Migration behavior and separation of sulfonamides in capillary zone electrophoresis III. Citrate buffer as a background electrolyte

Experimental data and modeling of sulfadiazine adsorption onto raw and modified clays from Tunisia

In recent years, the increasing detection of emerging pollutants (particularly antibiotics, such as sulfonamides) in agricultural soils and water bodies has raised growing concern about related environmental and health problems. In the current research, sulfadiazine (SDZ) adsorption was studied for three raw and chemically modified clays. The experiments were carried out for increasing doses of the antibiotic (0, 1, 5, 10, 20, and 40 μmol L-1) at ambient temperature and natural pH with a contact time of 24 h. The eventual fitting to Freundlich, Langmuir and Linear adsorption models, as well as residual concentrations of antibiotics after adsorption, was assessed. The results obtained showed that one of the clays (HJ1) adsorbed more SDZ (reaching 99.9 % when 40 μmol L-1 of SDZ were added) than the other clay materials, followed by the acid-activated AM clay (which reached 99.4 % for the same SDZ concentration added). The adsorption of SDZ followed a linear adsorption isotherm, suggesting that hydrophobic interactions, rather than cation exchange, played a significant role in SDZ retention. Concerning the adsorption data, the best adjustment corresponded to the Freundlich model. The highest Freundlich KF scores were obtained for the AM acid-treated and raw HJ1 clays (606.051 and 312.969 Ln μmol1-n kg-1, respectively). The Freundlich n parameter ranged between 0.047 and 1.506. Regarding desorption, the highest value corresponded to the AM clay, being generally <10 % for raw clays, <8 % for base-activated clays, and <6 % for acid-activated clays. Chemical modifications contributed to improve the adsorption capacity of the AM clay, especially when the highest concentrations of the antibiotic were added. The results of this research can be considered relevant as regard environmental and public health assessment since they estimate the feasibility of three Tunisian clays in SDZ removal from aqueous solutions.

Adsorptive decontamination of antibiotics from livestock wastewater by using alkaline-modified biochar

Efficient abatement of antibiotics from livestock wastewater is in urgent demand, but still challenging. In this study, alkaline-modified biochar with larger surface area (130.520 m² g^-1) and pore volume (0.128 cm³ g^-1) was fabricated and explored for the adsorption of different types of antibiotics from livestock wastewater. Batch adsorption experiments demonstrated that the adsorption process was mainly determined by chemisorption and was heterogeneous, which could be moderately affected by the variations of solution pH (3-10). Furthermore, the computational analysis based on density functional theory (DFT) indicated that the -OH groups on biochar surface could serve as the dominant active sites for antibiotics adsorption due to the strongest adsorption energies between antibiotics and -OH groups. In addition, the antibiotics removal was also evaluated in multi-pollutants system, where biochar performed synergistic adsorption towards Zn²⁺/Cu²⁺ and antibiotics. Overall, these findings not only deepen our understandings on the adsorption mechanism between biochar and antibiotics, but also promote the application of biochar in the remediation of livestock wastewater.

Singlet oxygen generation for selective oxidation of emerging pollutants in a flow-by electrochemical system based on natural air diffusion cathode

The decay of free radicals involved in side reactions is one of the challenges faced by electrochemical degradation of organic pollutants. To this end, a non-radical oxidation system was constructed by a natural air diffusion cathode (ADC) and a Ti-based dimensional stable anode coated by RuO₂ (RuO₂-Ti anode) for cathodic hydrogen peroxide activation by anodic chlorine evolution. The ADC fabricated by the carbon black of BP2000 produced a stable concentration of hydrogen peroxide of 339.94 mg L^-1 (current efficiency of 73.4%) without aeration, which was superior to the cathode made by the XC72 carbon black. The flow-by ADC-RuO₂ system consisted of an ADC and a RuO₂-Ti anode showed high selectivity to aniline (AN) compared to benzoate (BA) in a NaCl electrolyte, whose degradation efficiencies were 97.72% and 1.3%, respectively. Rapid degradations of a mixture of emerging pollutants and AN were also observed in the ADC-RuO₂ system, with pseudo-first-order kinetic constants of 0.51, 1.29, 0.89, and 0.99 min^-1 for Bisphenol A (BPA), tetracycline (TC), sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and AN, respectively. Quenching experiments revealed the main reactive oxygen species for the pollutant degradation was singlet oxygen (¹O₂), which was also identified by the electron spin resonance (ESR) analysis. Finally, the steady-stable content of ¹O₂ was quantitatively determined to be 6.25 × 10^-11 M by the method of furfuryl alcohol (FFA) probe. Our findings provide a fast, low energy consumption and well controlled electrochemical oxidation method for selective degradation of organic pollutants. H₂O₂ generated on an air diffusion cathode by naturally diffused O₂, reacts with ClO^- produced from chloride oxidation on the RuO₂-Ti anode to form singlet oxygen (¹O₂). The electrochemical system shows an efficient oxidation to electron-rich emerging pollutants including bisphenol A, tetracycline, sulfamethoxazole and aniline, but a poor performance on the electron-deficient compounds (e.g., benzoate).

