Veterinary antibiotics at environmentally relevant concentrations inhibit soil iron reduction and nitrification

Veterinary antibiotics used in food animal production, subsequently entering the agroecosystem through land application of animal manure, constitute a growing concern. Previous studies have reported inhibitory effects of antibiotics on soil microbial activities, however, treatment concentrations in these studies were often many times greater than the ranges typically found in the environment. When spiked into manure and mixed with soil at environmentally relevant concentrations in a laboratory study, sulfadimethoxine and monensin blocked soil iron reduction over periods extending from a few days to the entire 50-Day experiment. Sulfadimethoxine also had an inhibitory effect on soil nitrification periodically over the course of the study. Respiration and community-level physiological profile parameters were not inhibited by sulfadimethoxine, monensin, or chlortetracycline. We conclude that antibiotics at environmentally relevant concentrations can disrupt soil microbial processes, although the detection of such impact may be antibiotic and/or process specific.     

Effects of tetracycline on the soil microflora: function,diversity, resistance

Background  Tetracycline is a widely used antibiotic in animal production. Significant amounts of the substance reach the soil via feces, urine and manure application. As tetracycline is a persistent compound with antibacterial activity, its presence in soil may have undesired direct and indirect effects. These have been investigated so far focusing on effects on selected microbial functions. Objectives  The aim of the present study was to obtain comprehensive information on potential effects of tetracycline on the soil microflora under environmentally relevant conditions. The investigations included function and structure of the microbial biocoenosis and the distribution of resistance genes. Methods  Pig manure rich in tetracycline resistance genes was applied to a sandy soil. This soil as well as an unamended soil were additionally treated with several concentrations of tetracycline. The spiked soils were incubated in outdoor lysimeters for several months. Substrate induced respiration, PLFAs, ten selected resistance genes, and the concentrations of tetracycline were determined. Results  The test concentrations, though far exceeding environmental relevance, caused only small effects. An establishment of resistance could not be detected. Applied resistance genes were not detectable at the end of the study even in the presence of added tetracycline. Conclusion  Due to the high sorption capacity of the antibiotic, environmentally relevant concentrations of tetracycline do not seem to cause undesired effects on the soil microflora.     

Degradation kinetics of manure-derived sulfadimethoxine in amended soil

Spreading of contaminated manure into agricultural lands as fertilizer is one of the major routes through which veterinary antibiotics enter the environment. In this study, the degradation of manure-derived sulfadimethoxine, a widely used veterinary sulfonamide antibiotic, in manure-amended soil was investigated. A kinetic model, called the availability-adjusted first-order model based on the first-order kinetics and an assumption of the availability of target compound during the degradation process, was developed and was found to fit sulfadimethoxine degradation well. The effect of initial sulfadimethoxine concentration showed that the degradation rate constant increased with decreasing initial concentration, indicating that the bioactivity of the degrading microorganisms in manure-amended soil was sensitive to sulfadimethoxine concentration. Sulfadimethoxine degradation was accelerated with increasing manure content in amended soil. Degradation in nonamended soil was significantly slower than in manure-amended soil. This indicated that sulfadimethoxine may become more persistent once it reaches soil after leaching from manure and that storage of manure for a certain period before application is needed to diminish sulfadimethoxine contamination. Sulfadimethoxine degradation was effectively enhanced with increasing moisture of amended soil. No adverse effect was observed with manure storage on the degradation of manure-derived sulfadimethoxine in amended soil.     

Influence of difloxacin-contaminated manure on microbial community structure and function in soils

Difloxacin (DIF) belongs to the fluoroquinolones, a frequently detected group of antibiotics in the environment. It is excreted in pig manure to a large extent and may consequently reach soils in potentially effective concentrations via manuring. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of DIF-spiked manure on microbial communities and selected functions in soils in a microcosm experiment up to 1 month after application. To test a dose dependency of the effects, three different concentrations of DIF (1, 10 and 100 mg/kg of soil) were used. Microcosms with application of pure manure, as well as untreated microcosms served as control. The addition of pure manure resulted in an increase of microbial biomass and soil respiration as well as a reduced bacteria/fungi ratio. Due to the fast and strong immobilisation of DIF, effects of the antbiotic compound were only visible up to 8 days after application (microbial biomass; respiration; potential denitrification; ratio of bacteria/fungi). As expected these short-term effects resulted in reduced potential denitrification rates as well as a reduced bacteria/fungal ratio in the treatments were DIF has been applied. Surprisingly, microbial biomass values as well as respiration rates were increased by DIF application. Other parameters like nitrate and ammonium content in soil were not influenced by DIF application at any time point. Long-term effects (32 days after application) were only visible for the potential nitrification rates. For those parameters that were influenced by the DIF application a clear dose dependency could not be described.     

