Occurrence and fate of quinolone and fluoroquinolone antibiotics in a municipal sewage treatment plant

• Published in: Water research (Oxford) Vol. 46; no. 2; pp. 387 - 394
• Main Authors: Jia, Ai, Wan, Yi, Xiao, Yang, Hu, Jianying
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Anaerobic processes; Anaerobic treatment; Anti-Bacterial Agents - analysis; Anti-Bacterial Agents - metabolism; Antibiotics; Applied sciences; Biodegradation, Environmental; China; Cities; Exact sciences and technology; Fluoroquinolone; Fluoroquinolones - analysis; Fluoroquinolones - metabolism; Mass balance; Norfloxacin; Plants (organisms); Pollution; Quinolone; Quinolones - analysis; Quinolones - metabolism; Sewage - chemistry; Sewage treatment; Sewage treatment plant; Sludge; Solid Phase Extraction - methods; Sorption; Waste Disposal, Fluid; Waste water; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water Pollutants, Chemical - metabolism; Water treatment and pollution; China; Sorption; Mass balance; Quinolone; Fluoroquinolone; Antibiotics; Sewage treatment plant; Activated sludge; Waste water; Biological purification; Decontamination; Anaerobe; Urban waste water; Organic compounds; Biodegradation; Drug; Pollutant behavior; Hydrophobic compound; Aerobe; Long term; Persistence; Suspended particle; Antibiotic; Analysis method; Correlation analysis; Waste water purification; Material balance
• ISSN: 0043-1354; 1879-2448
• DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2011.10.055

This study developed a method for analysis of nineteen quinolone and fluoroquinolone antibiotics (FQs) in sludge samples, and investigated the occurrence and fate of the FQs in a municipal sewage treatment plant (STP) with anaerobic, anoxic, and aerobic treatment processes. Eleven compounds, including pipemidic acid, fleroxacin, ofloxacin, norfloxacin, ciprofloxacin, enrofloxacin, lomefloxacin, sparfloxacin, gatifloxacin, moxifloxacin, and sarafloxacin (only in sludge), were detected in the STP. The predominance of ofloxacin and norfloxacin, followed by lomefloxacin, ciprofloxacin, gatifloxacin, and moxifloxacin, were found in wastewater, suspended solids, and sludge. The total concentrations of FQs were 2573 ± 241 ng/L, 1013 ± 218 ng/L, and 18.4 ± 0.9 mg/kg in raw sewage, secondary effluent, and sludge, respectively. Extremely low mass change percentages were observed for FQs in anaerobic, anoxic, and aerobic treatment units, suggesting biodegradation to be of minor importance in the removal of FQs in STPs. 50–87% of the initial FQs loadings (except for pipemidic acid (36%)) were ultimately found in the dewatered sludge. Mean removal efficiencies of FQs in the STP were 56–75%, except for new generation drugs such as moxifloxacin (40 ± 5%) and gatifloxacin (43 ± 13%). A significant positive correlation was found between removal efficiencies and K d of FQs. The major factor in the removal of FQs in the STP was sorption to sludge, which was not governed by hydrophobic interactions. The long-term cycling and persistence of FQs in the STP has made activated sludge as a huge reservoir of FQ antibiotics. [Display omitted] ► Simultaneous analytical method was developed for nineteen FQs in sludge. ► 50–87% of the initial FQs loadings were ultimately found in the dewatered sludge. ► Significant positive correlation was found between removal efficiencies and K d. ► Sorption to sludge was the major factor for FQs removal.