Sorption of tetracycline and chlortetracycline on K- and Ca-saturated soil clays, humic substances, and clay-humic complexes

Effect of chlorination and ultraviolet on the adsorption of pefloxacin on polystyrene and polyvinyl chloride

During the water treatment process, chlorination and ultraviolet (UV) sterilization can modify microplastics (MPs) and alter their physicochemical properties, causing various changes between MPs and other pollutants. In this study, the impact of chlorination and UV modification on the physicochemical properties of polystyrene (PS) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) were investigated, and the adsorption behavior of pefloxacin (PEF) before and after modification was examined. The effect of pH, ionic strength, dissolved organic matter, heavy metal ions and other water environmental conditions on adsorption behavior was revealed. The results showed that PS had a higher adsorption capacity of PEF than PVC, and the modification increased the presence of O-containing functional groups in the MPs, thereby enhancing the adsorption capacity of both materials. Chlorination had a more significant impact on the physicochemical properties of MPs compared to UV irradiation within the same time period, leading to better adsorption performance of chlorination. The optimal pH for adsorption was found to be 6, and NaCl, sodium alginate and Cu2+ would inhibit adsorption to varying degrees, among which the inhibition caused by pH was the strongest. Chlorination and UV modification would weaken the inhibitory effect of environmental factors on the adsorption of PEF by MPs. The main mechanisms of adsorption involved electrostatic interaction and hydrogen bonding. The study clarified the effects of modification on the physicochemical properties of MPs, providing reference for subsequent biotoxicity analysis and environmental protection studies.

Biosurfactant-mediated transport of tetracycline antibiotics in saturated porous media: Combined effects of the chemical properties of contaminants and solution chemistry conditions

The mobility of tetracycline antibiotics (TCs) in saturated aquifers is possibly affected by the presence of biosurfactants, which are widespread in the aquatic/soil environments. This study investigated the mobility characteristics of various tetracyclines-specifically tetracycline (TC), oxytetracycline (OTC), and chlortetracycline (CTC)-within quartz sand columns in the presence of rhamnolipid, a common biosurfactant. Exogenous rhamnolipid significantly inhibited the transport of the three TCs over the pH range of 5.0-9.0 (e.g., the mass of retained TC, OTC, and CTC increased from 32.6 %, 26.9 %, and 39.2 % (in the absence rhamnolipid) to 39.4 %, 38.9 %, and 51.7 % (in the presence of rhamnolipid), respectively). This observation could be attributed to the bridging effects of this biosurfactant. Specifically, the hydrophilic head of rhamnolipid molecules is likely associated with the surfaces of sand grains through surface complexation and/or hydrogen bonding interactions. Accordingly, the hydrophobic moieties of the deposited rhamnolipid molecules (i.e., the aliphatic chains) interact with the hydrophobic groups of TCs molecules via hydrophobic interactions. Interestingly, the extent of the inhibitory effect on CTC mobility was greater than that on OTC and TC, which was related to the different hydrophobic characteristics of the three antibiotics. Furthermore, the inhibitory effect of rhamnolipid on the transport of TCs diminished as the pH of the background solution increased. This observation was attributed to the weakened bridging effects, resulting from the reduced deposition of the biosurfactant on the sand surfaces. Additionally, the cation-bridging mechanism involved in the retention of TCs in the addition of rhamnolipid when the background electrolyte was Ca2+ (i.e., Ca2+ ions served as bridging agents between the deposited rhamnolipid molecules and TCs). The insightful findings enhance our understanding of the critical roles of biosurfactants in influencing the environmental dynamics and ultimate fate of conventional antibiotic pollutants within groundwater systems.

Tetracycline antibiotics in agricultural soil: Dissipation kinetics, transformation pathways, and structure-related toxicity

Tetracyclines (TCs) are the most common antibiotics in agricultural soil, due to their widespread usage and strong persistence. Biotic and abiotic degradation of TCs may generate toxic transformation products (TPs), further threatening soil ecological safety. Despite the increasing attention on the environmental behavior of TCs, a systematic review on the dissipation of TCs, evolution of TPs, and structure-toxicity relationship of TCs in agricultural soil remains lacking. This review aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the environmental fate of TCs in agricultural soil. We first introduced the development history and structural features of different generations of TCs. Then, we comparatively evaluated the dissipation kinetics, transportation pathways, and ecological impacts of three representative TCs, namely tetracycline (TC), oxytetracycline (OTC), and chlortetracycline (CTC), in agricultural soil. The results showed that the dissipation kinetics of TCs generally followed the first-order kinetic model, with the median dissipation half-lives ranging from 20.0 to 38.8 days. Among the three TCs, OTC displayed the lowest dissipation rates due to its structural stability. The typical degradation pathways of TCs in soil included epimerization/isomerization, demethylation, and dehydration. Isomerization and dehydration reactions may lead to the formation of more toxic TPs, while demethylation was accompanied by the alteration of the minimal pharmacophore of TCs thus potentially reducing the toxicity. Toxicological experiments are urgently needed in future to comprehensively evaluate the ecological risks of TCs in agricultural soil.

Chitin/calcite composite extracted from shell waste as a low-cost adsorbent for removal of tetracycline and ciprofloxacin: Effects and mechanisms

Recently, water contamination caused by the misuse of antibiotics has become a growing concern. In this study, an economical chitin/calcite composite (CCA) was extracted from crab shell waste, and the effects and mechanisms of its removal of ciprofloxacin (CIP) and tetracycline (TC) from aqueous solution were investigated. The functional groups of chitin and the metal phase of calcite gave CCA the ability to remove antibiotics. Experiments on kinetics, isothermal adsorption, thermodynamics, co-removal, and reusability were conducted to systematically explore the adsorption performances of CCA toward antibiotics. The pseudo-second-order (FSO) and Langmuir models suited the data obtained from experiments best and displayed a good fit for the chemisorption and a certain homogeneity of adsorption sites. At 25 °C, the maximum adsorption capacities (Qmax) toward CIP and TC were 228.86 and 150.76 mg g-1, respectively. The adsorption mechanisms of CCA with TC and CIP are pH dependent since pH can affect the surface charge of CCA and the form in which CIP and TC are existing. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) demonstrated that the keto-O and carboxyl groups of CIP and the carbonyl, hydroxyl, and amido groups of TC could be responsible for the binding with the calcite and the functional groups of chitin through surface complexation, cation bridge and hydrogen bonding.

The role of magnesium ion in the interactions between humic acid and tetracycline in solution

Coexisting tetracycline (TC), dissolved organic matter (DOM), and metal cations in aqueous environments might form complexes and consequently affect the environmental fate of TC. In this study, the interactions among coexisting humic acid (HA), TC, and Mg(II) in solutions were investigated by equilibrium dialysis batch experiments and nuclear magnetic resonance hydrogen spectroscopy (1H NMR) characterization. In the binary systems, the dimethylamine (4Me2NH+) functional group on the A-ring of TC bound to the oxygen-containing functional groups of HA via hydrogen bond. The solution pH affected the agglomeration morphology and dissociation of the oxygen-containing functional groups of HA as well as protonation and spatial conformation of TC, which in turn affected the HA-TC interactions. The complexation sites and ratio of Mg(II) on TC affect the binding mode in the ternary system. When the TC-Mg(II) complexation ratio is 1:1, the B, C, and D rings of TC preferentially complex with Mg(II), resulting in the change of TC from an extended to a twisted conformation. At this time, Mg(II) had a weaker inhibitory effect on binding affinity between HA and TC. When the complexation ratio was 1:2, the second Mg(II) complexation deactivated the 4Me2NH + on the A ring and further stabilized TC twisted conformation, resulting in a stronger inhibitory effect on the binding of TC to HA. Under acidic conditions, the solution pH mainly caused the difficulty in forming TC-Mg(II) complexes. The inhibitory effect of Mg(II) on the binding between HA and TC is weaker than that under alkaline conditions.

