Removal of enrofloxacin using Eichhornia crassipes in microcosm wetlands

CARLA M. TEGLIA; HERNÁN HADAD; NORA UBERTI-MANASSERO; ÁLVARO SIANO; MARÍA ROSA REPETTI; GOICOECHEA, HÉCTOR C.; MARÍA JULIA CULZONI; MARÍA ALEJANDRA MAINE

Environmental Science and Pollution Research

Springer

Año: 2024 vol. 31 p. 14845 - 14857

The global consumption of antibiotics leads to their possible occurrence in the environment. In this context, nature-basedsolutions (NBS) can be used to sustainably manage and restore natural and modified ecosystems. In this work, we studiedthe efficiency of the NBS free-water surface wetlands (FWSWs) using Eichhornia crassipes in microcosm for enrofloxacinremoval. We also explored the behavior of enrofloxacin in the system, its accumulation and distribution in plant tissues,the detoxification mechanisms, and the possible effects on plant growth. Enrofloxacin was initially taken up by E. crassipes(first 100 h). Notably, it accumulated in the sediment at the end of the experimental time. Removal rates above 94% wereobtained in systems with sediment and sediment + E. crassipes. In addition, enrofloxacin was found in leaves, petioles, androots (8.8–23.6 μg, 11–78.3 μg, and 10.2–70.7 μg, respectively). Furthermore, enrofloxacin, the main degradation product(ciprofloxacin), and other degradation products were quantified in the tissues and chlorosis was observed on days 5 and 9.Finally, the degradation products of enrofloxacin were analyzed, and four possible metabolic pathways of enrofloxacin inE. crassipes were described.