Molar absorption coefficients and acid dissociation constants for fluoroquinolone, sulfonamide, and tetracycline antibiotics of environmental concern

Antibiotics are priority contaminants of emerging concern due to their pseudo-persistence in the environment and contribution to the development of antimicrobial resistance. In solution, antibiotics undergo (de)protonation reactions that affect their UV absorbance and, therefore, photolytic fate in natural and engineered systems. This study employed enhanced spectrophotometric methods to determine the acid dissociation constants (as pK_a values) and molar absorption coefficients for 12 fluoroquinolone, 9 sulfonamide, and 7 tetracycline antibiotics of environmental relevance. Molar absorption coefficient heatmaps were generated for all 28 antibiotics at 200-500 nm and pH 1.8-12.2. The data in the heatmaps were deconvoluted to calculate pK_a values and specific molar absorption coefficients at each wavelength. All antibiotics had at least one pK_a value in the environmentally relevant range of 5.5-8.5, and pK_a values were reported for methacycline, moxifloxacin, nadifloxacin, rolitetracycline, sulfadoxine, and sulfapyridine for the first time. Deprotonation of the carboxylic acid associated with pK_a,1 (5.5-6.7) exerted the strongest effects on the UV absorbance of fluoroquinolones. For tetracyclines, deprotonation of the tertiary amine at pK_a,3 (7.8-10.2) was responsible for major shifts in UV absorbance. Although sulfonamides have conserved pK_a sites, no general trends were observed for the molar absorption coefficients. The structural similarity of fluoroquinolones and tetracyclines supported the potential for a class-based approach to identifying molar absorbance as a function of pH. Overall, the reported pK_a values and specific molar absorption coefficients will serve as important resources for future studies on antibiotic fate in natural and engineered systems.

Protein-enabled detection of ibuprofen and sulfamethoxazole using solid-state nanopores

Enabled by proteins, we present an all-electrical method for rapid detection of small pharmaceuticals (ibuprofen and sulfamethoxazole [SMZ]) in aqueous media using silicon nitride pores. Specifically, we use carrier proteins, bovine serum albumin (BSA), and take advantage of their interactions with two small drug molecules to form BSA-drug complexes which can be detected by nm-diameter pores, thereby confirming the presence of small pharmaceuticals. We demonstrate detection of ibuprofen and SMZ at concentrations down to 100 nM (∼21 μg/L) and 48.5 nM (12 μg/L), respectively. We observe changes in electrical signal characteristics (reflected in event durations, rates, current magnitudes, and estimated particle diameters) of BSA-drug complexes compared to BSA-only, and differences between these two small pharmaceuticals, possibly paving a path toward developing selective sensors by identifying "electrical fingerprints" of these molecules in the future. These distinct electrical signals are likely a combined result of diffusion, electrophoretic and electroosmotic effects, interactions between the pore and particles, which depend on pore diameters, pH, and the resulting surface charges. The use of single-molecule-counting nanopores allows sensing of small pharmaceuticals, studies of protein conformational changes, and may aid in efforts to evaluate the impact of small drug molecules on aquatic and human life.

Transport of Carbamazepine, Ciprofloxacin and Sulfamethoxazole in Activated Carbon: Solubility and Relationships between Structure and Diffusional Parameters

The transport of carbamazepine, ciprofloxacin and sulfamethoxazole in the different pores of activated carbon in an aqueous solution is a dynamic process that is entirely dependent on the intrinsic parameters of these molecules and of the adsorbent. The macroscopic processes that take place are analyzed by interfacial diffusion and reaction models. Modeling of the experimental kinetic curves obtained following batch treatment of each solute at 2 µg/L in tap water showed (i) that the transport and sorption rates were controlled by external diffusion and intraparticle diffusion and (ii) that the effective diffusion coefficient for each solute, with the surface and pore diffusion coefficients, were linked by a linear relationship. A statistical analysis of the experimental data established correlations between the diffusional parameters and some geometrical parameters of these three molecules. Given the major discontinuities observed in the adsorption kinetics, the modeling of the experimental data required the use of traditional kinetic models, as well as a new kinetic model composed of the pseudo first or second order model and a sigmoidal expression. The predictions of this model were excellent. The solubility of each molecule below 60 °C was formulated by an empirical expression.

Sustainable ferrate oxidation: Reaction chemistry, mechanisms and removal of pollutants in wastewater

This review is intended to evaluate the use of ferrate (Fe(VI)), being a green coagulant, sustainable and reactive oxidant, to remove micro pollutants especially pharmaceutical pollutants in contaminated water. After a brief description of advanced oxidation processes, fundamental dimensions regarding the nature, reactivity, and chemistry of this oxidant are summarized. The degradation of contaminants by Fe(VI) involves several mechanisms and reactive agents which are critically evaluated. The efficiency and chemistry of Fe(VI) oxidation differs according to the reaction conditions and activation agent, such as soluble Fe(VI) processes, which involve Fe(VI), UV light, and electro-Fe(VI) oxidation. Fe(VI) application methods (including single dose, multiple doses, chitosan coating etc), and Fe(VI) with activating agents (including sulfite, thiosulfate, and UV) are also described to degrade the micro pollutants. Besides, application of Fe(VI) to remove pharmaceuticals in wastewater are intensely studied. Electrochemical prepared Fe(VI) has more wide application than wet oxidation method. Meanwhile, we elaborated Fe(VI) performance, limitations, and proposed innovative aspects to improve its stability, such as the generation of Fe(III), synergetic effects, nanopores entrapment, and nanopores capsules. This study provides conclusive direction for synergetic oxidative technique to degrade the micro pollutants.

Chemical Fate and Partitioning Behavior of Antibiotics in the Aquatic Environment-A Review