Nano-clay montmorillonite removes tetracycline in water: Factors and adsorption mechanism in aquatic environments

In response to escalating environmental concerns surrounding antibiotic pollution, the utilization of calcium-montmorillonite minerals for tetracycline wastewater treatment is gaining prominence. This study systematically analyzed the physicochemical properties of calcium-montmorillonite through scanning electron microscope, contact angle analysis, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. It explored the adsorption efficacy and mechanisms for tetracycline removal, considering factors like initial pH, adsorption duration, concentration, and co-cations (Na+ and Ca2+). Under optimized conditions, achieving over 90% tetracycline removal with a maximum adsorption capacity of 526 mg/g, the study revealed competitive adsorption sites for coexisting cations. The Langmuir model best described the monolayer adsorption process, while kinetic studies favored the pseudo-first-order model. This research offers comprehensive insights into tetracycline adsorption on calcium-montmorillonite, emphasizing its potential as an efficient, cost-effective adsorbent for pharmaceutical wastewater treatment.

Persistence and potential risks of tetracyclines and their transformation products in two typical different animal manure composting treatments

Abundant residues of tetracyclines in animal manures and manure-derived organic fertilizers can pose a substantial risk to environments. However, our knowledge on the residual levels and potential risk of tetracyclines and their transformation products (TPs) in manure and manure-derived organic fertilizers produced by different composting treatments is still limited. Herein, the occurrence and distribution of four veterinary tetracyclines (tetracycline, oxytetracycline, chlortetracycline, and doxycycline) and ten of their TPs were investigated in paired samples of fresh manure and manure-derived organic fertilizers. Tetracyclines and TPs were frequently detected in manure and manure-derived organic fertilizer samples in ranging from 130 to 118,137 μg·kg-1 and 54.6 to 104,891 μg·kg-1, respectively. Notably, the TPs concentrations of tetracycline and chlortetracycline were comparable to those of the parent compounds, with 4-epimers being always dominant and retained antibacterial potency. Based on paired-sampling strategy, the removal efficiency of tetracyclines and TPs in thermophilic composting was higher than that in manure storage. Toxicological data in the soil environment and the data derived from equilibrium partitioning method, indicated that tetracyclines and some TPs like 4-epitetracycline, 4-epichlortetracycline and isochlortetracycline could pose median to high ecological risk to terrestrial organisms. Total concentrations of TPs in manure-derived organic fertilizers were significantly correlated with the absolute abundance of tet(X) family genes, which provide evidence to evaluate the effects of TPs on the levels of antibiotic resistance in the environment. Among them, the 4-epitetracycline could pose ecological risk and retain antibacterial potency. Our findings emphasize the importance of monitoring and controlling the prevalence of tetracyclines and their TPs in livestock-related environments.

Low temperature pyrolytic biochar is a preferred choice for sulfonamide-Cu(II) contaminated soil remediation in tropical climate region

Biochar is getting increasing consideration for eco-friendly soil amendment and environmental remediation. Once added to the soil, biochar would undergo the natural ageing process, affecting its physicochemical properties and, as a result, the adsorption and immobilization of pollutants in the water and soil. To evaluate the high/low temperature pyrolyzed biochar performance on complex contaminants and the effect of climate ageing, the batch experiments were conducted on the adsorption of the pollutants of antibiotics sulfapyridine (SPY) and a typical coexisting heavy metal Cu²⁺ as one or binary system on low/high pyrolytic temperature biochars before and after the simulated tropical climate and frigid climate region ageing treatment. The results showed that high-temperature ageing could enhance the SPY adsorption in biochar-amended soil. The SPY sorption mechanism was fully elucidated, and the result confirmed that H-bonding was the dominant role in biochar-amended soil, and π-π electron-donor-acceptor (EDA) interaction and micro-pore filling was another factor for SPY adsorption. This study could lead to the conclusion that low-temperature pyrolytic biochar is a better option for sulfonamide-Cu(II) contaminated soil remediation in tropical regions.

Sorption in soils and bioaccumulation potential of 2,2'-DiBBPA

2,2'-Dibromobisphenol A (2,2'-DiBBPA) is frequently detected in the environment. However, the mobility of 2,2'-DiBBPA in the soil environment is poorly understood. The present study examined the effects of soil components such as the NaClO-resistant fraction, dithionite-citrate-bicarbonate -demineralized fraction, humin fraction, black carbon, DOC-removed fraction, exogenous dissolved organic carbon and heavy metal cations on the adsorption of 2,2'-DiBBPA on several types of agricultural soils. The adsorption isotherms on soils and soil components were well fitted to the linear isotherm equation. 2,2'-DiBBPA sorption onto soils was dominated by soil organic matter content (SOM) and affected by exogenous dissolved organic carbon. Linear regression relationships between adsorption capacity (K_d) and soil characteristics were evaluated to predict partitioning of 2,2'-DiBBPA. Black carbon played a predominant role in the adsorption of 2,2'-DiBBPA. Heavy metal ions significantly inhibited the adsorptive behavior of 2,2'-DiBBPA under alkaline conditions. Semiempirical linear relationships were observed between biota-sediment accumulation factors (1.18-2.47)/logarithm of bioconcentration factors (BCFs, 2.49-2.52) of 2,2'-DiBBPA in lugworms and K_d. These results allow for the prediction of the bioaccumulation of 2,2'-DiBBPA in other soils. Furthermore, values of log BCF > 1.0 indicate the preferential bioaccumulation of 2,2'-DiBBPA in biota. These data are of significance for understanding the migration of 2,2'-DiBBPA in agricultural soils and bioaccumulation in organisms.

Microscopic insights into the variations of antibiotics sorption to clay minerals

Understanding the adsorption behavior of antibiotic molecules on minerals is crucial for determining the environmental fate and transport of antibiotics in soils and waters. However, the microscopic mechanisms that govern the adsorption of common antibiotics, such as the molecular orientation during the adsorption process and the conformation of sorbate species, are not well understood. To address this gap, we conducted a series of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and thermodynamics analyses to investigate the adsorption of two typical antibiotics, tetracycline (TET) and sulfathiazole (ST), on the surface of montmorillonite. The simulation results indicated that the adsorption free energy ranged from - 23 to - 32 kJ·mol^-1, and - 9 to - 18 kJ·mol^-1 for TET and ST, respectively, which was consistent with the measured difference of sorption coefficient (K_d) for TET-montmorillonite of 11.7 L·g^-1 and ST-montmorillonite of 0.014 L·g^-1. The simulations also found that TET was adsorbed through dimethylamino groups (85% in probability) with a molecular conformation vertical to the montmorillonite's surface, while ST was adsorbed through sulfonyl amide group (95% in probability) with vertical, tilted and parallel conformations on the surface. The results confirmed that molecular spatial orientations could affect the adsorption capacity between antibiotics and minerals. Overall, the microscopic adsorption mechanisms revealed in this study provide critical insights into the complexities of antibiotics adsorption to soil and facilitate the prediction of adsorption capacity of antibiotics on minerals and their environmental transport and fate. This study contributes to our understanding of the environmental impacts of antibiotic usage and highlights the importance of considering molecular-level processes when assessing the fate and transport of antibiotics in the environment.

Adsorption and transformation of tetracyclines on alpha alumina particles with surface modification by anionic surfactant

The adsorption and transformation of tetracyclines (TCs) antibiotics, including oxytetracycline (OTC), chlortetracycline (CTC), and tetracycline (TC), on the sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) surfactant-modified α-Al₂O₃ particles were comprehensively investigated in this study. The TCs adsorption was significantly enhanced by using the modified adsorbents compared with the use of the unmodified adsorbents. The experimental conditions were systematically optimized and found to be pH 4, NaCl 1 mM, the contact time of 180 min, and the adsorbent dosage of 25 mg. mL^-1. The high maximum adsorption capacities were approximately 320, 85, and 91 mg. g^-1 for TC, OTC, and CTC, respectively. Meanwhile, the great removal efficiencies of the three antibiotics TC, OTC, and CTC were correspondingly 91.85, 88.4, and 98.3%. The TCs adsorption isotherm and kinetics on the SDS-modified α-Al₂O₃ particles mainly governed by the electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions were clarified by a suitable two-step model, the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and zeta potential measurements. Meanwhile, the TCs structural transformation determined by the liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) measurement was promoted through the adsorption on the α-Al₂O₃ surface. The TCs transformation rates strongly affected by the TCs adsorption were in the order of CTC > TC > OTC. The found results are promised that the SDS-modified α-Al₂O₃ particles might behave as high-performance adsorbents to remove the TCs from aqueous solutions.

