Anthelmintics, drugs against parasitic worms, are frequently used in livestock and might act as danger environmental microcontaminants. The present study was designed to monitor the possible circulation of common anthelmintic drug albendazole (ABZ) and its metabolites in the real agriculture conditions. The sheep were treated with the recommended dose of ABZ. Collected faeces were used for the fertilization of a field with fodder plants (alfalfa and clover) which served as feed for sheep from a different farm. The selective ultrasensitive mass spectrometry revealed surprisingly high concentrations of active ABZ metabolite (ABZ-sulphoxide) in all samples (dung, plants, ovine plasma, rumen content and faeces). Our results prove for the first time an undesirable permeation of ABZ metabolites from sheep excrement into plants (used as fodder) and subsequently to other sheep in real agricultural conditions. This circulation causes the permanent exposition of the ecosystems and food-chain to the drug and can promote the development of drug resistance in helminths.

驱虫药是对抗寄生虫的药物，经常用于牲畜，并可能成为危险的环境微污染物。本研究旨在监测常见驱虫药阿苯达唑 (ABZ) 及其代谢物在实际农业条件下的可能循环。用推荐剂量的ABZ治疗绵羊。收集到的粪便用于给种植饲料植物（苜蓿和三叶草）的田地施肥，这些植物用作来自不同农场的绵羊的饲料。选择性超灵敏质谱显示所有样品（粪便、植物、绵羊血浆、瘤胃内容物和粪便）中的活性 ABZ 代谢物（ABZ-亚砜）浓度惊人地高。我们的结果第一次证明，ABZ 代谢物从绵羊排泄物中不希望地渗透到植物（用作饲料）中，随后在实际农业条件下渗透到其他绵羊中。这种循环导致生态系统和食物链永久暴露于药物，并可以促进蠕虫耐药性的发展。