Effects of long-term manure applications on the occurrence of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in paddy soils: Evidence from four field experiments in south of China

Most studies of the effects of manure amendment on the occurrence of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in soil employ the investigation of grab samples or short-term laboratory studies. However, the effects of long-term manure applications on antibiotics, ARGs and their vertical distribution in paddy soil in field experiments are lacking. We assessed the concentrations of antibiotics, ARGs and their vertical distribution in paddy soil receiving long-term manure applications in four field experiments. High concentrations of tetracyclines were detected in most manured soils, while sulfonamides were not detectable. Long-term manure amendments generally increased the antibiotic concentrations and ARGs abundances in the paddy soil over decades. However, in some sites such significant trends of ARGs could not be observed. The abundance of ARGs was statistically correlated with antibiotics and soil properties including pH and soil organic matter (SOM), indicating their importance in the selection of resistance genes. Tetracyclines could be detected in soil at different depths and the concentrations of tetracyclines and abundance of ARGs generally decreased with increasing soil depths.     

Microbial dynamics after adding bovine manure effluent together with a nitrification inhibitor (3,4 DMPP) in a microcosm experiment

The application of animal manure effluents in agriculture in combination with nitrification inhibitors should be beneficial for nutrient recycling, soil quality, plant productivity, and greenhouse gas emission and offer economic advantages to make them an alternative to conventional fertilizers. The present study aims to estimate the effects of the addition of bovine manure effluent alone or together with a nitrification inhibitor (3,4-dymethylpyrazol-phosphate (3,4 DMPP)) on the microbial community dynamics in a Mediterranean soil in an incubation experiment over 28 days. The application of the bovine manure effluent increased respiration, microbial biomass carbon, fungal and bacterial growth, and enzyme activities and changed the microbial community structure evaluated by the phospholipid fatty acid pattern. Adding the bovine manure effluent together with the nitrification inhibitor, although partly negating the positive effect of the effluent on soil microbial activity, still resulted in higher or similar growth and activity as in the control. Our results indicate that the addition of the nitrification inhibitor 3,4 DMPP together with a bovine manure effluent could be a promising solution to control the animal manure effluent application effects on soil microbiological properties and microbial dynamics, as well as counteracting direct inhibiting effects of 3,4 DMPP on the soil heterotrophic community.     

Impact of the antibiotic sulfadiazine and pig manure on the microbial community structure in agricultural soils

Large amounts of veterinary antibiotics enter soil via manure of treated animals. The effects on soil microbial community structure are not well investigated. In particular, the impact of antibiotics in the presence of manure is poorly understood. In this study, two agricultural soils, a sandy Cambisol (KS) and a loamy Luvisol (ML), were spiked with manure and sulfadiazine (SDZ; 0, 10 and 100 μg g^?1) and incubated for 1, 4, 32 and 61 days. Untreated controls received only water. The microbial community structure was characterised by investigating phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) and using PCR–denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of 16S rDNA. The total concentration of PLFA increased with addition of manure and was reduced by both SDZ concentrations at incubation times >4 days. The SDZ addition decreased the bacteria:fungi ratio. The largest stress level, measured as ratio of PLFA (cyc17:0 + cyc19:0)/(16:1ω7c + 18:1ω7c), was found for the controls, followed by the manure treatments and the SDZ treatments. A discriminant analysis of the PLFA clearly separated treatments and incubation times. Both soils differed in total PLFA concentrations and Gram^?:Gram⁺ ratios, but showed similar changes in PLFA pattern upon soil treatment. Effects of manure and SDZ on the bacterial community structure were also revealed by DGGE analysis. Effects on pseudomonads and β-proteobacteria were less pronounced. While community structure remained altered even after two months, the extractable concentrations of SDZ decreased exponentially and the remaining solution concentrations after 32 days were ≤27% of the spiking concentration. Our results demonstrate that a single addition of SDZ has prolonged effects on the microbial community structure in soils.     

