Irantzu Vergara, a researcher at UPV/EHU, has conducted a study analyzing the presence of antibiotics in vegetables and earthworms in the Basque Autonomous Community. The research aimed to address the issue of contamination by antimicrobial agents in the environment, which can have negative effects on human health and contribute to the spread of multi-resistant bacteria. Vergara emphasized the need for further research to address this problem, as antibiotics can end up in the environment through various pathways and pose a risk to human health.
The study conducted by the IBeA research group at UPV/EHU developed analytical methods to detect very low concentrations of antimicrobials in vegetables and earthworms. These methods allow for the simultaneous analysis of a wide range of antimicrobial drugs and their transformation products, which can be excreted in their original form or transformed after being metabolized. The sensitive compounds can easily degrade and transform in the environment, making it essential to have accurate analytical methods to detect them.
Previous to this study, there were no analytical methods available to simultaneously study a wide range of antimicrobials in plants and earthworms, highlighting the significance of this research. Samples were taken from various locations in the Basque Autonomous Community to measure the extent of antimicrobial contamination in vegetables. The study found a transfer of both antimicrobials and their degradation products between soil and vegetables, indicating a problem of antimicrobial contamination in the region.
In the case of earthworms, a controlled experiment was conducted to investigate whether earthworms exposed to contaminated soil could accumulate antimicrobials in their bodies. The study revealed an accumulation of antimicrobials in earthworms, leading to the generation of previously unreported transformation products. This finding underscores the need for continued multidisciplinary research to tackle the issue of antimicrobial contamination, which is expected to impact everyone in the future.
Vergara highlighted the importance of addressing this issue, as water treatment plants currently do not have effective treatments to remove residual drugs, which can then be used for irrigation. The constant input of antimicrobials into the environment is leading bacteria to develop resistance, posing challenges in treating infections caused by multi-resistant bacteria. By driving forward research efforts, it may be possible to minimize the problem or find solutions in the short to medium term, thus safeguarding human health and the environment.