New Models for Estimating the Sorption of Sulfonamide and Tetracycline Antibiotics in Soils

Sulfonamides (SAs) and tetracyclines (TCs) are two classes of widely used antibiotics. There is a lack of easy models for estimating the parameters of antibiotic sorption in soils. In this work, a dataset of affinity coefficients (Kf and Kd) of seven SA/TC antibiotics (i.e., sulfachlorpyridazine, sulfamethazine, sulfadiazine, sulfamethoxazole, oxytetracycline, tetracycline, and chlortetracycline) and associated soil properties was generated. Correlation analysis of these data showed that the affinity coefficients of the SAs were predominantly affected by soil organic matter and cation exchange capacity, while those of the TCs were largely affected by soil organic matter and pH. Pedotransfer functions for estimating Kf and Kd were built by multiple linear regression analysis and were satisfactorily validated. Their performances would be better for soils having higher organic matter content and lower pH. These pedotransfer functions can be used to aid environmental risk assessment, prioritization of antibiotics and identification of vulnerable soils.

Interaction of Antibiotics and Humic Substances: Environmental Consequences and Remediation Prospects

The occurrence and distribution of antibiotics in the environment has received increasing attention due to their potential adverse effects on human health and ecosystems. Humic substances (HS) influence the mobility, reactivity, and bioavailability of antibiotics in the environment significantly due to their interaction. As a result, HS can affect the dissemination of antibiotic-resistance genes, which is one of the main problems arising from contamination with antibiotics. The review provides quantitative data on the binding of HS with fluoroquinolones, macrolides, sulfonamides, and tetracyclines and reports the proposed mechanisms of their interaction. The main issues of the quantification of antibiotic-HS interaction are discussed, which are a development of standard approaches and the accumulation of a dataset using a standard methodology. This would allow the implementation of a meta-analysis of data to reveal the patterns of the binding of antibiotics to HS. Examples of successful development of humic-based sorbents for fluoroquinolone and tetracycline removal from environmental water systems or polluted wastewaters were given. Data on the various effects of HS on the dissemination of antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs) were summarized. The detailed characterization of HS properties as a key point of assessing the environmental consequences of the formation of antibiotic-HS complexes, such as the dissemination of antibiotic resistance, was proposed.

Enhanced adsorption of tetracycline using modified second pyrolysis oil-based drill cutting ash

In this work, second pyrolysis oil-based drill cutting ash (OBDCA-sp) was modified using NaOH and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), respectively. The modified OBDCA-sp was used as the novel adsorbent for adsorption of tetracycline (TC) in aqueous solutions. The original and modified OBDCA-sp were characterized by SEM, XRD, FTIR, zeta potential analysis, contact angle, and BET. The maximum theoretical adsorption quantity (45 ℃) for TC was calculated as 1.7 mg/g using CTAB-OBDCA-sp as the adsorbent. The adsorption isotherm of TC on OBDCA-sp was fitted well with Freundlich model and the adsorption kinetic was illustrated by pseudo-second-order model. Neutral condition was favorable for the adsorption of TC. The result of regeneration experiment indicated the reusability of OBDCA-sp. The hydrogen bonding was the possible mechanism for TC adsorption. This paper developed the novel surface modification methods of OBDCA-sp and provided an approach for the resource utilization of OBDCA-sp as an environmental functional material.

Influence of pH on the adsorption-desorption of doxycycline, enrofloxacin, and sulfamethoxypyridazine in soils with variable surface charge

In this research, the adsorption/desorption of the antibiotics doxycycline (DC), enrofloxacin (ENR), and sulfamethoxypyradazine (SMP) was studied in 6 agricultural soils with predominance of variable charge, both before and after removing organic matter by calcination. DC adsorption was high at acidic pH, and decreased at pH values above 8. Removal of organic matter with calcination caused just a slight decrease in adsorption, and even in some soils adsorption was similar to that in non-calcined samples. The adsorption coefficients (K_d) were higher for the DC^- species compared to DC⁺, DC⁰ and DC^2-. Regarding DC desorption, the values were very low throughout the pH range covered in the study (2-12), both in the calcined samples and in those not subjected to calcination. ENR showed a similar behavior to DC regarding the effect of pH, since ENR adsorption also decreased at basic pH, but the effect of removing organic matter was different, as it caused a clear decrease in ENR adsorption. The species with the highest K_d was in this case ENR⁰, although ENR⁺ is also quantitatively important as regards K_d value in calcined samples. For this antibiotic, no differences in desorption were observed between calcined and non-calcined samples. Finally, SMP adsorption also decreased as pH increased, and, in addition, similarly to what happened with ENR, in general, there was a strong decrease in SMP adsorption when organic matter was removed. The species with the highest K_d in this case was SMP⁺ in non-calcined samples, but SMP⁰ and SMP^- become more relevant in calcined samples. The percentages of SMP desorption were higher than those for the other two antibiotics, and an increase occurs at intermediate pH values, being higher for calcined samples. These results can be considered relevant in terms of increasing the knowledge as regards the possible evolution and fate of the three antibiotics studied. Specifically, for different pH conditions and with different organic matter contents, when they reach soils and other environmental compartments after being discharged as contaminants. This could have important repercussions on public health and the overall environment.

Occurrences, transport drivers, and risk assessments of antibiotics in typical oasis surface and groundwater

Intensive use of antibiotics affects biogeochemical cycles and stimulates the evolution of antibiotic resistance, thus threatening global health and social development. The spatiotemporal distributions of antibiotics in single aqueous matrices have been widely documented; however, their occurrence in surface-groundwater systems has received less attention, especially in arid regions that usually have fragile ecosystems. Therefore, we investigated the occurrence of thirty-one antibiotics in the surface water and adjacent groundwater in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China. The results showed that the total concentrations of detected antibiotics varied from 17.37 to 84.09 ng L^-1 and from 16.38 to 277.41 ng L^-1 in surface and groundwater, respectively. The median concentration of antibiotics showed the pattern of norfloxacin (4.86 ng L^-1) > ciprofloxacin (3.93 ng L^-1) > pefloxacin (3.39 ng L^-1) in surface water; whereas in groundwater, this was in the order of pefloxacin (6.30 ng L^-1) > norfloxacin (4.33 ng L^-1) > ciprofloxacin (2.68 ng L^-1). Heatmap analysis indicated that vertical infiltration had limited effects on antibiotic exchange in surface-ground water systems because of the high potential evaporation and low water storage. Redundancy analysis suggested that the oxidation-reduction potential (p < 0.01) and dissolved oxygen (p < 0.05) jointly affected the distribution of antibiotics in surface water. Ecological risk assessment showed that antibiotics in 98.9% of surface water and 99.1% of groundwater did not pose significant risks to aquatic species. The findings of this study will help develop effective mitigation strategies for antibiotics in aquatic environments.

Surfactants-mediated the enhanced mobility of tetracycline in saturated porous media and its variation with aqueous chemistry

Knowledge of the mobility of tetracycline (TC) antibiotics in porous media is critical to understand their potential environmental influences. The transport characteristics of TC in sand columns with three different surfactants, including Tween 80, sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS), and didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB) under various conditions were investigated in this study. Results demonstrated that all surfactants enhanced TC transport under neutral conditions (10 mM NaCl at pH 7.0). The observation was attributed mostly to deposition site competition, higher electrostatic repulsion between TC molecules and sand grains, steric hindrance, and the increase of TC hydrophilicity. Furthermore, the order of the transport-enhancement effects was generally observed as follows: DDAB > SDBS > Tween 80. The trend was controlled by the variation in the physicochemical properties of surfactants. It was noticed that the presence of Cu²⁺ (a model divalent cation) in the background solution, the cation-bridging contributed to the promotion effects of DDAB or Tween 80 on TC mobility. Interestingly, SDBS considerably suppressed TC transport due to the precipitation of SDBS-Cu²⁺ complexes onto sand surfaces. Moreover, the enhancement order of surfactants at pH 5.0 was similar to that pH 7.0. However, DDAB could inhibit TC transport in sand columns at pH 9.0, which were mainly caused by the decrease of electrostatic repulsion and the hydrophobicity induced by the binding cationic surfactant. Findings from this work provide novel insight into involvement of surfactants in antibiotic transport behaviors in the subsurface environment.

