar significantly and rapidly decreased the antibiotic concentrations in the compost samples. After 15 days of treatment with biochar at 55°C, 100% of TC and OTC had been removed from the manure. The marked ability of biochar to remove the antibiotics was primarily attributed to adsorption of TC and OTC by the biochar. However, the addition of biochar may also have altered the microbial community structures within the compost and accelerated microbial degradation of the antibiotics.