Alterations in total microbial activity and nitrification rates in soil due to amoxicillin‐spiked pig manure

Most veterinary drugs enter the environment via manure application. However, ecotoxic effects of antibiotics are varying as a function of their physicochemical characteristics and for most antibiotics it is still unclear how these substances interact with soil biota. It was the aim of the present study to investigate effects of manure containing different concentrations of the antibiotic amoxicillin (AMX) on microbial‐community function in two different soils over an incubation time of 18 d. Therefore, soil respiration, potential nitrification, and the products of N turnover were measured. We could show that CaCl₂‐extractable amounts of AMX in soil are low, even shortly after the application of high doses together with manure. Thus, not surprisingly basal respiration in soil was not influenced by the addition of the antibiotic with manure. In contrast, mainly shortly after manure addition the kinetic of substrate‐induced respiration was clearly shifted by the treatments depending on the presence of AMX in the manure. Potential nitrification rates in the two different soils were not significantly affected when data were related to the overall incubation time by the application of AMX to the manure. However, shortly after the addition of the manure containing AMX, a tendency to lower turnover rates was visible compared to the application of pure manure.     

Long-term manure amendments enhance neutral sugar accumulation in bulk soil and particulate organic matter in a Mollisol

Manure application generally increases soil organic matter (SOM) and particulate organic matter (POM) content in soil. Free and occluded POM (fPOM and oPOM) can be quantified by combining density and ultrasonic dispersion approaches, but it remains unclear which fraction of POM is more responsive to manure application, and whether manure treated soils have a more pronounced effect on POM content than unmanured soils (no or chemical fertilizer treated soils). Because neutral sugars in POM can be attributed to either plant- or microbial-derived compounds, we analyzed the pattern and ratio of different neutral sugars to clarify effects of different fertilizations on quality of POM in a study over two decades. Soil samples (0–20 cm) were collected from six fertilization treatments in a 25-year long fertilization experiment including no fertilizer (CK), low manure (M1), high manure (M2), chemical nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers (NPK), and combined manure and chemical fertilizers (M1NPK, M2NPK). Our results showed that manure application generally led to higher organic carbon concentrations in bulk soil (M2NPK > M2 > M1NPK > M1 > CK > NPK), fPOM (M2NPK > M2 > M1 > M1NPK > NPK > CK) and oPOM (M1 > M2 > M1NPK > M2NPK > NPK > CK), respectively. As compared with unmanured treatments, manure amendments induced 48, 21 and 107% greater increases on average in neutral sugar concentrations in bulk soil, fPOM and oPOM, respectively. More plant-derived organic compounds were enriched in fPOM than oPOM and bulk soil, and the enrichment was more pronounced in manure treated soils than the unmanured soils. This study suggests that long-term use of manure enhanced microbial routing of specific monosaccharides into different POM fractions. Clearly, manure amendments improved labile SOM content and SOM quality in the Mollisol thus maintaining soil productivity over decades.     

Nitrous oxide production and consumption in serially diluted soil suspensions as related to in situ N2O emission in submerged soils

A simple method for characterizing soil microbial community composition relevant to N₂O production and consumption was proposed. Ten-fold series soil dilution was prepared. Nitrate or N₂O was provided as the sole electron acceptor. Nitrous oxide concentration in the headspace gas across the serially diluted soil suspensions was measured against controls. Results showed that the patterns of N₂O production and consumption across the soil suspensions provided useful information on the microbial community composition relevant to N₂O production and consumption in these soils. An independent method, to that proposed here, was also employed to characterize denitrifier community compositions of the same soils. Data indicated that information on the soil microbial community composition characterized by both methods were compatible or mutually supporting and apparently related to in situ N₂O emissions. Soil samples from manure (applied with animal manure plus chemical fertilizer) plots had higher denitrification rates than the samples from normal fertilizer (applied with chemical fertilizer only) plots. It was concluded that functional characteristics of soil microbial communities relevant to N₂O production and consumption could be characterized at ecological levels and may potentially affect N₂O emissions.     

