Contamination by antibiotics and their degradation and removal methods
Chan Yu
A , Huawei Huang A , Haiyang Jin A , Wei Zhang A , Zhanao Lv B and Liangyuan Zhao A *
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Basin Water Environmental Research Department, Changjiang River Scientific Research Institute, Wuhan, Hubei, 430010, PR China.
B School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Anhui Polytechnic University, Beijing Middle Road, Wuhu, 241000, PR China.
Marine and Freshwater Research - https://doi.org/10.1071/MF22202
Submitted: 28 September 2022 Accepted: 2 February 2023 Published online: 8 March 2023
© 2023 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing
Abstract
Context: Antibiotics are a new pollutant with biological activity. In recent decades, the presence and fate of antibiotics in water environment have received special attention because of their persistence and resistance to biodegradation and potential risks to ecological and human health.
Aims: This review addresses the current state of antibiotics, concerning the input sources and the distribution characteristics in China, and mainly summarised the degradation and removal methods applied to the antibiotics.
Methods: The relevant literature from the past 20 years was reviewed, the distribution of antibiotics in China was summarised, and the method of removing antibiotics was proposed.
Key results: Further optimisation and combination of the above methods was an important development direction in the future.
Conclusions: The results showed that, at present, antibiotic pollution in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and the lakes in China is serious, posing a potential threat to human health and the entire ecosystem. Conventional treatment, oxidative degradation and physical removal could remove degradable antibiotics to a certain extent. Further optimisation and combination of the above methods will be an important development direction in the future.
Implications: The research results provided data support for exploring effective antibiotic removal methods.
Keywords: antibiotics, China, degradation and removal methods, distribution characteristics, input sources, pharmaceuticals and personal-care products, PPCPs, risks to ecology, risks to human health.
References
Adams, C, Asce, M, Wang, Y, Loftin, KA, and Meyer, MT (2002). Removal of antibiotics from surface and distilled water in conventional water treatment processes. Journal of Environmental Engineering 128, 253–260.| Removal of antibiotics from surface and distilled water in conventional water treatment processes.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
An, T, Yang, H, Song, W, Li, G, Luo, H, and Cooper, WJ (2010). Mechanistic considerations for the advanced oxidation treatment of fluoroquinolone pharmaceutical compounds using TiO2 heterogeneous catalysis. The Journal of Physical Chemistry A 114, 2569–2575.
| Mechanistic considerations for the advanced oxidation treatment of fluoroquinolone pharmaceutical compounds using TiO2 heterogeneous catalysis.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Arikan, OA (2008). Degradation and metabolization of chlortetracycline during the anaerobic digestion of manure from medicated calves. Journal of Hazardous Materials 158, 485–490.
| Degradation and metabolization of chlortetracycline during the anaerobic digestion of manure from medicated calves.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Baquero, F, Martínez, J-L, and Cantón, R (2008). Antibiotics and antibiotic resistance in water environments. Current Opinion in Biotechnology 19, 260–265.
| Antibiotics and antibiotic resistance in water environments.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Chelliapan, S, Wilby, T, and Sallis, PJ (2006). Performance of an up-flow anaerobic stage reactor (UASR) in the treatment of pharmaceutical wastewater containing macrolide antibiotics. Water Research 40, 507–516.
| Performance of an up-flow anaerobic stage reactor (UASR) in the treatment of pharmaceutical wastewater containing macrolide antibiotics.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Elmolla, E, and Chaudhuri, M (2009). Optimization of Fenton process for treatment of amoxicillin, ampicillin and cloxacillin antibiotics in aqueous solution. Journal of Hazardous Materials 170, 666–672.
| Optimization of Fenton process for treatment of amoxicillin, ampicillin and cloxacillin antibiotics in aqueous solution.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Elmolla, ES, and Chaudhuri, M (2011). The feasibility of using combined TiO2 photocatalysis-SBR process for antibiotic wastewater treatment. Desalination 272, 218–224.
| The feasibility of using combined TiO2 photocatalysis-SBR process for antibiotic wastewater treatment.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Homem, V, and Santos, V (2011). Degradation and removal methods of antibiotics from aqueous matrices – a review. Journal of Environmental Management 92, 2304–2347.
| Degradation and removal methods of antibiotics from aqueous matrices – a review.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Jiang, L, Cheng, SY, Yang, R, Ren, ZY, and Yin, DQ (2008). Occurrence of antibiotics in the aquatic environment of the Changjiang Delta, China. Environmental Chemistry 27, 371–374.
Jiang, X, Wu, Y, Liu, G, Liu, W, and Lu, B (2017). The effects of climate, catchment land use and local factors on the abundance and community structure of sediment ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms in Yangtze lakes. AMB Express 7, 173.
| The effects of climate, catchment land use and local factors on the abundance and community structure of sediment ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms in Yangtze lakes.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Khan, MH, Bae, H, and Jung, J-Y (2010). Tetracycline degradation by ozonation in the aqueous phase: proposed degradation intermediates and pathway. Journal of Hazardous Materials 181, 659–665.
| Tetracycline degradation by ozonation in the aqueous phase: proposed degradation intermediates and pathway.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Kim, S, and Aga, DS (2007). Potential ecological and human health impacts of antibiotics and antibiotic-resistant bacteria from wastewater treatment plants. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part B 10, 559–573.
| Potential ecological and human health impacts of antibiotics and antibiotic-resistant bacteria from wastewater treatment plants.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Klauson, D, Babkina, J, Stepanova, K, Krichevskaya, M, and Preis, S (2010). Aqueous photocatalytic oxidation of amoxicillin. Catalysis Today 151, 39–45.
| Aqueous photocatalytic oxidation of amoxicillin.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Lindberg, R, Jarnheimer, P-Å, Olsen, B, Johansson, M, and Tysklind, M (2004). Determination of antibiotic substances in hospital sewage water using solid phase extraction and liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry and group analogue internal standards. Chemosphere 57, 1479–1488.
| Determination of antibiotic substances in hospital sewage water using solid phase extraction and liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry and group analogue internal standards.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Liu, XY, and Shu, WQ (2005). Current status of antibiotic contamination in water and research progress of detection technology. Chinese Journal of Health Laboratory Technology 15, 1011–1014.
