Acta Vet. Brno 2008, 77: 461-466

https://doi.org/10.2754/avb200877030461

Oxytetracycline Assay in Pond Sediment

L. Nepejchalová1, Z. Svobodová2,3, J. Kolářová2, K. Frgalová1, J. Valová1, D. Némethová4

1Institute for State Control of Veterinary Biologicals and Medicaments, Brno, Czech Republic
2University of South Bohemia, Research Institute of Fish Culture and Hydrobiology, Vodňany, Czech Republic
3University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Czech Republic
4Masaryk University Brno, Research Centre for Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Faculty of Science, Brno, Czech Republic

Received August 15, 2007
Accepted April 14, 2008

The fate of drug residues and their metabolites in the environment is relatively rarely investigated in the conditions of the Czech Republic, resulting in limited availability of scientific information. To demonstrate one example, we prepared a model study with medicated feedstuff containing oxytetracycline hydrochloride (OTC HCl), which was used in fish under normal conditions of use. The oxytetracycline (OTC) contents were determined in the sediments of the pond where the fish were treated. The ELISA method was used for OTC detection and the HPLC method was used for final quantification of OTC. The increasing contents of OTC in sediment depended on the repeated treatment and excretion of OTC by the fish. The concentration on day 59 after the last administration was 1516 μg kg-1 OTC in the sediment, which indicates a long-term persistence of the substance in the environment.