Antibiotics in the aquatic environment is a major problem because of the emergence of antibiotic resistance. The long-term ecological impact on the aquatic environment is unknown. Many sources allow entry of antibiotics into the environment, including wastewater-treatment plants (WWTPs), agricultural runoff, hospital effluent, and landfill leachate. Concentrations of antibiotics in the aquatic environment vary significantly; studies have shown fluoroquinolones, tetracycline, macrolides, sulfonamides, and penicillins to reach 2900, 1500, 9700, 21 400, and 1600 ng L^-1 in wastewater effluent samples, respectively. However, concentrations are highly variable between different countries and depend on several factors including seasonal variation, prescription, and WWTP operating procedures. Likewise, the reported concentrations that cause environmental effects vary greatly between antibiotics, even within the same class; however, this predicted concentration for the antibiotics considered was frequently <1000 ngL^-1 , indicating that when discharged into the environment along with treated effluent, these antibiotics have a potentially detrimental effect on the environment. Antibiotics are generally quite hydrophilic in nature; however, they can ionize in the aquatic environment to form charged structures, such as cations, zwitterions, and anions. Certain classes, particularly fluoroquinolones and tetracyclines, can adsorb onto solid matrices, including soils, sediment, and sludge, making it difficult to fully understand their chemical fate in the aquatic environment. The adsorption coefficient (K_d ) varies between different classes of antibiotics, with tetracyclines and fluoroquinolones showing the highest K_d values. The K_d values for fluoroquinolones, tetracyclines, macrolides, and sulfonamides have been reported as 54 600, 7600, 130, and 1.37 L kg^-1 , respectively. Factors such as pH of the environment, solid matrix (sediment/soil sludge), and ionic strength can influence the K_d ; therefore, several values exist in literature for the same compound. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:3275-3298. © 2021 SETAC.

Phytoextraction of ciprofloxacin and sulfamethoxaxole by cattail and switchgrass

Cattail (Typha latifolia L.) and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) can effectively remove inorganic contaminants from soils and biosolids, but their role in the attenuation of organic contaminants, such as antimicrobials, is currently poorly understood. Uptake by plants is one of several mechanisms by which plant-assisted attenuation of antimicrobials can be achieved. The objectives of this growth room study were to evaluate the plant uptake of ciprofloxacin (CIP) and sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and examine their partitioning between plant roots and aboveground biomass (AGB). Plant uptake of the two ¹⁴C labeled antimicrobials was studied at two environmentally relevant concentrations (5 and 10 μg L^-1). Plants were destructively sampled every 3-4 d during the 21-d growth period. Accumulation of CIP and SMX in both plant species was greater in the roots than in the AGB. The percentage uptake values of the two antimicrobials were significantly greater for cattail (34% for CIP, 20% for SMX) than for switchgrass (10% for both CIP and SMX). Translocation factors of the two antimicrobials were <1 for both plants, indicating slow movement of the antimicrobials from the roots to the shoots. For cattail roots, the BCF for CIP (1.58 L g^-1) was significantly greater than that for SMX (0.8 L g^-1). By comparison, BCFs for switchgrass roots did not differ significantly between CIP (0.88 L g^-1) and SMX (1.13 L g^-1). These results indicate greater potential for cattail to phytoextract CIP and SMX and significantly contribute to the attenuation of these antimicrobials in systems designed for the phytoremediation of contaminated wastewater.

Determination of acidity constants, ionic mobilities, and hydrodynamic radii of carborane-based inhibitors of carbonic anhydrases by capillary electrophoresis

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) has been applied for determination of the thermodynamic acidity constants (pK_a ) of the sulfamidoalkyl and sulfonamidoalkyl groups, the actual and limiting ionic mobilities and hydrodynamic radii of important compounds, eight carborane-based inhibitors of carbonic anhydrases, which are potential new anticancer drugs. Two types of carboranes were investigated, (i) icosahedral cobalt bis(dicarbollide)(1-) ion with sulfamidoalkyl moieties, and (ii) 7,8-nido-dicarbaundecaborate with sulfonamidoalkyl side chains. First, the mixed acidity constants, pK_a ^mix , of the sulfamidoalkyl and sulfonamidoalkyl groups of the above carboranes and their actual ionic mobilities were determined by nonlinear regression analysis of the pH dependences of their effective electrophoretic mobility measured by capillary electrophoresis in the pH range 8.00-12.25, at constant ionic strength (25 mM), and constant temperature (25°C). Second, the pK_a ^mix were recalculated to the thermodynamic pK_a s using the Debye-Hückel theory. The sulfamidoalkyl and sulfonamidoalkyl groups were found to be very weakly acidic with the pK_a s in the range 10.78-11.45 depending on the type of carborane cluster and on the position and length of the alkyl chain on the carborane scaffold. These pK_a s were in a good agreement with the pK_a s (10.67-11.27) obtained by new program AnglerFish (freeware at https://echmet.natur.cuni.cz), which provides thermodynamic pK_a s and limiting ionic mobilities directly from the raw CE data. The absolute values of the limiting ionic mobilities of univalent and divalent carborane anions were in the range 18.3-27.8 TU (Tiselius unit, 1 × 10^-9 m² /Vs), and 36.4-45.9 TU, respectively. The Stokes hydrodynamic radii of univalent and divalent carborane anions varied in the range 0.34-0.52 and 0.42-0.52 nm, respectively.

Development of fluorescence surrogates to predict the ferrate(VI) oxidation of pharmaceuticals in wastewater effluents

The removal of pharmaceuticals from wastewater effluents is an emerging concern for environmental scientists and engineers. Ferrate(VI) (Fe^VIO₄^2-, Fe^VI) is a promising oxidant and the removal of pharmaceuticals from wastewater effluents has been investigated in this study. Firstly, Fe^VI oxidation of selected pharmaceuticals was examined by determining the apparent second-order rate constants (k_app) in buffer solutions as a function of pH (5.0-9.5). At pH 8.0, k_app of cimetidine, famotidine, nalidixic acid, ronidazole, dimetridazole, tinidazole, and caffeine are (1.6 ± 0.2)×10³, (7.8 ± 0.3)×10², 2.6 ± 0.4, 1.7 ± 0.1, 0.9 ± 0.3, 0.2 ± 0.1, and < 0.1 M^-1 s^-1, respectively. However, k_app could not be directly employed to predict the removal of pharmaceuticals in the effluents due to the inhibited or enhanced effects of effluent organic matters (EfOM). Therefore, an alternative approach of spectroscopic surrogates was investigated since fluorophore was co-degraded with pharmaceuticals in the wastewater effluents. Particularly, the humic-like fluorescent peak correlated well with the pharmaceutical attenuation. The relationship of the reduction of fluorescence and the removal of pharmaceuticals could be described through a universal equation: [Formula: see text] . The practical utility of the fluorescence surrogate was validated by applying to field samples. Monitoring the changes of the fluorescence surrogate provides a promising, rapid, and inexpensive method for estimating the degradation of pharmaceuticals during Fe^VI treatment of wastewater effluents.