Soil microbial community responses to sulfadiazine-contaminated manure in different soil microhabitats

Veterinary antibiotics such as sulfadiazine (SDZ) are applied with manure to agricultural soil. Antimicrobial effects of SDZ on soil microbial community structures and functions were reported for homogenized bulk soils. In contrast, field soil is structured. The resulting microhabitats are often hot spots that account for most of the microbial activity and contain strains of different antibiotic sensitivity or resilience. We therefore hypothesize that effects of SDZ are different in diverse soil microhabitats. We combined the results of laboratory and field experiments that evaluated the fate of SDZ and the response of the microbial community in rhizosphere, earthworm burrow, and soil macroaggregate microhabitats. Microbial communities were characterized by phenotypic phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) and genotypic 16S rRNA gene patterns (DGGE) and other methods. Data was evaluated by principle component analyses followed by two-way ANOVA with post-hoc tests. Extractable SDZ concentrations in rhizosphere soil were not clearly different and varied by a factor 0.7–1.2 from those in bulk soil. In contrast to bulk soil, the extractable SDZ content was two-fold larger in earthworm burrows, which are characterized by a more hydrophobic organic matter along the burrow surface. Also, extractable SDZ was larger by up to factor 2.6 in the macroaggregate surface soil. The rhizosphere effect clearly increased the microbial biomass. Nonetheless, in the 10 mg SDZ kg⁻¹ treatment, the biomass deceased by about 20% to the level of uncontaminated bulk soil. SDZ contamination lowered the total PLFA concentrations by 14% in the rhizosphere and 3% in bulk soil of the field experiment. Structural shifts represented by Pseudomonas DGGE data were larger in SDZ-contaminated earthworm burrows compared to bulk soils. In the laboratory experiment, a functional shift was indicated by a four-fold reduced acid phosphatase activity in SDZ-contaminated burrows compared to bulk soil. Structural and functional shifts after SDZ contamination were larger by a factor of 2.5 in the soil macroaggregate surface versus interior, but this relation reversed over the long-term under field conditions. Overall, the combined effects of soil microhabitat, microbial community composition, and exposure to SDZ influenced the microbial susceptibility towards antibiotics under laboratory and field conditions.     

Combined effects of the antibiotic sulfadiazine and liquid manure on the soil microbial‐community structure and functions

Sulfonamides are the second most used antibiotic class in veterinary medicine and applied to livestock to treat bacterial infections. Subsequently, they are spread onto agricultural soils together with the contaminated manure used as fertilizer. Both manure and antibiotics affect the soil microbial community. However, the influence of different liquid manure loads on effects of antibiotics to soil microorganisms is not well understood. Therefore, we performed a microcosm experiment for up to 32 d to clarify whether the function and structure of the soil microbial community is differently affected by interactions of manure and the antibiotic sulfadiazine (SDZ). To this end selected concentrations of pig liquid manure (0, 20, 40, 80 g kg^–1) and SDZ (0, 10, 100 mg kg^–1) were combined. We hypothesized that incremental manure amendment might reduce the effect of SDZ in soils, due to an increasing sorption capacity of SDZ to organic compounds. Clear dose‐dependent effects of SDZ on microbial biomass and PLFA pattern were determined, and SDZ effects interacted with the liquid manure application rate. Soil microbial biomass increased with incremental liquid manure addition, whereas this effect was absent in the presence of additional SDZ. However, activities of enzymes such as urease and protease were only slightly affected and basal respiration was not affected by SDZ application, while differences mostly depended on the concentration of liquid manure. These results illustrated that the microbial biomass and structural composition react more sensitive to SDZ contamination than functional processes. Furthermore, effects disproportionally increased with incremental liquid manure addition, although extractable amounts of SDZ declined with increasing liquid manure application.     

Assessing Bioactive Tetracycline in Soil Samples. Application of a German-Standard-Bioassay DIN 58940 Part 1–3 (5 pp)

Background   Tetracycline (TC) is one of the most common antibiotics in animal husbandry. Concentrations of up to 200 µg TC kg–1 have been found in soils, which have repeatedly received pig manure, and it can be assumed that there is an accumulation in soil. Methods   The established methods for chemical analysis of extractable TC in soil employ HPLC-UV or HPLC-MS-MS. These methods are quite expensive and require well-trained laboratory personnel and sophisticated high-technology equipment. For this reason, a German Standard Bioassay (DIN 58940 Part 1–3) was adjusted and validated in order to establish an alternative low-priced method for monitoring TC contents in soil samples. The tests were conducted with two soils (sand and loamy sand) spiked with TC at 6 concentrations. With this bioassay, TC in soils was analyzed and a simple quantification procedure was established. It will be demonstrated that sand and loamy sand soil properties have an influence on the recoveries of extractable, bioactive TC. Results   In the loamy sand soil, less bioactive TC was extracted (15–25%) than in the sandy soil (30–55%), when tested against the aqueous TC-solution (100%) as a control. These results were confirmed by HPLC- MS-MS analyses. The bioassay was successfully employed in a degradation study in a greenhouse pot experiment.Recommendation   It could prove to be expedient to use this bioassay in the assessment of other antibiotics as well.     

