Determination and Monitoring of Tetracycline and Degradation Products in Landfill Leachate

Tetracyclines (TCs) have importance because of their common usage, high potential to reach the receiving environments, and toxicity for the organisms. The aim of this study is the determination of concentrations of TC and degradation products (DPs) as anhydrotetracycline (ATC), 4‐epitetracycline (ETC), and 4‐epianhydrotetracycline (EATC) in the leachate basin of landfill located in Elazığ City, Turkey. For this aim, leachate samples are taken from the leachate basin every week (wk) during March and April 2014. Maximum TC, ETC, EATC, and ATC concentrations in leachate samples are 2.47 ± 0.12 (wk 3), 10.3 ± 0.5 (wk 3), 37.1 ± 1.8 (wk 1), and 6.43 ± 0.32 μg/L (wk 8). The concentrations of TC and DPs followed the decreasing order of EATC > ETC > ATC > TC. As a result, it is determined that the concentrations of TC and DPs are at μg/L levels in the leachate basin of landfill.