Sulfamethoxazole Removal from Drinking Water by Activated Carbon: Kinetics and Diffusion Process

Sulfamethoxazole (SMX), a pharmaceutical residue, which is persistent and mobile in soils, shows low biodegradability, and is frequently found in the different aquatic compartments, can be found at very low concentrations in water intended for human consumption. In conditions compatible with industrial practices, the kinetic reactivity and performance of tap water purification using activated carbon powder (ACP) are examined here using two extreme mass ratios of SMX to ACP: 2 µg/L and 2 mg/L of SMX for only 10 mg/L of ACP. In response to surface chemistry, ACP texture and the intrinsic properties of SMX in water at a pH of 8.1, four kinetic models, and two monosolute equilibrium models showed a total purification of the 2 µg/L of SMX, the presence of energetic heterogeneity of surface adsorption of ACP, rapid kinetics compatible with the residence times of industrial water treatment processes, and kinetics affected by intraparticle diffusion. The adsorption mechanisms proposed are physical mechanisms based mainly on π-π dispersion interactions and electrostatic interactions by SMX-/Divalent cation/ArO- and SMX-/Divalent cation/ArCOO- bridging. Adsorption in tap water, also an innovative element of this study, shows that ACP is very efficient for the purification of very slightly polluted water.

Effect of sulfamethazine on surface characteristics of biochar colloids and its implications for transport in porous media

Antibiotics are contaminants of emerging concern due to their potential effect on antibiotic resistance and human health. Antibiotics tend to sorb strongly to organic materials, and biochar, a high efficient agent for adsorbing and immobilizing pollutants, can thus be used for remediation of antibiotic-contaminated soil and water. The effect of ionizable antibiotics on surface characteristics and transport of biochar colloids (BC) in the environment is poorly studied. Column experiments of BC were conducted in 1 mM NaCl solution under three pH (5, 7, and 10) conditions in the presence of sulfamethazine (SMT). Additionally, the adsorption of SMT by BC and the zeta potential of BC were also studied. The experimental results showed that SMT sorption to BC was enhanced at pH 5 and 7, but reduced at pH 10. SMT sorption reduced the surface charge of BC at pH 5 and 7 due to charge shielding, but increased surface charge at pH 10 due to adsorption of the negatively charged SMT species. The mobility of BC was inhibited by SMT under acidic or neutral conditions, while enhanced by SMT under alkaline conditions, which can be well explained by the change of electrostatic repulsion between BC and sand grains. These findings imply that pH conditions played a crucial role in deciding whether the transport of BC would be promoted by SMT or not. Biochar for antibiotics remediation will be more effective under acidic and neutral soil conditions, and the mobility of BC will be less than in alkaline soils.

Occurrence of antibiotics residues in hospital wastewater, wastewater treatment plant, and in surface water in Nairobi County, Kenya

The occurrence of 17 antibiotics belonging to sulfonamides, β-lactams, macrolides and aminoglycosides classes, and trimethoprim in raw hospital wastewater, wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), and surface water was determined. Residual antibiotics were quantified by LC/MS/MS. Residues of antibiotics in hospital wastewater were 3-10 times higher than that detected in WWTP and surface water. Trimethoprim, spectinomycin, ampicillin, and oxacillin were detected in all the sampled water. Sulfamethoxazole was detected at the highest concentration of 20.6, 7.8, and 6.8 μg L^-1 in hospital wastewater, WWTP and in surface water, respectively. Other detected sulfonamides were sulfamethazine, sulfadiazine, and sulfanilamide at a concentration range of 0.4-15.7 μg L^-1. Detected trimethoprim ranged from 0.4-6.6 μg L^-1, the rest of the detected antibiotics were up to 1.0 μg L^-1. The speciation of the sulfonamides at pH values relevant to sampled water was evaluated by use of pKa values. These compounds existed largely as anionic and neutral species indicating high mobility as these speciation forms are less sorbed in environmental matrices. Continuous monitoring of antibiotics residues in wastewater, surface water, and other environmental matrices is very important due to their adverse health and environmental effects. The information is useful in designing strategies for antibiotics pollution control and also in policy formulation.

Sorption of antibiotics onto aged microplastics in freshwater and seawater

Microplastics in environments undergo aging processes and may sorb antibiotics from surrounding water. Understanding the interaction between aged microplastics and antibiotics is important to assess the impact of microplastics on environments. In this paper, the sorption of three typical antibiotics, i.e., sulfamethoxazole (SMX), sulfamethazine (SMT), and cephalosporin C (CEP-C) onto the naturally aged microplastics (polystyrene (PS) and polyethylene (PE)) derived from aged plastics samples from the coast of East China Sea and Yellow Sea, China in freshwater and simulated seawater systems were studied. The results indicated that the mixed order (MO) model provided good prediction for the kinetics data. The linear isotherm represented adequately the sorption equilibrium data in freshwater. The K_d values ranged from 0.0236 L·g^-1 to 0.0383 L·g^-1. In simulated seawater, only CEP-C could be sorbed onto the microplastics. The main sorption mechanisms are hydrophobic, van der Waals, and electrostatic interactions.