Effect of Acid–Base Modified Biochar on Chlortetracycline Adsorption by Purple Soil

We used three purple soil (Hechuan, Jialing, and Cangxi) samples from the Jialing River basin as the research objects and added different proportions of an acid–base modified Alternanthera philoxeroides biochar (Cm) to the purple soil to study the effect of Cm on the adsorption of chlortetracycline (CTC) in the purple soil. The results indicated the following: (1) At 30 °C and pH = 6, the soil adsorption capacity increased with an increasing initial concentration of CTC. The maximum adsorption amount of CTC for each tested sample was in the range of 2054.63–3631.21 mg/kg, and the adsorption capacity in different Cm amended soils was ranked in the order of 10% Cm > 5% Cm > 2% Cm > CK. The adsorption capacity of CTC increased with an increase in the proportion of Cm. Furthermore, under the same addition ratio of Cm, Hechuan soil was found to have a better adsorption effect for CTC than Jialing and Cangxi soil. (2) The Langmuir model was the most suitable for fitting the adsorption behavior of CTC on different purple soils, and the fitting coefficients were all greater than 0.9, indicating that the adsorption of CTC on each soil sample occurred via monolayer adsorption. The thermodynamic experiment results showed that an increase in temperature was beneficial to the process of CTC adsorption, which was a spontaneous, endothermic, and entropy-adding process. (3) At pH = 6, the ionic strength ranged from 0.01 to 0.5 mol/L and the adsorption capacity of CTC of the soil samples decreased with an increase in ionic strength. In the range of pH 2–10, the adsorption capacity of CTC in all the soil samples decreased with an increase in pH. The inhibition capacity of CTC in the soil samples under acidic conditions was notably higher than that under alkaline conditions.

Time-course evolution of bacterial community tolerance to tetracycline antibiotics in agricultural soils: A laboratory experiment

The presence of antibiotics in soils may increase the selection pressure on soil bacterial communities and cause tolerance to these pollutants. The temporal evolution of bacterial community tolerance to different concentrations of tetracycline (TC), oxytetracycline (OTC) and chlortetracycline (CTC) was evaluated in two soils. The results showed an increase of soil bacterial community tolerance to TC, CTC and OTC only in samples polluted with the highest antibiotic concentrations tested (2000 mg kg^-1). The magnitude of those increases was higher in the soil with the lower organic carbon content (1.6%) than in the soil with an organic carbon content reaching 3.4%. In the soil with low organic carbon content, the time-course evolution showed a maximum increase in the tolerance of bacterial communities to tetracycline antibiotics between 45 and 100 incubation days, while for longer incubation times (360 days) the tolerance decreased. In the soil with high organic carbon content, a similar behavior was found for OTC. However, for CTC and TC, slightly increases and decreases (respectively) were found in the bacterial community tolerance at intermediate incubation times, followed by values close to zero for TC after 360 days of incubation, while for CTC they remained higher than in the control. In conclusion, soil pollution due to tetracyclines may cause bacterial community tolerance to these antibiotics when present at high concentrations. In addition, the risk is higher in soils with low organic matter content, and it decreases with time.

From gut to mud: dissemination of antimicrobial resistance between animal and agricultural niches

With increasing reports on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in humans, animals and the environment, we are at risk of returning to a pre-antibiotic era. Therefore, AMR is recognized as one of the major global health threats of this century. Antibiotics are used extensively in farming systems to treat and prevent infections in food animals or to increase their growth. Besides the risk of a transfer of AMR between the human and the animal sector, there is another yet largely overlooked sector in the One Health triad. Human-dominated ecosystems such as agricultural soils are a major sink for antibiotics and AMR originating from livestock farming. This review summarizes current knowledge on the prevalence of AMR at the interface of animal and agricultural production and discusses the potential implications for human health. Soil resistomes are augmented by the application of manure from treated livestock. Subsequent transfer of AMR into plant microbiomes may likely play a critical role in human exposure to antibiotic resistance in the environment. Based on the knowledge that is currently available we advocate that more attention should be paid to the role of environmental resistomes in the AMR crisis.

Cosorption of Zn(II) and chlortetracycline onto montmorillonite: pH effects and molecular investigations

Ionic antibiotics and metals generally coexist, and their interaction can affect their sorption behaviors onto soil minerals, therefore determining their environmental hazards. This study investigated the sorption and cosorption of Zn(II) and chlortetracycline (CTC) onto montmorillonite at different solution pH (3-10) using batch experiments and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) analysis. The Langmuir model could reproduce well the sorption isotherms of Zn(II) and CTC. The presence of CTC/Zn(II) could promote the maximum sorption capacity (Q_m) of Zn(II)/CTC, based on site energy distribution (SED) theory. Generally, Zn(II) sorption increased with pH increasing. Comparatively, CTC sorption decreased as pH increased till approximately pH 5.0, then increased continuously with pH increasing. Both CTC and Zn(II) co-existence enhanced their individual sorption in both acidic and neutral environments. The processes behind CTC and Zn(II) sorption mainly included cation exchange and surface complexation. The EXAFS data evidenced that the presence of CTC could alter the species of Zn(II) on montmorillonite via surface complexation at pH 4.5 and 7.5, with Zn-CTC complexes being the predominant species on montmorillonite at pH 7.5. At pH 9.5, Zn(II) may exist onto montmorillonite in precipitated form similar to Zn-Al hydrotalcite-like compound (HTlc) regardless of CTC presence.

Transport of Veterinary Antibiotics in Farmland Soil: Effects of Dissolved Organic Matter

The application of manure as a fertiliser to farmland is regarded as a major source of veterinary antibiotic (VA) contamination in the environment. The frequent detection of such emerging contaminants and their potential adverse impacts on the ecosystem and human health have provoked increasing concern for VA transport and fate. Extrinsic dissolved organic matter (DOM) may be introduced into farmland soil along with Vas, and thus exert significant effects on the transport of VAs via hydrological processes upon rainfall. The leaching of VAs can be either enhanced or reduced by DOM, depending on the nature, mobility, and interactions of VAs with DOM of different origins. From the aspect of the diversity and reactivity of DOM, the state-of-the-art knowledge of DOM-VA interactions and their resulting effects on the sorption-desorption and leaching of VAs in farmland soil was reviewed. Spectroscopic techniques for examining the extent of binding and reactive components of DOM with VAs are summarized and their usefulness is highlighted. Models for simulating VA transport under the effects of DOM were also reviewed. It is suggested that distinct impacts of DOM of various organic fertiliser/amendment origins should be considered for predicting the transport of VAs in farmland soil.

