The occurrence of 46 antibiotics (amphenicols, cephalosporins, dihydrofolate reductase inhibitors, fluroquinolones, macrolides, nitrofurans, penicillins, quinolones, sulfamides and tetracyclines) in Argentinean market fish were investigated by UPLC-MS/MS. Veterinary and human antimicrobials enrofloxacin, clarithromycin, roxithromycin, doxycycline and oxytetracycline were detected in 100% of the samples, being to our knowledge the first report of clarithromycin in edible fish muscle. Maximum Residual Limits were exceeded for at least one antibiotic in 82% of pacú, 57% of shad, 57% of trout and 50% of salmon samples. Chloramphenicol, furazolidone and nitrofurantoin (banned compounds in food items) were detected in 41%, 22% and 4% of the samples, respectively. Based on the estimated daily intake calculation, samples do not pose a serious risk to public health. Further investigation on the chronic impact and risk calculation of the mixture of antibiotics on the aquatic environment and human health is urgently needed.
Keywords: Antimicrobials; Aquaculture; Food safety; Human health risk; UPLC-MS/MS.
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