Ionic Liquid-based Hollow Fiber Liquid–Liquid–Liquid Microextraction Combined with Capillary Electrophoresis for the Determination of Sulfonamides in Aquaculture Waters

Ionic liquid-based hollow-fiber liquid–liquid–liquid microextraction (IL-HF-LLLME) coupled to capillary electrophoresis (CE) has been developed for the determination of six sulfonamides (SAs) in aquaculture waters. A series of extraction parameters was optimized to enhance the extraction efficiency, which included type and pore size of hollow fiber, type and composition of extraction solvent, pH value of donor phase, the concentration of acceptor phase and the mass ratio of donor phase to acceptor phase along with extraction temperature and time. Under optimal conditions, the IL-HF-LLLME-CE method provided a wide liner range for six SAs from 2 to 1,000 μg L−1 (r2 ≥ 0.9995), the limits of the detection from 0.25 to 0.48 and the enrichment factors from 122 to 230, respectively. Relative standard deviations for intra- and interday precision were 1.4–5.3% and 1.8–7.5% (n = 5), respectively. The proposed method was successfully applied for the determination of trace-level SAs in seven real-world aquaculture water samples with good recoveries (80.4–100.7%). Also, sulfamerazine and sulfamethoxazole were detected at the level of 0.52–1.60 μg L−1 in two water samples. Due to its good sensitivity, simple operation, short analysis time and eco-friendliness, the developed method has a great application potential in analysis of trace SA residues in aquaculture waters.

Sorption of sulfamethazine onto different types of microplastics: A combined experimental and molecular dynamics simulation study

Microplastics are becoming a global concern due to their potential to accumulate pollutants in aquatic environments. In this paper, sulfamethazine (SMT) sorption onto six types of microplastics, including polyamide (PA), polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) was investigated by experimental and molecular dynamics simulation methods. The experimental results indicated that SMX sorption reached equilibrium within 16 h. The kinetics of SMT sorption by PA, PVC, PE, and PP could be fitted by pseudo first-order model, while SMT sorption by PA and PET could be described by pseudo second-order model. The partition coefficient K_d values were 38.7, 23.5, 21.0, 22.6, 18.6 and 15.1 L·kg^-1 for PA, PE, PS, PET, PVC and PP, respectively. SMT sorption onto microplastics decreased when pH and salinity increased. The molecular dynamics simulation results indicated that the main mechanisms involved in sorption are electrostatic and Van der Waals interaction.

Enhanced transformation of sulfonamide antibiotics by manganese(IV) oxide in the presence of model humic constituents

In this study, a manganese(IV) oxide-mediator (MnO₂-mediator) system for the abatement of sulfonamide antibiotics was evaluated. Two simple model humic constituents, syringaldehyde (SA) and acetosyringone (AS), could promote the transformation of sulfonamides at pH 5-8. Two additional potential mediators, tannic acid and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline)-6-sulfonate (ABTS), had negligible enhancement on the transformation of sulfonamides by MnO₂. The enhancing effect was attributed to the reaction of the oxidized mediator (i.e., phenoxy radical or benzoquinone-like compounds) produced from the oxidation of the mediators by MnO₂ with SMX. Thereby cross-coupling products from sulfamethoxazole (SMX) with oxidized SA were formed in the MnO₂-SA system, which was confirmed by liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. Coexisting metal ions (i.e., Ca(II), Mg(II) and Mn(II)) showed inhibitory effects in the order of Mn(II)> Ca(II)> Mg(II). For repetitive runs of the MnO₂-SA-SMX system, MnO₂ lost its oxidative capacity due to the sorption of Mn(II) on the reactive sites of the MnO₂ surface. A full regeneration of partially deactivated MnO₂ by oxidation of the sorbed Mn(II) with Mn(VII) could be achieved.

Ferrocene-catalyzed heterogeneous Fenton-like degradation mechanisms and pathways of antibiotics under simulated sunlight: A case study of sulfamethoxazole

Readily-available and efficient catalyst is essential for activating oxidants to produce reactive species for deeply remediating water bodies contaminated by antibiotics. In this study, Ferrocene (Fc) was introduced to establish a heterogeneous photo-Fenton system for the degradation of sulfonamide antibiotics, taking sulfamethoxazole as a representative. Results showed that the removal of sulfamethoxazole was effective in Fc-catalyzed photo-Fenton system. Electron spin resonance and radical scavenging experiments verified that there was a photoindued electron transfer process from Fc to H₂O₂ and dissolved oxygen resulting in the formation of OH that was primarily responsible for the degradation of sulfamethoxazole. The reactions of OH with substructure model compounds of sulfamethoxazole unveiled that aniline moiety was the preferable reaction site of sulfamethoxazole, which was verified by the formation of hydroxylated product and the dimer of sulfamethoxazole in Fc-catalyzed photo-Fenton system. This heterogeneous photo-Fenton system displayed an effective degradation efficiency even in a complex water matrices, and Fc represented a long-term stability by using the catalyst for multiple cycles. These results demonstrate that Fc-catalyzed photo-Fenton oxidation may be an efficient approach for remediation of wastewater containing antibiotics.

On the ionic strength dependence of the electrophoretic mobility: From 2D to 3D slope-plots

Determining the charge and the nature (small ion, nanoparticle, or polyelectrolyte) of an unknown solute from its electrophoretic characteristics remains a challenging issue. In this work, we demonstrate that, if the knowledge of the effective electrophoretic mobility (μ_ep ) at a given ionic strength is not sufficient to characterize a given solute, the combination of this parameter with (i) the relative decrease of the electrophoretic mobility with the ionic strength (S), and (ii) the hydrodynamic radius (R_h ), is sufficient (in most cases) to deduce the nature of the solute and its charge. These three parameters are experimentally accessible by CZE and Taylor dispersion analysis performed on the same instrumentation. 3D representation of the three aforementioned parameters (μ_ep ; S and R_h ) is proposed to visualize the differences in the electrophoretic behavior between solutes according to their charge and nature. Surprisingly, such 3D slope plot in the case of small ions and nanoparticles looks like a "whale-tail," while polyelectrolyte contour plot represents a rather simple and monotonous map that is independent of solute size. This work also sets how to estimate the effective charge of a solute from a given experimental (S,Rh,μ ep 5 mM ) triplet, which is not possible to obtain unambiguously with only (Rh,μ ep 5 mM ) or (S,μ ep 5 mM ) doublet, where μ ep 5 mM is the effective electrophoretic mobility at 5 mM ionic strength.

