Baker, PriscillaIwuoha, EmmanuelPhelane, Lisebo2018-07-312024-04-172018-07-312024-04-172017https://hdl.handle.net/10566/11723Philosophiae Doctor - PhD (Chemistry)Antibiotics are defined as any class of organic molecule that kills or inhibits microbes by specific interactions with bacterial targets. Antibiotics may be classified based on bacterial spectrum (broad versus narrow), route of administration, type of activity (bactericidal versus bacteriostatic), and origin (natural versus synthesized), and can also be classified based on their chemical structure. The intensive use of antibiotics for human (domestic and hospital use), veterinary and agriculture purposes, these compounds are continuously released into the environment from anthropogenic sources, such as wastewater treatment plants which are considered as one of the major source of evolution and spreading of antibiotic resistance into the environment.enUniversity of the Western Cape