Soil enzyme activities,microbial community composition and function after 47 years of continuous green manuring

Green manuring practices can influence soil microbial community composition and function and there is a need to investigate the influence compared with other types of organic amendment. This study reports long-term effects of green manure amendments on soil microbial properties, based on a field experiment started in 1956. In the experiment, various organic amendments, including green manure, have been applied at a rate of 4 t C ha⁻¹ every second year. Phospholipid fatty acid analysis (PLFA) indicated that the biomass of bacteria, fungi and total microbial biomass, but not arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, generally increased due to green manuring compared with soils receiving no organic amendments. Some differences in abundance of different microbial groups were also found compared with other organic amendments (farmyard manure and sawdust) such as a higher fungal biomass and consequently a higher fungal/bacterial ratio compared with amendment with farmyard manure. The microbial community composition (PLFA profile) in the green manure treatment differed from the other treatments, but there was no effect on microbial substrate-utilization potential, determined using the Biolog EcoPlate. Protease and arylsulphatase activities in the green manure treatment were comparable to a mineral fertilized treatment receiving no additional C, whereas acid phosphatase activity increased. It can be concluded that green manuring had a beneficial impact on soil microbial properties, but differed in some aspects to other organic amendments which might be attributed to differences in quality of the amendments.     

Effect of sulfonamide antibiotics on microbial diversity and activity in a Californian Mollic Haploxeralf

Purpose  

Up to 90% of antibiotics that are fed to livestock are excreted unaltered or as metabolites and thus are present in manure. By application of manure as fertilizer, veterinary antibiotics can reach soil and groundwater. The aim of this study is to determine the effect of three commonly used (and simultaneously applied) sulfonamide antibiotics on both function and structural diversity of soil microorganisms. To this end, the activity of the enzymes urease and dehydrogenase was determined, and the composition of phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) was analyzed.     

The effects of copper on microbial activity and the degradation of atrazine and indoxacarb in a New Zealand soil

Copper is present in a range of fungicides as well as in some animal manures and biosolids that are applied to agricultural soils as fertilisers. Elevated and increasing levels of copper in agricultural soils are of worldwide concern. Copper is toxic to soil microorganisms and has been reported to reduce the ability of soil microorganisms to degrade pesticides. A glasshouse study was undertaken to determine if copper inhibited the degradation of atrazine and indoxacarb in soil. A fine sandy loam agricultural soil was fortified with copper at five concentrations over a concentration range of 0–1000 mg/kg copper, then field-aged for 6 months prior to treatment with either indoxacarb or atrazine at a rate of 2 mg/kg. The soils were sampled twice at intervals based on published half-lives. The samples were analysed for a range of parameters including total and bioavailable copper, urease and phosphatase activity, ergosterol and either indoxacarb or atrazine and its degradation products. The soil microbial biomass and enzyme activities decreased with increasing copper concentration (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in soil atrazine and indoxacarb concentrations between the copper levels. At sampling time two, the concentrations of hydroxyatrazine in treatments containing the three highest copper concentrations were significantly greater (p < 0.05) than for the control soil. Our results indicate that copper does not inhibit the first step of indoxacarb and atrazine degradation, but may affect degradation of secondary metabolites like hydroxyatrazine in soil.     

广州市兽用抗生素的环境残留研究

畜禽废物中的抗生素可造成土壤及水体的抗生素污染,利用高效液相色谱及高效液相色谱-串联质谱分析了广州市代表性养殖场畜禽废物、施用畜禽粪土壤和鱼塘水中尼卡巴嗪、喹乙醇、四环素类、磺胺类、喹诺酮类、氯霉素类抗生素的含量。结果发现：猪粪、鸡粪中抗生素含量最高的均为四环素类,分别为123.76、14.59 mg.kg-1;含量最低的均为氯霉素类,分别为2.35μg.kg-1、0.08 mg.kg-1;小猪猪粪中抗生素的含量明显高于大猪。鱼塘水中抗生素含量较高的是四环素（5.16μg.L-1）与磺胺对甲氧嘧啶（4.78μg.L-1）,土霉素在所有样点中均未被检出。施用禽畜粪土壤中四环素类、喹诺酮类含量较高,分别为70.40、49.77μg.kg-1;磺胺甲基嘧啶、磺胺对甲氧嘧啶、磺胺甲噁唑、甲砜霉素、氯霉素、喹乙醇均未被检出。粪样中的抗生素可导致土壤和水体的抗生素污染,TCs、QNs和NCZ可能对生态环境和人类健康安全的威胁更大。     