Effects of halide ions on photodegradation of sulfonamide antibiotics: Formation of halogenated intermediates

The occurrence of sulfonamide antibiotics (SAs) in estuarine waters urges insights into their environmental fate for ecological risk assessment. Although many studies focused on the photochemical behavior of SAs, yet the effects of halide ions relevant to estuarine and marine environments on their photodegradation have been poorly understood. Here, we investigated the effects of halide ions on the photodegradation of SAs with sulfapyridine, sulfamethazine, and sulfamethoxazole as representative compounds. Results showed that halide ions did not significantly impact the photodegradation of sulfapyridine and sulfamethoxazole, while they significantly promoted the photodegradation of sulfamethazine. Further experiments found that ionic strength applied with NaClO4 significantly enhanced the photodegradation of the SAs, which was attributed to the decreased quenching rate constant of the triplet-excited SAs ((3)SA(∗)). Compared with ionic strength, specific Cl(-) effects retarded the photodegradation of the SAs. Our study found that triplet-excited sulfamethazine can oxidize halide ions to produce halogen radicals, subsequently leading to the halogenation of sulfamethazine, which was confirmed by the identification of both chlorinated and brominated intermediates. These results indicate that halide ions play an important role in the photochemical behavior of some SAs in estuarine waters and seawater. The occurrence of halogenation for certain organic pollutants can be predicted by comparing the oxidation potentials of triplet-excited contaminants with those of halogen radicals. Our findings are helpful in understanding the photochemical behavior and assessing the ecological risks of SAs and other organic pollutants in estuarine and marine environment.

Photodegradation mechanism of sulfonamides with excited triplet state dissolved organic matter: a case of sulfadiazine with 4-carboxybenzophenone as a proxy

Excited triplet states of dissolved organic matter ((3)DOM*) are important players for photodegradation sulfonamide antibiotics (SAs) in sunlit natural waters. However, the triplet-mediated reaction mechanism was poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the reaction adopting sulfadiazine as a representative SA and 4-carboxybenzophenone (CBBP)as a proxy of DOM. Results showed that the excited triplet state of CBBP ((3)CBBP*) is responsible for the photodegradation of sulfadiazine. The reaction of (3)CBBP* with substructure model compounds verified there are two reaction sites (amino-or sulfonyl-N atoms) of sulfadiazine. Density functional theory calculations were performed, which unveiled that electrons transfer from the N reaction sites to the carbonyl oxygen atom of (3)CBBP* moiety, followed by proton transfers, leading to the formation of sulfadiazine radicals. Laser flash photolysis experiments were performed to confirm the mechanism. Thus, this study identified that the photodegradation mechanism of SAs initiated by (3)DOM*, which is important for understanding the photochemical fate, predicting the photoproducts, and assessing the ecological risks of SAs in the aquatic environment.

Absorbance detector for capillary electrophoresis based on light-emitting diodes and photodiodes for the deep-ultraviolet range

A new absorbance detector for capillary electrophoresis featuring relatively high intensity light-emitting diodes as radiation sources and photodiodes for the deep-UV range was developed. The direct relationship of absorbance values and concentrations was obtained by emulating Lambert-Beer's law with the application of a beam splitter to obtain a reference signal and a log-ratio amplifier circuitry. The performance of the cell was investigated at 255 nm with the detection of sulfanilic, 4-nitrobenzoic, 4-hydroxybenzoic and 4-aminobenzoic acid and the indirect detection of acetate, propionate, butyrate and caproate using benzoate as the displacement dye molecule. Vanillic acid, L-tyrosine and DL-tryptophan as well as the sulfonamides sulfamerazine, sulfathiazole and sulfamethazine were determined at 280 nm. Good linearities over 3 orders of magnitude were obtained. The noise level recorded was as low as 50 μAU and the drift typically <200 μAU/5 min.

Ultrasonic degradation of sulfadiazine in aqueous solutions

Advanced oxidation methods, like ultrasound (US), are a promising technology for the degradation of emerging pollutants in water matrices, such as sulfonamide antibiotics. Nevertheless, few authors report the degradation of sulfonamides by high-frequency US (>100 kHz), and limited information exist concerning the use of ultrasonic-driven processes in the case of sulfadiazine (SDZ). In this study, SDZ degradation was investigated with the aim to evaluate the influence of initial concentration, pH and US frequency, and power. Ultrasonic frequencies of 580, 862, and 1,142 kHz at different power values and SDZ initial concentrations of 25, 50, and 70 mg L(-1) were used. The results show that SDZ degradation followed pseudo first-order reaction kinetics with k values and percent removals decreasing for increasing solute initial concentration. Higher SDZ percent removals and removal rates were observed for the lowest operating frequency (580 kHz), higher dissipated power, and in slightly acidic solution (pH 5.5). Addition of the radical scavenger n-butanol confirmed that hydroxyl radical-mediated reactions at the interface of the cavitation bubbles are the prevailing degradation mechanism, which is directly related to the pKa-dependent speciation of SDZ molecules. Finally, addition of H2O2 had a detrimental effect on SDZ degradation, whereas the addition of the Fenton reagent showed a positive effect, revealing to be a promising alternative for the removal of sulfadiazine.

