Udupi: Study finds 5 hazardous antibiotics in Netravati and Swarna rivers

Team Udayavani, Aug 30, 2020, 12:14 PM IST

Udupi: According to a study conducted by Manipal Institute of Technology, Christ Engineering College at Irinjalakuda in Kerala, Waterloo University in Canada and Japan National Institute, five harmful antibiotics have been found in the rivers of Netravati and Swarna.

The study conducted for over more than five years found trimethoprim, sulfamethoxazole, cloranfenicol, septiaone and neprain in the rivers – all of them dangerous for human health.

Water samples were collected from six different spots from both the rivers for the study.

It was also found that antibiotic content in Netravati is higher than Swarna.

Additionally, the content of antibiotics in the rivers increased in summer and was lesser during monsoon.

The presence and increase in antibiotics content in the rivers are because of human waste being dumped into these rivers along with untreated effluents from factories.

Manipal Institute of Technology’s geology professor K Balakrishna says that the antibiotic level in these rivers is below danger now, however, it could affect marine life. They are also studying the possibility of destroying the antibiotics through radiation for which the Bhaba Atomic Research Centre in Mumbai is already conducting trials.