Effects of tetracycline antibiotics in chicken manure on soil microbes and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs)

China is the world's largest livestock and poultry breeding country, but also the largest use of veterinary antibiotics. When a large amount of chicken manure is applied to the soil, it will cause the number of antibiotic residues and resistant bacteria to increase, which will bring about the pollution of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the soil, and then increase the risk of environmental pollution and human health. Field experiments were conducted to study the changes of soil tetracycline antibiotic residues, resistant bacteria and resistance genes treated with different types and dosage of chicken manure (no chicken manure, (CK), low fresh chicken manure treatment (300 kg·667 m^-2), high fresh chicken manure treatment (600 kg·667 m^-2), low decomposed chicken manure treatment (300 kg·667 m^-2) and high decomposed chicken manure treatment (600 kg·667 m^-2)). After one-year application of chicken manure, content of soil organic matter increased by 1.0%-3.2% compared with the control. The activity of soil catalase significantly increased by 84.3-91.5%, 81.9-102.9% in fresh and decomposed chicken manure treatments compared with the control, respectively. The amount of soil resistant bacteria under the same treatment was in the order of Anti-OTC > Anti-TC > Anti-CTC. After one-year application of chicken manure, the total tetracycline amount in the soil was increased by 168.5-217.9% compared with the control. The amount of antibiotic residue in soil treated with fresh chicken manure was 3.0-9.1% higher than that treated with decomposed chicken manure. The abundance of ARGs in the soil was in the order of that treated with high fresh chicken manure > low fresh chicken manure > high decomposed chicken manure > low decomposed chicken manure. The risk of tetracycline antibiotics to soil ecological environment may be greatly reduced after chicken manure decomposed.

Distribution, transfer, ecological and human health risks of antibiotics in bay ecosystems

Antibiotics have been widely detected in bay ecosystems, yet little is known regarding their distribution, composition, sources, ecological and human health risks at the regional scale. We developed a systematic framework to mine data from existing publications and compiled an antibiotic concentration-based dataset containing 439 samples from 30 bays, and compared antibiotics across bays and matrices (water, sediment, and biota). Antibiotic concentrations varied considerably between bays, with hotspots occurring in East Asia. The main categories of antibiotics in waters included sulfonamide and macrolide, while tetracycline, quinolone, and macrolide antibiotics were prevalent in sediments. The main sources of antibiotics in bays included sewage treatment plant effluent, domestic sewage, agriculture runoff, and discharges from mariculture activities. Antibiotics with high ecological risks mainly included sulfamethoxazole, erythromycin, clarithromycin, and oxytetracycline. Erythromycin posed a considerable risk to human health, and the human health risks presented by other antibiotics were negligible. Regional variations of concentrations correspond to the uneven geographic consumption of antibiotics and their removal rate during wastewater treatment. Differences in antibiotics' composition between matrices are associated mainly with the physicochemical properties of antibiotics (e.g., molecular structure, solubility, and stability) and the content of total organic carbon, metal ions, chlorophyll a, and clay minerals in the sediments. To reduce the ecological and human health implications, priority should be given to the removal of erythromycin, sulfamethoxazole, oxytetracycline, and clarithromycin, with a special focus on their treatment in the Asian bay areas.

Sorption–Desorption Behavior of Doxycycline in Soil–Manure Systems Amended with Mesquite Wood Waste Biochar

Elevated levels of doxycycline (DC) have been detected in the environment due to its extensive utilization as a veterinary antibiotic. Sorption–desorption behavior of DC in soil affects its transport, transformation, and availability in the environment. Thus, sorption–desorption behavior of DC was explored in three soils (S1, S2, and S3) after manure application with and without mesquite wood-waste-derived biochar (BC) pyrolyzed at 600 °C. Sorption batch trials demonstrated the highest DC sorption in soil S1 as compared to S2 and S3, either alone or in combination with manure or manure + BC. Chemical sorption and pore diffusion were involved in DC sorption, as indicated by the kinetic models. Soil S1 with manure + BC exhibited the highest Langmuir model predicted sorption capacity (18.930 mg g−1) compared with the other two soils. DC sorption capacity of soils was increased by 5.0–6.5-fold with the addition of manure, and 10–13-fold with BC application in a soil–manure system. In desorption trials, manure application resulted in 67%, 40%, and 41% increment in DC desorption in soil S1, S2, and S3, respectively, compared to the respective soils without manure application. In contrast, BC application reduced DC desorption by 73%, 66%, and 65%, in S1, S2, and S3, respectively, compared to the soils without any amendment. The highest DC sorption after BC application could be due to H bonding, π–π EDA interactions, and diffusion into the pores of BC. Hence, mesquite wood-waste-derived BC can effectively be used to enhance DC retention in contaminated soil to ensure a sustainable ecosystem.

Effects of Partial Organic Substitution for Chemical Fertilizer on Antibiotic Residues in Peri-Urban Agricultural Soil in China

Recycling of organic wastes in agricultural ecosystems to partially substitute chemical fertilizer is recommended to improve soil productivity and alleviate environmental degradation. However, livestock manure- and sewage sludge-derived amendments are widely known to potentially carry antibiotic residues. The aim of this study is to investigate how substituting organic fertilizer for chemical fertilizer affects soil quality and antibiotic residues in agricultural soil, as well as their tradeoffs. A field experiment was conducted with the different treatments of pig manure and sewage sludge as typical organic fertilizers at equal total nitrogen application rates. The analysis of variance showed that the increments on the levels of residual antibiotics in the agricultural soils due to organic substitution for chemical fertilizer by pig manure and sewage sludge were observed. The antibiotic residues ranged from 13.73 to 76.83 ng/g for all treatments. Partial organic substitution significantly increased the sequestration of antibiotics in agricultural soil by 138.1~332.5%. Organic substitution will also significantly improve soil quality, especially for nutrient availability. Based on principal component analysis, organic substitution will strongly affected soil quality and antibiotic contamination. Pearson's correlation showed that soil physicochemical properties had significant correlations with concentrations of antibiotics in soil, indicating organic fertilizers can promote the persistence of antibiotics in soil by modifying soil quality. To balance the benefits and risks, appropriate management practices of organic fertilizers should be adopted.

Adsorption characteristics of tetracycline onto particulate polyethylene in dilute aqueous solutions

The presence of ultrafine plastics particles and its potential to concentrate and transport organic contaminants in aquatic environments have become a major concern in recent years. Specifically, the uptake of hazardous chemicals by plastics particles may affect the distribution and bioavailability of the chemicals. In this study, the adsorption of tetracycline (TC), an antibiotic frequently found in aquatic environments, on high-density polyethylene (PE) particles with the average size of 45 μm, was investigated. The PE particles were characterized for surface acidity for the first time. Results showed that pH controls the surface charge of PE particles. TC adsorption onto PE particles was rapid as expected following the pseudo-second-order rate law (r² > 0.99). Polar forces in addition to specific chemical interactions, such as hydrogen bonding and hydrophophilicity controlled TC adsorption onto PE particles. Parameters, including pH, dissolved organic matter, ionic strength, major cations and anions affected TC adsorption onto PE micro-particles. Results indicated that PE particles can function as a carrier of antibiotics in the aquatic environment, which potentially imposes ecosystem and human health risks.

Optimization of synergistic biosorption of oxytetracycline and cadmium from binary mixtures on reed-based beads: modeling study using Brouers-Sotolongo models

The first aim of this study was to synthesize and characterize reed-based-beads (BBR), an enhanced adsorbent from Tunisian reed. The second purpose was to evaluate and optimize the BBR efficiency for the simultaneous removal of oxytetracycline (OTC) and cadmium (Cd(II)), using central composite design under response surface methodology. The third goal was to elucidate the biosorption mechanisms taking place. It was shown that under optimum conditions (4.19 g L^-1 of BBR, 165.54 μmol L^-1 of OTC, 362.16 μmol L^-1 of Cd(II), pH of 6, and 25.14-h contact time) the highest adsorption percentages (63.66% for OTC and 99.99% for Cd(II)) were obtained. It was revealed that OTC adsorption mechanism was better described by Brouers-Sotolongo fractal equation, with regression coefficient (R²) of 0.99876, and a Person's chi-square (χ²) of 0.01132. The Weibull kinetic equation better explained Cd(II) biosorption (R² = 0.99959 and χ² = 0.00194). FTIR and isotherm studies confirmed that the BBR surface was heterogeneous, and that adsorption mechanisms were better described by the Freundlich/Jovanovich equation (R² = 0.99276 and χ² = 0.04864) for OTC adsorption, and by the Brouers-Sotolongo model (R² = 0.9851 and χ² = 0.77547) for Cd(II) biosorption. Overall results indicate that, at last, the BBR lignocellulosic biocomposite beads could be considered as cost-effective and efficient adsorbent, which could be of socioeconomic and environmental relevance. Graphical abstract.

