Effect of tetracycline on nitrification of water body

Objective To know whether the tetracycline would affect nitrification of water body.Methods Water samples of a reservoir were collected and treated with different concentrations of tetracycline,0 μg/L(blank),10 μg/L,100 μg/L and 1 000 μg/L,through adding in it respectively.All of the samples were cultured at 20 ℃ for 10 days.The daily change about ammonia nitrogen,nitrite nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen were detected.Results The concentration of ammonia nitrogen was higher in the tetracycline-treated groups compared with the blank group in the fifth and eighth days.Nitrite nitrogen concentration in the blank group was lower than those in the tetracycline-treated groups,while nitrate nitrogen concentration was lower in the latter from the eighth day.Conclusion Tetracycline can delay the peak value of the ammonia nitrogen and inhibit the nitrate nitrogen in some degree.However,inhibition of nitrite nitrogen is not found.Tetracycline can cause the inhibition of nitrification of water body.