TEMPORAL MOMENT ANALYSIS TO ESTIMATE THE IMPACT OF LIVESTOCK ANTIBIOTICS ON GROUNDWATER

Livestock antibiotics and hormones have recently emerged as contaminants that can degrade the quality of ground water. These substances are mostly released into the environment through agricultural use (as growth promoters and anti-bacterial agents in the feed of most livestock). Livestock antibiotics pose serious threat to our environment because they can perturb microbial ecology, increase the proliferation of antibiotic resistant pathogens and can pose threats to human health. Since, very little is known about their physical, chemical, and biological properties, understanding the environmental fate and transport of these agro contaminants is essential in order to address concerns regarding potential adverse impacts of these compounds on the environment and human health and to design appropriate abatement strategies. This study explores the use of temporal moment analysis to develop a screening tool that can assess the likelihood of contamination of groundwater by these antibiotics. Study results are used to create spatial maps of leached fractions beyond a control plane which provides a preliminary tool for appropriate management strategies to mitigate potential risks and also for designing future experiments.