Thangrongthong Suppasin, Ladda Boonyarut, Sittisom Prattakorn
Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Srinakharinwirot University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Water Environ Res. 2025 Jul;97(7):e70118. doi: 10.1002/wer.70118.
Antibiotic contamination in water sources is a pressing environmental concern, as it fosters the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and disrupts ecological balance. This review explores major sources of antibiotic pollution, including municipal and hospital wastewater, pharmaceutical industry effluents, and livestock farm runoff. It also examines the impacts of antibiotic residues on human health and aquatic ecosystems. Microbial bioremediation using bacteria, fungi, and algae has emerged as a promising solution for degrading or transforming antibiotics into less harmful compounds through enzymatic and metabolic pathways. Additionally, advanced treatment technologies such as activated sludge, moving bed biofilm reactors, membrane bioreactors, sequencing batch reactors, constructed wetlands, and microbial fuel cells, along with genetic tools like engineered microorganisms and CRISPR-Cas9, have shown potential to enhance remediation efficiency. Integrating biological, physical, and chemical processes further improves treatment outcomes. This study provides insights into the mechanisms, environmental impacts, and mitigation strategies related to antibiotic contamination, supporting the development of sustainable technologies and improved wastewater management practices. SUMMARY: The contamination of water sources with antibiotics is a major environmental issue that can impact ecosystems and the health of living organisms. Wastewater from communities, hospitals, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and the livestock sector is a major source of antibiotic contamination in water sources. The contamination of water sources with antibiotics impacts human health and aquatic life, including microorganisms, aquatic animals, and algae. Antibiotic remediation in water sources can be achieved through the bioremediation process, utilizing microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, and algae. Advanced treatment technologies can be integrated with microbial bioremediation processes to enhance the efficiency of antibiotic removal from contaminated water sources.
水源中的抗生素污染是一个紧迫的环境问题，因为它助长了抗生素耐药菌的出现并破坏了生态平衡。本综述探讨了抗生素污染的主要来源，包括市政和医院废水、制药工业废水以及畜牧场径流。它还研究了抗生素残留对人类健康和水生生态系统的影响。利用细菌、真菌和藻类进行的微生物生物修复已成为一种有前景的解决方案，可通过酶促和代谢途径将抗生素降解或转化为危害较小的化合物。此外，活性污泥、移动床生物膜反应器、膜生物反应器、序批式反应器、人工湿地和微生物燃料电池等先进处理技术，以及工程微生物和CRISPR-Cas9等基因工具，已显示出提高修复效率的潜力。整合生物、物理和化学过程可进一步改善处理效果。本研究深入探讨了与抗生素污染相关的机制、环境影响和缓解策略，支持可持续技术的开发和改进废水管理实践。总结：水源被抗生素污染是一个重大环境问题，会影响生态系统和生物的健康。社区、医院、制药生产和畜牧部门的废水是水源中抗生素污染的主要来源。水源被抗生素污染会影响人类健康和水生生物，包括微生物、水生动物和藻类。水源中的抗生素修复可通过生物修复过程实现，利用细菌、真菌和藻类等微生物。先进处理技术可与微生物生物修复过程相结合，以提高从受污染水源中去除抗生素的效率。
