Removal of enrofloxacin using Eichhornia crassipes in microcosm wetlands

TEGLIA, CARLA M.; HADAD, HERNÁN R.; UBERTI-MANASSERO, NORA; SIANO, ÁLVARO S.; REPETTI, MARÍA R.; GOICOECHEA, HÉCTOR C.; CULZONI, MARÍA J.; MAINE, MARÍA A.

Environmental Science and Pollution Research

Springer

Año: 2024

The consumption of antibiotics worldwide entails the possibility of their occurrence in the environment. The use of water bioremediation systems is an innovative and environmentally friendly alternative. In the present work, a free-water surface wetland (FWSW) at microcosm scale was built using E. crassipes and its effectiveness in the removal of enrofloxacin was analyzed. Different systems were built to define the best FWSW option for the removal of enrofloxacin; the results showed that all the options were efficient, in different degrees, in the treatment of contaminated water. Removal rates higher than 80% were obtained. Moreover, the presence of enrofloxacin in E. crassipes tissues was explored and its effect on plant development was observed. Enrofloxacin was found in leaves, petiole and root (8.8-23.6 µg, 11-78.3 µg and 10.2-70.7 µg, respectively). Enrofloxacin and degradation products were quantified in tissues and the presence of chlorosis was observed on days 5 and 9 in the two FWSW containing plants. Finally, the degradation products of enrofloxacin were analyzed in the samples, and four possible metabolic pathways of enrofloxacin in E. crassipes were described.