Combined effects of biosolids application and irrigation with reclaimed wastewater on transport of pharmaceutical compounds in arable soils

Pharmaceutical compounds (PCs) are introduced into the agricultural environment through irrigation with treated effluents and application of biosolids. Transport processes can determine the fate of PCs and the associated risks related to their exposure in the environment. The aim of this work was to evaluate the combined effects of biosolids application and irrigation with treated effluents on the mobility of PCs in soil and to elucidate the main mechanisms affecting their transport. Column-leaching experiments revealed that application of biosolids generally increased the retardation of PCs, whereas treated effluents increased the mobility of weakly acidic PCs in the biosolids-amended soils. Experiments conducted at environmentally relevant PC concentrations (≈ 1 μg/L) highlight the importance of irreversible sorption as a possible mechanism for low leachability. Data generated from this study suggest that (i) transport behavior of PCs can be affected by common biosolids application to arable land; (ii) treated effluents increase the mobility of weakly acidic PCs mainly by increasing of the soil solution pH and not due to complexation of the PCs with dissolved organic matter; and (iii) it is highly important to evaluate transport behavior at environmentally relevant concentrations and not to base modeling on data obtained from experiments conducted in high concentrations.

Toxicity of four sulfonamide antibiotics to the freshwater amphipod Hyalella azteca

Sulfonamides are a widely used class of antibiotics; however, there are few toxicological data available with which to conduct environmental risk assessments for these compounds. Therefore, the toxicity of four sulfonamides (sulfaguanidine, sulfathiazole, sulfamerazine, and sulfasalazine) to Hyalella azteca was assessed in chronic (four-week), water-only exposures. Survival was evaluated weekly, and growth was measured at the end of the test. Four-week lethal concentrations associated with 50% mortality (LC50s) for sulfaguanidine, sulfathiazole, and sulfamerazine were 0.90, 1.6, and 3.9 µM, respectively. Sulfaguanidine caused effects on survival more quickly and at lower concentrations than sulfathiazole or sulfamerazine. These differences were more pronounced at week 1 than week 4, when sulfaguanidine LC50s were 8 to 20 times lower and 2 to 4 times lower, respectively. Growth was affected by sulfathiazole but was a less sensitive end point than survival, with an effective concentration associated with 50% reduction in growth (EC50) of 13 µM, whereas sulfaguanidine and sulfamerazine caused negligible effects on growth. Sulfasalazine had no effect on survival or growth at any concentration tested, up to 13 µM. The effects observed in the present study occurred at concentrations exceeding those typically found in environmental waters. However, given that LC50s decreased with exposure duration (except for sulfasalazine), the present study demonstrates the importance of conducting longer-term tests to adequately assess the environmental toxicity of sulfonamides.

Potential toxicity of sulfanilamide antibiotic: binding of sulfamethazine to human serum albumin

Antibiotics are widely used in daily life but their abuse has posed a potential threat to human health. The interaction between human serum albumin (HSA) and sulfamethazine (SMZ) was investigated by capillary electrophoresis, fluorescence spectrometry, and circular dichroism. The binding constant and site were determined to be 1.09×10(4) M(-1) and 1.14 at 309.5 K. The thermodynamic determination indicated that the interaction was driven by enthalpy change, where the electrostatic interaction and hydrogen bond were the dominant binding force. The binding distance between SMZ and tryptophan residue of HSA was obtained to be 3.07 nm according to Fǒrster non-radioactive energy transfer theory. The site marker competition revealed that SMZ bound into subdomain IIA of HSA. The binding of SMZ induced the unfolding of the polypeptides of HSA and transferred the secondary conformation of HSA. The equilibrium dialysis showed that only 0.13 mM SMZ decreased vitamin B(2) by 38% transported on the HSA. This work provides a new quantitative evaluation method for antibiotics to cause the protein damage.

THEORETICAL CALCULATION OF pKb VALUES FOR ANILINES AND SULFONAMIDE DRUGS IN AQUEOUS SOLUTION

In this work, calculations of p K b values have been performed for aniline and its substituted derivatives and sulfonamide drugs by using Gaussian 98 software package. Gas-phase energies were calculated with HF /6-31 G ** and B3LYP /6-31 G ** levels of theory. Free energies of solvation have been computed using the polarizable continuum model (PCM), conductor-like polarizable continuum model (CPCM) and the integral equation formalism-polarizable continuum model (IEFPCM) at the same levels which have been used for geometry determination in the gas-phase. The results show that the calculated p K b values using the B3LYP /6-31 G ** are better than those using the corresponding HF /6-31 G **. At first, the correlation equation was found to determine the p K b values of the investigated anilines. Then, this correlation equation was used to calculate the p K b values of the sulfonamide drugs. The results obtained indicate that the PCM model is a suitable solvation model for calculating p K b values in comparison to the other solvation models. For the investigated compounds a good agreement between the experimental and the calculated p K b values was also observed.

Transformation of sulfamethazine by manganese oxide in aqueous solution

The transformation of the sulfonamide antimicrobial sulfamethazine (SMZ) by a synthetic analogue of the birnessite-family mineral vernadite (δ-MnO(2)) was studied. The observed pseudo-first-order reaction constants (k(obs)) decreased as the pH increased from 4.0 to 5.6, consistent with the decline in δ-MnO(2) reduction potential with increasing pH. Molecular oxygen accelerated SMZ transformation by δ-MnO(2) and influenced the transformation product distribution. Increases in the Na(+) concentration produced declines in k(obs). Transformation products identified by tandem mass spectrometry and the use of (13)C-labeled SMZ included an azo dimer self-coupling product and SO(2) extrusion products. Product analysis and density functional theory calculations are consistent with surface precursor complex formation followed by single-electron transfer from SMZ to δ-MnO(2) to produce SMZ radical species. Sulfamethazine radicals undergo further transformation by at least two pathways: radical-radical self-coupling or a Smiles-type rearrangement with O addition and then extrusion of SO(3). Experiments conducted in H(2)(18)O or in the presence of (18)O(2)(aq) demonstrated that oxygen both from the lattice of as-synthesized δ-MnO(2) and initially present as dissolved oxygen reacted with SMZ. The study results suggest that the oxic state and pH of soil and sediment environments can be expected to influence manganese oxide-mediated transformation of sulfonamide antimicrobials.