Environmental relevance of adsorption of doxycycline, enrofloxacin, and sulfamethoxypyridazine before and after the removal of organic matter from soils

In this work batch-type experiments were used to study the adsorption of the antibiotics doxycycline (DC), enrofloxacin (ENR), and sulfamethoxypyridazine (SMP) in cultivation soils, before and after the removal of soil organic matter. Organic matter removal by calcination resulted not only in C and N removal, but also in increased soil pH, exchangeable basic cations and surface area values. The results indicate a very different behavior depending on the type of antibiotic, showing the adsorption sequence DC > ENR > SMP. Specifically, DC adsorption was very high in untreated soil samples (with organic matter), and was still high (although decreased) after the removal of soil organic matter. Furthermore, the adsorption behavior of DC was clearly dependent on the pH of the medium. Regarding ENR, it also showed high adsorption, although to a lesser extent than DC. However, when soil organic matter was removed, ENR adsorption significantly decreased in all soil samples. As regards SMP, it was adsorbed to a much lesser extent, and the removal of soil organic matter caused an additional drastic decrease in adsorption, reaching negligible values in some samples. Desorption followed the reverse sequence of adsorption, specifically in the order DC < ENR < SMP. In the case of DC, desorption was negligible, both in samples with and without organic matter, while for ENR and SMP, desorption clearly increased for soil samples where organic matter was removed. These results may be of relevance as regards environmental quality and public health, especially to facilitate a correct use of soils and organic amendments in areas that receive the application of substances containing the investigated antibiotics.

Tetracyclines in the environment: An overview on the occurrence, fate, toxicity, detection, removal methods, and sludge management

Tetracyclines (TCs) are a group of broad-spectrum antibiotics having vast human, veterinary, and aquaculture applications. The continuous release of TCs residues into the environment and the inadequate removal through the conventional treatment systems result in its prevalent occurrence in soil, surface water, groundwater, and even in drinking water. As aqueous TCs contamination is the tip of the iceberg, and TCs possess good sorption capacity towards soil, sediments, sludge, and manure, it is insufficient to rely on the sorptive removal in the conventional water treatment plants. The severity of the TCs contamination is evident from the emergence of TCs resistance in a wide variety of microorganisms. This paper reviews the recent research on the TCs occurrence in the environmental matrices, fate in natural systems, toxic effects, and the removal methods. The high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) determination of TCs in environmental samples and the associated technology developments are analyzed. The benefits and limitations of biochemical and physicochemical removal processes are also discussed. This work draws attention to the inevitability of proper TC sludge management. This paper also gives insight into the limitations of TCs related research and the future scope of research in environmental contamination by TCs residues.

Modelization and implementation of free adsorption and electrosorption of Cr (VI) from wastewater using Al2O3 nanoparticles: assessment and comparison of the two processes

The objective of this study was to apply the technique of electrosorption in order to assess the capacity of heterogeneous adsorption under an electric field. This was to enhance the adsorption capacity of the nanoparticles, to shorten the adsorption time, and to reduce the cost of the purification of contaminated waters. A final objective of this study was to compare the free adsorption (FA) and the electrosorption (ES) to understand the interface adsorbent/adsorbate at different contact conditions. For these purposes, a potentially efficient, environment-friendly absorbent was synthesized for dechromation purposes. The experimental design method generated optimum conditions as t_c = 123 min, T = 318°K, and C₀ = 100 mg/L. Freundlich's well-fitted modeling proved that the adsorption of chromate (VI) on nano-Al₂O₃ occurred on a homogenous surface. In addition, the adsorption coefficient intensity n did not only confirm monolayer adsorption but also indicated a favorable adsorption process. Thermodynamic studies confirmed the reaction spontaneity and the physisorption of the process. The electrosorption process was also tested using 20mA/cm² as applied current density. Free-adsorption (FA) and electrosorption (ES) processes were compared. The maximum recorded yield was 99% for (EA) against 87% for (FA). EDS analysis recorded 11.3% of chromate adsorbate with free adsorption. The amount of Cr (VI) on nano-Al₂O₃ was 42.5 %. Nevertheless, the Al₂O₃ nanoparticles lost their crystallinity and exploded after the ES process. Mechanisms of both (FA) and (ES) were proposed.

Effects of endogenous and exogenous dissolved organic matter on sorption behaviors of bisphenol A onto soils

The transport of organic contaminants in groundwater might be greatly affected by coexistence of dissolved organic matter (DOM) from different sources. In this study, the effects of endogenous and exogenous DOMs (referred to as DOM_en and DOM_ex, respectively) on sorption behavior of bisphenol A (BPA) onto two reference soils were investigated by batch experiments and microscopic characterization. The results showed that BPA sorption onto soils was dominated by soil organic matter content and affected by DOM properties. The effect of DOM_en on BPA sorption was also related to the inorganic components of the two soils. The decrease of organic matter content reduced the sorption capacity of fluvo-aquic soil. However, because the content of available inorganic components in black soil was high, after removing DOM_en, more inorganic sites were exposed to increase the sorption capacity. In addition, DOM_en could form complexes with BPA in solution, thus the removal of DOM_en promoted BPA sorption onto black soil. Under the experimental conditions, contribution of DOM_ex to the total sorption of BPA onto both soils was not more than 30%. Results of dialysis experiments and soil sorption experiments indicated that effects of coexisting DOM_ex on BPA sorption was related to the affinity of DOM_ex to soils and complexation of BPA and DOM_ex. Since the affinity of DOM_ex to fluvo-aquic soil was relatively low, the complex of BPA and DOM_ex in solution was the main inhibition mechanism for BPA sorption. For black soil, higher complexation proportion of BPA with DOM_ex adsorbed onto soil which promoted BPA sorption onto soil. The findings are of significance for understanding the co-migration of DOM with BPA through soils.

Bioaugmentation with immobilized endophytic Penicillium restrictum to improve quorum quenching activity for biofouling control in an aerobic hollow-fiber membrane bioreactor treating antibiotic-containing wastewater

The effects of bioaugmentation with immobilized Penicillium restrictum on the removal efficiency of sulfamethoxazole (SMX), erythromycin (ERY) and tetracycline (TC) antibiotics as well as membrane biofouling was studied using hollow-fiber membrane bioreactor (HF-MBR). Bioaugmentation with P. restrictum led to a significant change in the antibiotic removal efficiency and relative abundance of aerobic microbial community, most probably as a result of its quorum quenching activity. Furthermore, in addition to its role in the increase of SMX and ERY removal efficiencies and the decrease of their sorption on solid phase, bioaugmentation significantly reduced the transmembrane pressure which in turn reduced membrane clogging. The most abundant phyla in sludge and biofilm samples in the presence of P. restrictum were observed to be Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes. Differences in bacterial compositions and their specificity in biodegradation of antibiotics in different reactors showed that bacteria were specifically selected under the pressure of antibiotics and growing fungus.

Influence of metal cation and surface iron oxide on the transport of sulfadiazine in saturated porous media

Sulfadiazine (SDZ) is an antibiotic frequently detected in soil and groundwater. The transport of SDZ in subsurface environment is a critical process affecting its retention in soil. To date, the effects of iron oxide and metal cation on the transport of SDZ remain largely unknown, so we investigated the transport properties of SDZ in cleaned and iron oxides coated quartz sand, as affected by the presence of conventional cations (Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, K⁺, and Na⁺) and Cd²⁺ through column experiments and simulation. We found that iron oxide coating on sand surface inhibited the transport of SDZ, mainly due to hydrophobic effect, complexation, and electrostatic attraction. The inhibitory effect became more marked with increasing concentration of Cd²⁺. It favors the transport of Cd²⁺ due to the electrostatic repulsion between positively charged iron oxide and Cd²⁺. Ca²⁺ promoted the transport of SDZ in coated sand, while all the conventional cations had no effect on the transport of SDZ in cleaned sand. The increase in the concentration of Cd²⁺ favors the transport of SDZ in cleaned sand. However, in iron oxide coated sand, the influence of Cd²⁺ on the transport of SDZ was dependent on the concentration of Cd²⁺. At lower concentration of Cd²⁺ and by competition, the transport is favored. At high concentration, the transport is inhibited mainly due to the formation of ternary surface complexes. A convective-dispersive transport model was applied to simulate and interpret experimental data. Breakthrough curves fitted well with a one-site model (OSM), indicating that SDZ adsorption on the sand experiences reversible kinetic. A low level of K_F values with nearly linear sorption isotherm shows high mobility of SDZ and a high potential risk of surface and groundwater contamination. However, such high mobility can be reduced by increasing the content of iron oxides in porous media.

