LCA comparison between oral and intravenous antibiotics: the ciprofloxacin case

Details

Supervisors

Luis Alconero, Patricia ; Jeanmart, Hervé

Faculty

Ecole polytechnique de Louvain

Degree label

Master [120] : ingénieur civil en chimie et science des matériaux, à finalité spécialisée

Abstract

This study evaluates the environmental impact of ciprofloxacin (CIP) when administered intravenously (IV) compared to orally (PO). Using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), we assessed multiple environmental impact categories, including marine eutrophication, marine ecotoxicity, and global warming potential. The results indicate that oral administration of CIP has a significantly lower environmental impact than intravenous administration. For instance, the marine ecotoxicity of CIP-IV is over 233 times greater than that of CIP-PO, while the global warming potential of CIP-IV is approximately 71 times higher than CIP-PO. The substantial difference in environmental impact is largely due to the extensive use of medical supplies, particularly the maintenance infusion bag, which contributes significantly to the overall environmental burden. The study suggests that reducing the size of these infusion bags and promoting the switch from IV to PO administration where clinically appropriate could greatly decrease the environmental impact of antibiotic treatments. Given the looming threat of antimicrobial resistance, projected to cause 10 million deaths annually by 2050, this research also underscores the need for sustainable medical practices. These include the filtration of hospital wastewater to remove micropollutants, deprescription strategies, and dose adjustments based on patient weight. The findings support the sustainability goals of Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, particularly in alignment with their 2030 objectives to reduce the environmental footprint of healthcare practices.