Luo, Y, Huang, B, Jin, Y, Zhang, WL, Zhan, JH, Cai, Q, Ding, YR, Zhao, TT, and Li, Q (2014). Research progress in the degradation of antibiotics wastewater treatment. Chemical Industry and Engineering Progress 33, 2471–2477.
Méndez-Díaz, JD, Prados-Joya, G, Rivera-Utrilla, J, Leyva-Ramos, R, Sanchez-Polo, M, Ferro-Garcia, MA, and Medellin-Castillo, NA (2010). Kinetic study of the adsorption of nitroimidazole antibiotics on activated carbons in aqueous phase. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science 345, 481–490.
| Kinetic study of the adsorption of nitroimidazole antibiotics on activated carbons in aqueous phase.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Michael, I, Rizzo, L, Mcardell, CS, Manaia, CM, Merlin, C, Schwartz, T, Dagot, C, and Fatta-Kassinos, D (2013). Urban wastewater treatment plants as hotspots for the release of antibiotics in the environment: a review. Water Research 47, 957–995.
| Urban wastewater treatment plants as hotspots for the release of antibiotics in the environment: a review.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Pérez-Moya, M, Graells, M, Castells, G, Amigó, J, Ortega, E, Buhigas, G, Pérez, LM, and Mansilla, HD (2010). Characterization of the degradation performance of the sulfamethazine antibiotic by photo-Fenton process. Water Research 44, 2533–2540.
| Characterization of the degradation performance of the sulfamethazine antibiotic by photo-Fenton process.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Pruden, A, Pei, R, Storteboom, H, and Carlson, KH (2006). Antibiotic resistance genes as emerging contaminants: studies in northern Colorado. Environmental Science & Technology 40, 7445–7450.
| Antibiotic resistance genes as emerging contaminants: studies in northern Colorado.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Putra, EK, Pranowo, R, Sunarso, J, Indraswati, N, and Ismadji, S (2009). Performance of activated carbon and bentonite for adsorption of amoxicillin from wastewater: mechanisms, isotherms and kinetics. Water Research 43, 2419–2430.
| Performance of activated carbon and bentonite for adsorption of amoxicillin from wastewater: mechanisms, isotherms and kinetics.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Rahube, TO, and Yost, CK (2010). Antibiotic resistance plasmids in wastewater treatment plants and their possible dissemination into the environment. African Journal of Biotechnology 9, 9183–9190.
Sirtori, C, Zapata, A, Oller, I, Gernjak, W, Agüera, A, and Malato, S (2009). Decontamination industrial pharmaceutical wastewater by combining solar photo-Fenton and biological treatment. Water Research 43, 661–668.
| Decontamination industrial pharmaceutical wastewater by combining solar photo-Fenton and biological treatment.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Vieno, NM, Härkki, H, Tuhkanen, T, and Kronberg, L (2007). Occurrence of pharmaceuticals in river water and their elimination in a pilot-scale drinking water treatment plant. Environmental Science & Technology 41, 5077–5084.
| Occurrence of pharmaceuticals in river water and their elimination in a pilot-scale drinking water treatment plant.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Wang, W, Fang, J, Shao, S, Lai, M, and Lu, C (2017). Compact and uniform TiO2@g-C3N4 core-shell quantum heterojunction for photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline antibiotics. Applied Catalysis B: Environmental 217, 57–64.
| Compact and uniform TiO2@g-C3N4 core-shell quantum heterojunction for photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline antibiotics.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Xu, W-H, Zhang, G, Zou, S-C, Li, X-D, and Liu, Y-C (2007). Determination of selected antibiotics in the Victoria Harbour and the Pearl River, South China using high-performance liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. Environmental Pollution 145, 672–679.
| Determination of selected antibiotics in the Victoria Harbour and the Pearl River, South China using high-performance liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Yang, X, Flowers, RC, Weinberg, HS, and Singer, PC (2011). Occurrence and removal of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in an advanced wastewater reclamation plant. Water Research 45, 5218–5228.
| Occurrence and removal of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in an advanced wastewater reclamation plant.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Yao, H, Wang, H, Su, JL, Sun, P, and Huang, C (2013). Removal of five antibiotics from a drinking water treatment plant. Chinese Journal of Environmental Engineering 7, 801–809.
Zhang, H, Liu, P, Feng, Y, and Yang, F (2013). Fate of antibiotics during wastewater treatment and antibiotic distribution in the effluent-receiving waters of the Yellow Sea, northern China. Marine Pollution Bulletin 73, 282–290.
| Fate of antibiotics during wastewater treatment and antibiotic distribution in the effluent-receiving waters of the Yellow Sea, northern China.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Zhang, Q, Xin, Q, Zhu, J, and Chen, J (2014). The antibiotic contaminations in the main water bodies in China and the associated environmental and human health impacts. Environmental Chemistry 33, 1075–1083.
| The antibiotic contaminations in the main water bodies in China and the associated environmental and human health impacts.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