Use of waste materials to prevent tetracycline antibiotics toxicity on the growth of soil bacterial communities

The increase of concentrations of tetracycline antibiotics in agricultural soils worldwide is of special concern, due to its potential toxic effects on soil bacterial communities. In the present work, the reuse of two waste/by-product materials as soil amendments was tested as a preventive practice for reducing tetracycline antibiotics toxicity in soils. Pine bark (PB), with high percentage of organic carbon, and crushed mussel shell (CMS), a frequent natural liming material, were added to 4 soils in doses 0, 6, 12 and 48 g of by-product per kg^-1 of soil (dry weight) of each one (separately). The soils and soil-waste mixtures were then spiked with tetracycline (TC), oxytetracycline (OTC) and chlortetracycline (CTC). After one day of incubation, the bacterial growth was estimated in soils and soil-mixtures using the leucine incorporation technique. The addition of PB to the soils showed two different behaviors, depending on the antibiotics. The toxicity of TC and OTC decreased with the addition of PB (toxicities going from 6 to 25% and from 5 to 36%, respectively). However, CTC toxicity did not change, or even increased in response to the PB amendment. Regarding soil amendment with CMS, it was not effective to prevent the toxicity of any of the three antibiotics studied.

The combined exposure of microplastics and toxic contaminants in the floodplains of north India: A review

Microplastics in aquatic ecosystem are an emerging environmental threat, primarily aggregating into sediments and living biota besides providing active transportation to toxic pollutants. Recent studies have revealed that a microplastic surface cannot be considered as "inert" and therefore the rate and stage of degradation of microplastic will determine its capability in adsorbing and transporting the solute to longer distances. Our concern is driven by the fact that there has been an absence of widescale research in India despite a country with one of the longest networks of rivers and a 7500 km long active coastline. Anthropogenic pollutants are expected to increase and the situation will further worsen when more persistent organic pollutants (POCs) and geogenic contaminants will find its sink via monsoon runoff. Studies on aquatic species including COD, daphnia magna and zebrafish suggest strong links of bio-accumulation, suspecting to a more serious situation for the coastal India where there is an almost three times increase in the density of the microplastics as the monsoon progresses. Evidences also suggests that microplastics can adsorb known carcinogens as well as endocrine disrupting chemicals leaving our aquatic life exposed to higher mortality. Our review is a first ever scientific attempt in compiling these evidences through researches done in this field to understand the risk that the major floodplains of North India are currently facing. We have adapted the theories and inferences of the available research to predict and postulate a probable mechanism that could explain the severity of the situation in India.

Sorption of pharmaceuticals and personal care products on soil and soil components: Influencing factors and mechanisms

The sorption of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) on soil and soil components makes an important contribution to the fate, migration and bioavailability of PPCPs. Previous reviews have mostly focused on the sorption of PPCPs on single soil components (e.g., minerals and soil organic matter). However, the sorption of PPCPs within the whole soil system has not been systematically analyzed. This paper reviews the recent progress on PPCP sorption on soil and soil components. We have evaluated the sorption of a wide range of PPCPs in research fields that are usually considered in isolation (e.g., humic acids (HAs), montmorillonite, kaolinite, and goethite), and established a bridge between PPCPs and sorbent. The sorption mechanisms of PPCPs, e.g., cation exchange, surface complexation, electrostatic interaction and hydrogen bonding, are discussed and critically evaluated. We also assessed the influence of environmental factors (pH, ionic strength, organic matter and temperature) on sorption. This review summarizes the knowledge of PPCPs sorption on soil gained in recent years, which can provide new strategies for solving the problem of antibiotic pollution.

Rapidly and highly efficient degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride in wastewater by 3D IO-TiO2-CdS nanocomposite under visible light

Tetracycline hydrochloride as an environmental pollutant is biologically toxic and highly difficult to degrade. To solve this problem, an efficient catalyst IO-TiO₂-CdS composite with honeycomb-like three-dimensional (3D) inverse opal TiO₂ (IO-TiO₂) and cadmium sulphide (CdS) was synthesized and applied in the degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride in this paper. More than 99% of the tetracycline hydrochloride (30 mg/L) can be degraded by IO-TiO₂-CdS (30 mg) within 20 min under visible light irradiation. Surprisingly, the naphthol rings can be opened and degraded to alkane with a minimum molecular weight of 60, which is the smallest fragment among all publications. The three-dimensional ordered macroporous (3DOM) structure of IO-TiO₂ improves the utilization of light via the slow photon effect. Meanwhile, the addition of CdS enhances the degradation efficiency of tetracycline by broadening the range of absorption spectrum and improving the separation of charge carrier on the catalyst. In addition to the degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride, IO-TiO₂-CdS also shows a good degradation efficiency of Rhodamine B (RhB). This work provides a promising approach to construct visible light response photocatalysts with non-noble metal for efficient degradation of wastewater pollutants.

Environmental Sorption Behavior of Ionic and Ionizable Organic Chemicals

Traditionally our tools for environmental risk assessment of organic chemicals have been developed for neutral chemicals. However, many commercial chemicals are ionic or ionizable and require different tools and approaches for their assessment. In recent years this task starts to obtain increasing attention but our understanding for their environmental fate is still far behind that for neutral chemicals. This review first gives an overview on the principles that govern ionic partitioning in environmental systems which are more complex than the simple partition processes of neutral chemicals. Second, a summary of our current knowledge on various topics such as bioaccumulation, sorption in soils, and nonspecific-toxicity reveals that ionic species can actually be quite hydrophobic contrary to commonly held beliefs. Eventually, we discuss existing models for the quantitative prediction of organic ions' sorption in soils and biota. We have to assert that the available model tools are quite restricted in their application range compared to neutral chemicals which is due to the higher complexity of the various ionic sorption processes. In order to further advance our understanding more high-quality sorption data are needed with a focus on multivalent and zwitterionic ions in all partition systems as well as cations in biological matrices.

Tetracycline and Sulfonamide Antibiotics in Soils: Presence, Fate and Environmental Risks

Veterinary antibiotics are widely used worldwide to treat and prevent infectious diseases, as well as (in countries where allowed) to promote growth and improve feeding efficiency of food-producing animals in livestock activities. Among the different antibiotic classes, tetracyclines and sulfonamides are two of the most used for veterinary proposals. Due to the fact that these compounds are poorly absorbed in the gut of animals, a significant proportion (up to ~90%) of them are excreted unchanged, thus reaching the environment mainly through the application of manures and slurries as fertilizers in agricultural fields. Once in the soil, antibiotics are subjected to a series of physicochemical and biological processes, which depend both on the antibiotic nature and soil characteristics. Adsorption/desorption to soil particles and degradation are the main processes that will affect the persistence, bioavailability, and environmental fate of these pollutants, thus determining their potential impacts and risks on human and ecological health. Taking all this into account, a literature review was conducted in order to shed light on the current knowledge about the occurrence of tetracycline and sulfonamide antibiotics in manures/slurries and agricultural soils, as well as on their fate in the environment. For that, the adsorption/desorption and the degradation (both abiotic and biotic) processes of these pollutants in soils were deeply discussed. Finally, the potential risks of deleterious effects on human and ecological health associated with the presence of these antibiotic residues were assessed. This review contributes to a deeper understanding of the lifecycle of tetracycline and sulfonamide antibiotics in the environment, thus facilitating decision-making for the application of preventive and mitigation measures to reduce its negative impacts and risks to public health.

