Feasibility of Using Animal Manure and Manure-Based Fertilizer as Soil Amendments: Veterinary Drugs Occurrence and Ecological Risk

Veterinary drugs are widely present in animal manure and manure-based fertilizers, making their safety for use as soil amendments still ambiguous. This study investigated the concentrations of 17 typical veterinary drugs in animal manure and manure-based fertilizers from Shandong Province using solid-phase extraction coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and assessed their environmental risks to soil organisms based on risk quotient values. The established method demonstrated robust performance, with drug recovery rates ranging from 72.9% to 109%. Tetracyclines were identified as the most prevalent contaminants, with mean concentrations of 1522 μg/kg in animal manure and 144 μg/kg in manure-based fertilizers. Drug concentrations in manure-based fertilizers were generally lower than those in animal manure. Livestock manure contained higher drug concentrations compared to poultry manure. Influenced by farming practices, drug concentrations were higher in beef cattle manure than in dairy cattle manure, and higher in broiler manure than in layer manure. Manure-based fertilizers primarily derived their drug content from chicken, cattle, and sheep manure. Tetracyclines in swine and sheep manure posed high risks to soil organisms, while those in beef cattle manure and dairy cattle manure posed medium risks. In contrast, most drugs in manure-based fertilizers exhibited low risks. Comprehensive analysis of both concentration levels and ecological risks indicates that manure-based fertilizers represent a more feasible option for soil amendment. This study provides a theoretical foundation for better understanding the feasibility of applying animal manure and manure-based fertilizers to agricultural land.