Rapid and sensitive determination of sulfonamide residues in milk and chicken muscle by microfluidic chip electrophoresis

A new, rapid, and sensitive method was proposed for the determination of sulfonamide residues in milk and chicken muscle samples by microchip electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection. Separation of fluorescamine-labeled sulfonamides was accomplished by using a buffer containing 5 mmol/L boric acid and 1% (w/v) polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The pH, amount of PVA, and concentration of boric acid in the running buffer were found to have great influence on the separation. By optimizing these conditions, the separation of four sulfonamides, sulfamethazine, sulfamethoxazole, sulfaquinoxaline, and sulfanilamide, was achieved within 1 min with limits of detection (S/N = 3) of 0.2-2.3 μg/L, which are well below the maximum residue limit. The proposed method also exhibited very good repeatability; the relative standard deviations for both within-day and between-day measurements were ≤3.0%. With a simplified sample pretreatment protocol, fast determination of sulfonamides in real samples was successfully performed with standard addition recoveries of 93.3-100.8 and 82.9-92.3%, respectively.

Speciation of the ionizable antibiotic sulfamethazine on black carbon (biochar)

Adsorption of ionizable compounds by black carbon is poorly characterized. Adsorption of the veterinary antibiotic sulfamethazine (SMT; a.k.a., sulfadimidine; pK(a1) = 2.28, pK(a2) = 7.42) on a charcoal was determined as a function of concentration, pH, inorganic ions, and organic ions and molecules. SMT displayed unconventional adsorption behavior. Despite its hydrophilic nature (log K(ow) = 0.27), the distribution ratio K(d) at pH 5, where SMT(0) prevails, was as high as 10(6) L kg(-1), up to 10(4) times greater than literature reported K(oc). The K(d) decreases at high and low pH but not commensurate with the decline in K(ow) of the ionized forms. At pH 1, where SMT(+) is predominant and the surface is positive, a major driving force is π-π electron donor-acceptor interaction of the protonated aniline ring with the π-electron rich graphene surface, referred to as π(+)-π EDA, rather than ordinary electrostatic cation exchange. In the alkaline region, where SMT(-) prevails and the surface is negative, adsorption is accompanied by near-stoichiometric proton exchange with water, leading to the release of OH(-) and formation of an exceptionally strong H-bond between SMT(0) and a surface carboxylate or phenolate, classified as a negative charge-assisted H-bond, (-)CAHB. At pH 5, SMT(0) adsorption is accompanied by partial proton release and is competitive with trimethylphenylammonium ion, signifying contributions from SMT(+) and/or the zwitterion, SMT(±), which take advantage of π(+)-π EDA interaction and Coulombic attraction to deprotonated surface groups. In essence, both pK(a1) and pK(a2) increase, and SMT(±) is stabilized, in the adsorbed relative to the dissolved state.

Sorption of aromatic ionizable organic compounds to montmorillonites modified by hexadecyltrimethyl ammonium and polydiallyldimethyl ammonium

Environmental residues of aromatic ionizable organic compounds (AIOCs) have received considerable attention due to their potential human health and ecological risks. The main objective of this study was to investigate the key factors and mechanisms controlling sorption of a series of anionic and zwitterionic AIOCs (two aromatic sulfonates, 4-methyl-2,6-dinitrophenol, tetracycline, sulfamethoxazole, and tannic acid) to montmorillonites modified with hexadecyltrimethyl ammonium (HDTMA) and polydiallyldimethyl ammonium (PDADMA). Compared with naphthalene (a nonpolar and nonionic solute), all AIOCs showed stronger sorption (the sorbent-to-solution distribution coefficient was in the order of 10-10 L kg) to the two organoclays in spite of the much lower hydrophobicity, indicating the predominance of electrostatic interaction in sorption. The proposed electrostatic mechanism of the tested AIOCs was supported by the pH dependency of sorption to the two organoclays. The two organoclays manifested weaker sorption affinity but faster sorption kinetics for bulky AIOCs than commercial activated carbon, resulting from the high accessibility of sorption sites in the open, ordered clay interlayer. The findings of this study highlight the potential of using HDTMA- and PDADMA-exchanged montmorillonites as effective sorbents for AIOCs in water and wastewater treatments.

Effects of pH and manure on transport of sulfonamide antibiotics in soil

Sulfonamide antibiotics are a commonly used group of compounds in animal husbandry. They are excreted with manure, which is collected in a storage lagoon in certain types of confined animal feeding operations. Flood irrigation of forage fields with this liquid manure creates the potential risk of groundwater contamination in areas with shallow groundwater levels. We tested the hypothesis that-in addition to the soil characteristics-manure as cosolute and manure pH are two major parameters influencing sulfonamide transport in soils. Solute displacement experiments in repacked, saturated soil columns were performed with soil (loamy sand) and manure from a dairy farm in California. Breakthrough of nonreactive tracer and sulfadimethoxine, sulfamethazine, and sulfamethoxazole at different solution pH (5, 6.5, 8.5) with and without manure was modeled using Hydrus-1D to infer transport and reaction parameters. Tracer and sulfonamide breakthrough curves were well explained by a model concept based on physical nonequilibrium transport, equilibrium sorption, and first-order dissipation kinetics. Sorption of the antibiotics was low ( K₄ ≤ 0.7 L kg) and only weakly influenced by pH and manure. However, sulfonamide attenuation was significantly affected by both pH and manure. The mass recovery of sulfonamides decreased with decreasing pH, e.g., for sulfamethoxazole from 77 (pH 8.5) to 56% (pH 5). The sulfonamides were highly mobile under the studied conditions, but manure application increased their attenuation substantially. The observed attenuation was most likely caused by a combination of microbial transformation and irreversible sorption to the soil matrix.