Competitive adsorption and desorption of three tetracycline antibiotics on bio-sorbent materials in binary systems

Batch-type experiments were used to study competitive adsorption/desorption for the antibiotics tetracycline (TC), oxytetracycline (OTC), and chlortetracycline (CTC), onto by-products from forest and food industries (oak ash, pine bark, and mussel shell). These antibiotics are frequently present in manures and slurries spread on agrosystems. Binary competitive systems were performed by setting the dose of one antibiotic to 200 μmol L^-1, and varying the concentration of a second antibiotic from 50 to 600 μmol L^-1. In the cases where a concentration of 200 μmol L^-1 was used for each antibiotic, the results of the binary experiments were also compared with those obtained in parallel tests corresponding to simple and ternary systems using the same concentration. The results indicated that pine bark can adsorb most of the antibiotics added, with desorption being less than 5% in most cases. Oak ash showed high adsorption for all three antibiotics in the simple systems (100% of CTC, 90% of TC, and 80% of OTC), but clearly decreased in the binary systems (up to values below 40%), especially for higher antibiotics concentrations, although desorption was generally less than 5%. Mussel shell showed adsorption results lesser than 25% for OTC and CT in simple systems, while increased up to 65% in binary systems in which CTC was present at high concentrations, but desorption was generally very high. CTC was the antibiotic with the highest adsorption onto all three by-products, and the one showing less decrease for its adsorption in the binary systems. Overall, the smallest differences among the various competitive systems were obtained when the adsorbent used was pine bark, and especially for the CTC antibiotic. These results could aid to develop management practices, based on the use of low-cost bio-sorbents, which would decrease risks of pollution due to tetracycline antibiotics spread in agroecosystems and affecting the environment.

Mechanistic exploration of the catalytic modification by co-dissolved organic molecules for micropollutant degradation during fenton process

This study aimed to explore the catalytic effect of co-dissolved organic compounds on the tetracycline degradation by Fenton process both in the acidic and neutral environment. The experiments were carried out at [Fe²⁺]/[H₂O₂] of 50 μM/50 μM and 50 μM/100 μM. The humic acid, citrate and α-cyclodextrin were selected as the co-dissolved organic compounds. The best removal efficiency of 71% was observed at [Fe²⁺]/[H₂O₂] of 50 μM/100 μM without the presence of co-dissolved organic compounds. In the presence of co-dissolved organic compounds, the competition effect occurred and tetracycline removal efficiency was reduced to different extents depending on the H₂O₂ concentrations and chemical properties of the co-dissolved organic substances. The mechanistic exploration confirmed that the complex-forming interactions among Fe²⁺, tetracycline and organic co-dissolved molecules kept the catalytic ferrous/ferric redox cycle operating to generate hydroxyl radicals for tetracycline degradation at neutral condition, and this phenomenon was more obvious when the H₂O₂ concentration was higher. Complex formation also contributed to the overall tetracycline removal in addition to oxidation reactions. By comparing to the mass spectra of citrate, the α-cyclodextrin having a larger molecular structure might react with hydroxyl radicals at a higher probability, resulting in an apparent difference in degradation efficiency despite of the equality of their existing amount in the beginning of the experiment.

Struvite crystallization induced the discrepant transports of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes in phosphorus recovery from swine wastewater

Struvite (MgNH₄PO₃·6H₂O) crystallization is one of important methods of phosphorus recovery from wastewater. As to livestock wastewater, the high-strength occurrence of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes might induce struvite recovery to spread antibiotic resistance to the environment. However, limited information has been reported on the simultaneous transport of antibiotics and ARGs in struvite recovery. In the present study, tetracyclines (TCs) and tetracyclines antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) were selected as the targeted pollutants, and their discrepant residues in struvite recovery from swine wastewater were investigated. TCs and ARGs were obviously detected, with their contents of 4.88-79.5 mg/kg and 6.99 × 10⁷-2.14 × 10¹¹ copies/g, notably higher than those of TCs 0.550-1.94 mg/kg and ARGs 3.98 × 10⁴-5.66 × 10⁷ copies/g obtained from synthetic wastewater. The correlational relationship revealed that predominant factors affecting TCs and ARGs transports were different. Results from network analyses indicated that among the total edges, the negative correlations between TCs and ARGs predominately occupied 18.0%. The redundancy analysis revealed that mineral components in the recovered products, including struvite, K-struvite and amorphous calcium phosphate, coupling with organic contents, displayed insignificant roles on TCs residues, where heavy metals exerted positive and remarkable functions to boost TCs migration. Unexpectedly, mineral components and heavy metals did not displayed significant promotion on ARGs transport as a whole.

Calcium alginate/activated carbon/humic acid tri-system porous fibers for removing tetracycline from aqueous solution

In this study, activated carbon and humic acid powder were fixed by the cross-linking reaction of sodium alginate. Calcium alginate/activated carbon/humic acid (CAH) tri-system porous fibers were prepared by the wet spinning method and freeze-dried for the removal of tetracycline in aqueous solution. Subsequently, the morphology and structure of CAH fibers were measured by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) method. The effect of pH, contact time, temperature and other factors on adsorption behavior were analyzed. The Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models were used to fit tetracycline adsorption equilibrium data. The dynamics data were evaluated by the pseudo-second-order model, the pseudo-second-order model and the intraparticle diffusion model. Thermodynamic study confirmed that the adsorption of tetracycline on CAH fibers was a spontaneous process.

Effect of Oxytetracycline and Chlortetracycline on Bacterial Community Growth in Agricultural Soils

Toxicity on soil bacterial community growth caused by the antibiotics oxytetracycline (OTC) and chlortetracycline (CTC) was studied in 22 agricultural soils after 1, 8 and 42 incubation days. The leucine incorporation method was used with this aim, estimating the concentration of each antibiotic which caused an inhibition of 50% in bacterial community growth (log IC50). For OTC, the mean log IC50 was 2.70, 2.81, 2.84 for each of the three incubation times, while the values were 2.05, 2.22 and 2.47 for CTC, meaning that the magnitude of OTC toxicity was similar over time, whereas it decreased significantly for CTC with incubation time. In addition, results showed that the toxicity on bacterial community growth due to CTC is significantly higher than when due to OTC. Moreover, the toxicity on bacterial community growth due to both antibiotics is dependent on soil properties. Specifically, an increase in soil pH and silt content resulted in higher toxicity of both antibiotics, while increases in total organic carbon and clay contents caused decreases in OTC and CTC toxicities. The results also show that OTC toxicity can be well predicted by means of specific equations, using the values of pH measured in KCl and those of effective cation exchange capacity as input variables. CTC toxicity may be predicted (but with low precision) using pH measured in KCl and total organic carbon. These equations may help to predict the negative effects caused by OTC and CTC on soil bacteria using easily measurable soil parameters.

Multimedia mass balance approach to characterizing the transport potential of antibiotics in soil-plant systems following manure application

Antibiotics are ubiquitous in agro-ecosystems worldwide, which can pose remarkable risks to ecological security and human health. However, comprehensive evaluation on the multimedia fate and transport potential of antibiotics in soil-plant systems is still lacking. A mass balance approach was performed to gain insights into the transport and fate of antibiotics in soil-plant systems following manure application. Our results showed that more than 99 % of antibiotics were released from applied manure fertilizer into the soil-plant system. Antibiotic concentrations in soil and plant compartments increased over 120 days. Most of the antibiotics persisted in soil (about 65 %), while less than 0.1 % accumulated in the plants. Rainfall-induced runoff, subsurface interflow and soil water infiltration were alternative transport pathways for antibiotics in soil-plant systems although their contributions were limited. Dissipation was the main removal pathway for antibiotics accounting for about 33 % of total input mass. Tetracyclines had higher mass proportion in soil following by quinolones, whereas most of sulfonamides and macrolides were dissipated. Mass balance approach based on tracking environmental fates of antibiotics can facilitate the understandings in the source comparisons and mitigation strategies, and therefore provide insights to inform modeling and limiting the transport of manure-borne antibiotics to neighboring environmental compartments.