New nanosorbent eliminates antibiotics in livestock
Iranian researchers succeeded in the production of a nanosorbent to eliminate antibiotics consumed by livestock and poultry before using them as food.
Some drugs enter human bodies due to the consumption of livestock and poultry and they cause toxicity and drug resistance in humans. Ofloxacin, enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin are among antibiotics widely used in livestock and poultry industry. Enrofloxacin is the most commonly used antibiotics in the world in this industry.
Studies have shown that enrofloxacin has harmful effects on kidneys, liver and brain. Therefore, a nanosorbent has been synthesized and presented in this research to eliminate enrofloxacin.
According to Iran Nanotechnology Initiative Council (INIC), the application of nanosorbent presented in this research significantly decreases side effects of antibiotics. In addition, the antibiotics can be eliminated at lower price due to the simplicity and availability of the raw materials in the production of nanosorbent.
Theoretically speaking, aminobenzyl purin is able to create at least four hydrogen bonds with enrofloxacin. Therefore, it can be an appropriate choice for the sorption of antibiotics. Moreover, cellulose nanoparticles are cheap, simple and available, and they can increase the sorption capacity of aminobenzyl purin.
Results showed that nanosorbent synthesized in this research is able to adsorb and eliminate more than 1,000 µg/mL of enrofloxacin. In addition, the nanosorbent is able to decrease antimicrobial activity and toxicity of the above-mentioned antibiotics.
Results of the research have been published in Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces, vol. 135, 2015, pp. 518-524.
