doi: 10.18178/ijesd.2026.17.2.1572
Antibiotic Contamination in Wastewater Treatment Plants of a Highly Urbanized City in Vietnam: Occurrence, Removal, and Environmental Risks
Do Thi Thuy Quyen1,2,*
,
Tran Thi Yen Nhi2,3 ,
To Thi Hien1,2
- 1Faculty of Environment, University of Science, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
- 2Faculty of Chemistry, University of Science, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
- 3Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
- Manuscript receivedAugust 27, 2025
- revisedSeptember 29, 2025
- acceptedOctober 13, 2025
- publishedMarch 18, 2026
Abstract
This study evaluated the occurrence, removalefficiency, and environmental risks of ten commonly usedantibiotics in two Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plants(WWTPs) in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, one of the most denselypopulated urban areas in Southeast Asia. Fluoroquinolones werethe most frequently detected antibiotics in influent samples, withconcentrations reaching the μg/L range, followed by sulfonamidesand trimethoprim. In contrast, macrolides were detected at low orundetectable levels in raw wastewater. Although overall antibioticconcentrations were significantly reduced after treatment,residual fluoroquinolones persisted in the effluent, and macrolideconcentrations unexpectedly increased. Ecological riskassessment of receiving waters indicated moderate risksassociated with azithromycin, levofloxacin, and ciprofloxacin.These findings underscore the limitations of conventionaltreatment technologies in fully mitigating antibiotic pollution andraise concerns about the potential for the propagation ofantimicrobial resistance and long-term ecological harm. Furtherresearch is recommended to assess antibiotic residues indewatered sludge, which may serve as a persistent environmentalreservoir, particularly where sludge is reused or disposed of onland.
Keywords
- antibiotics
- fluoroquinolones
- macrolides
- wastewater treatment plants
- risk assessment
How to Cite
Do Thi Thuy Quyen, Tran Thi Yen Nhi, and To Thi Hien, "Antibiotic Contamination in Wastewater Treatment Plants of a Highly Urbanized City in Vietnam: Occurrence, Removal, and Environmental Risks," International Journal of Environmental Science and Development, vol. 17, no. 2, pp. 117-125, 2026. https://doi.org/10.18178/ijesd.2026.17.2.1572
Copyright & License
Copyright © 2026 by the authors. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited (CC BY 4.0).