Pollution of Water Bodies by Drugs in the Aquaculture Industry in China
Kezheng Zhang, MLWS 2023
The project examines the perilous effects of climate change and human activities on agriculture and aquatic ecosystems, leading to decreased yields and aquatic degradation. It underscores the rising significance of aquaculture as a vital fish protein source, emphasizing its prevalent use of antibiotics to enhance product yield and prevent diseases in animals. Focusing on China's extensive aquaculture sector, the analysis concentrates on cultured species and antibiotic practices. Antibiotics, persisting as residues due to incomplete organism absorption, accumulate via bioaccumulation, adversely affecting organism growth and fostering antibiotic resistance genes in aquatic products. Consumption of these products poses health risks. Proposed strategies aim to mitigate these adverse effects, while a regulatory comparison across China and other nations sheds light on drivers for antibiotic overuse. The report concludes with recommendations targeting policymakers and the public to alleviate the repercussions of aquaculture in China, aiming to enhance sustainability and diminish health hazards linked to antibiotic residues in aquatic products.