Improving soil structure by promoting fungal abundance with organic soil amendments

Building soil structure in agroecosystems is important because it governs soil functions such as air and water movement, soil C stabilization, nutrient availability, and root system development. This study examined, under laboratory conditions, effects of organic amendments comprised of differing proportions of labile and semi-labile C on microbial community structure and macroaggregate formation in three variously textured soils where native structure was destroyed. Three amendment treatments were imposed (in order of increasing C lability): vegetable compost, dairy manure, hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth). Formation of water stable macroaggregates and changes in microbial community structure were evaluated over 82 days. Regardless of soil type, formation of large macroaggregates (LMA, >2000 μm diameter) was highest in soils amended with vetch, followed by manure, non-amended control, and compost. Vetch and manure had greater microbially available C and caused an increase in fungal biomarkers in all soils. Regression analysis indicated that LMA formation was most strongly related to the relative abundance of the fungal fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) 18:2ω6c (r = 0.55, p < 0.001), fungal ergosterol (r = 0.58, p < 0.001), and microbial biomass (r = 0.57, p < 0.001). Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMS) ordination of FAME profiles revealed that vetch and manure drove shifts toward fungal-dominated soil microbial communities and greater LMA formation in these soils. This study demonstrated that, due to their greater amounts of microbially available C, vetch or manure inputs can be used to promote fungal proliferation in order to maintain or improve soil structure.     

Impact of activated charcoal and tannin amendments on microbial biomass and residues in an irrigated sandy soil under arid subtropical conditions

Effects of goat manure application combined with charcoal and tannins, added as feed additives or mixed directly, on microbial biomass, microbial residues and soil organic matter were tested in a 2-year field trial on a sandy soil under Omani irrigated subtropical conditions. Soil microbial biomass C revealed the fastest response to manure application, followed by microbial residue C, estimated on the basis of fungal glucosamine and bacterial muramic acid, and finally soil organic C (SOC), showing the slowest, but still significant response. At the end of the trial, microbial biomass C reached 220 μg g^?1 soil, i.e. contents similar to sandy soils in temperate humid climate, and showed a relatively high contribution of saprotrophic fungi, as indicated by an average ergosterol to microbial biomass C ratio of 0.35 % in the manure treatments. The mean fungal C to bacterial C ratio was 0.55, indicating bacterial dominance of microbial residues. This fraction contributed relatively low concentrations of between 20 and 35 % to SOC. Charcoal added to manure increased the SOC content and the soil C/N ratio, but did not affect any of the soil microbial properties analysed. Tannins added to manure reduce the 0.5 M K₂SO₄-extractable N to N total ratio compared to manure control. These effects occurred regardless of whether charcoal or tannins were supplied as feed additive or directly mixed to the manure.     

Evaluation of a lower tier exposure assessment model for veterinary medicines

Veterinary antibiotics are used in large quantities in the European Union, and one of the key environmental exposure routes is via the application of manure containing excreted antibiotics to arable land as fertilizer. It is a legal requirement to assess the environmental risk of veterinary medicines, and this is done in two stages. A key decision parameter in phase I of these assessments is the predicted environmental concentration (PEC) in soil, and if a trigger value of 100 microg/kg is exceeded, then further phase II studies on the fate, behavior, and effects are carried out. A widely used model to calculate manure and soil PECs is the Uniform Approach. This study evaluated the Uniform Approach in two ways: first, by reviewing existing data, addressing data gaps by performing degradation studies, and then calculating soil and manure PECs for the veterinary antibiotics sulfachloropyridazine, oxytetracycline, and tylosin applied to arable land via liquid pig manure and comparing these data with the results from two field-scale fate studies; second, by collating monitoring data and making a comparison with modeled data. The data comparisons indicated that the Uniform Approach model performed conservatively, with initial PECs being up to 2 orders of magnitude greater than measured environmental concentrations, providing confidence in the use of the model in the risk assessment process, although the assumption of first-order degradation kinetics in the model may underestimate the environmental persistence of veterinary antibiotics.