Antibiotics in the Environment: Prescribing Risks to Non-Target Organisms

Background: The cephalosporins class is among the most widely used group of antimicrobials worldwide. Antibiotics, together with other drugs and personal care products, make up a group of emerging contaminants. The effects of exposure to this group of chemical contaminants on non-target organisms are not well understood, as they are still poorly studied. Therefore, this study evaluated the phytotoxicity of five cephalosporins in Lactuca sativa. Methods: Lettuce seeds were exposed to different concentrations of antibiotics (25 to 500 mg/L) for 5 days in the dark. After this period, the germination percentage and the wet and dry weights were recorded. Results: The highest tested concentration (500 mg/L) inhibited the germination of lettuce seeds (p < 0.05); there was a decrease in dry weight when exposed to a first-generation cephalosporin (p < 0.05). Additionally, there was a significantly negative influence (p < 0.05) on the fresh weight, especially in the group that evaluated the exposure of seeds to 25 mg/L of Cefepime. Conclusions: We emphasize that there is no record of environmental concentrations of cephalosporins in soil, and therefore, we can indicate that it is possible to have environmental damage resulting from the inappropriate and constant disposal of cephalosporins in the environment.