Cited by 26Pharmaceutical and Antibiotic Environmental ImpactsEnvironmental Toxicology and EcotoxicologyEnvironmental Chemistry and Analysis

Combined toxicity of erythromycin and roxithromycin and their removal by Chlorella pyrenoidosa

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Liu, Kai, Li, Jiping, Zhou, Yuhao, Li, Wei, Cheng, Hu, Han, Jiangang·2023·Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety

Abstract

The ecological effects of antibiotics in surface water have attracted increasing research attention. In this study, we investigated the combined ecotoxicity of erythromycin (ERY) and roxithromycin (ROX) on the microalgae, Chlorella pyrenoidosa, and the removal of ERY and ROX during the exposure. The calculated 96-h median effect concentration (EC50) values of ERY, ROX, and their mixture (2:1 w/w) were 7.37, 3.54, and 7.91 mg∙L-1, respectively. However, the predicted EC50 values of ERY+ROX mixture were 5.42 and 1.51 mg∙L-1, based on the concentration addition and independent action models, respectively. This demonstrated the combined toxicity of ERY+ ROX mixture showed an antagonistic effect on Chlorella pyrenoidosa. During the 14-d culture, low-concentration (EC10) treatments with ERY, ROX, and their mixture caused the growth inhibition rate to decrease during the first 12 d and increase slightly at 14 d. In contrast, high-concentration (EC50) treatments significantly inhibited microalgae growth (p < 0.05). Changes in the total chlorophyll contents, SOD and CAT activities, and MDA contents of microalgae suggested that individual treatments with ERY and ROX induced higher oxidative stress than combined treatments. After the 14-d culture time, residual Ery in low and high concentration Ery treatments were 17.75% and 74.43%, and the residual Rox were 76.54% and 87.99%, but the residuals were 8.03% and 73.53% in ERY+ ROX combined treatment. These indicated that antibiotic removal efficiency was higher in combined treatments than that in individual treatments, especially at low concentrations (EC10). Correlation analysis suggested that there was a significant negative correlation between the antibiotic removal efficiency of C. pyrenoidosa and their SOD activity and MDA content, and the enhanced antibiotic removal ability of microalgae benefited from increased cell growth and chlorophyll content. Findings in this study contribute to predicting ecological risk of coexisting antibiotics in aquatic environment, and to improving biological treatment technology of antibiotics in wastewater.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.114929

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Authors
Liu, K., Li, J., Zhou, Y., Li, W., Cheng, H., & Han, J.
Affiliations
Nanjing Forestry University (CN)
Corresponding author
Li, Wei
Venue
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2023-06
Volume
257
Pages
114929
ISSN
0147-6513 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W4366506453
Cited by
26
References
56
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 2
FWCI
1.73
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Pharmaceutical and Antibiotic Environmental Impacts
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Environmental Toxicology and Ecotoxicology
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Chemistry › Environmental Chemistry and Analysis
Keywords
erythromycin, roxithromycin, antibiotic mixtures, combined toxicity, Chlorella pyrenoidosa, antagonistic effect, oxidative stress, superoxide dismutase, catalase, malondialdehyde, chlorophyll content, antibiotic removal, biological wastewater treatment, surface water contamination
MeSH terms
Anti-Bacterial Agents, Chlorella, Chlorophyll, Erythromycin, Superoxide Dismutase, Water Pollutants, Chemical, Roxithromycin, Microalgae

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