Diversity of antibiotics in hospital and municipal wastewaters and receiving water bodies and removal efficiency by treatment processes: a systematic review protocol

Table 6 Bias assessment framework of articles

Bias area	Study parameter	Characteristic	Bias assessment	Bias score
Selection and performance bias: study design	Sampling	Detection of antibiotic type and concentration	Total sample size > 10 (Temporal or spatial)	10
			Total sample size < 10 (Temporal or spatial)	5
			A single sample volume > 100 cc	10
			A single sample volume < 100 cc	5
			Replication of samples	10
			No-replication of samples	5
Assessment bias: measurement of outcome	Experimental design	Plant type	Full or pilot experiments with real wastewater	10
		Plant type	Bench scale experiments with synthetic solution	5
		Antibiotic extraction method	Solid phase extraction	10
		Antibiotic extraction method	Liquid–liquid extraction	5
		Antibiotic detection device	Gas or liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrophotometry	10
		Antibiotic detection device	Gas or liquid chromatography	5
Bias linked to clarity and publication bias	Data analysis	Statistical analyses	Using and describing the statistical data analysis method	Yes [10]
			Using and describing the statistical data analysis method	No [5]
			Clarity of the presentation of data quality/quantity or statistical analysis	Yes [10]
				No [5]
Other biases		Detection bias	Having significant differences in the results in before and after treatment process	Yes [10]
		Detection bias		No [5]
		Attrition bias	Same sample size in before and after treatment process	Yes [10]
			Same sample size in before and after treatment process	No [5]
			Same number of samples in before and after treatment process	Yes [10]
				No [5]

ISSN: 2047-2382