UV filters as a driver of the antibiotic pollution in different water matrices

Antibiotic pollution is frequently detected in fresh waters and wastewaters where they represent an environmental risk for the development of global antibiotic resistance. Due to their excessive use in personal care products, UV filters have also been found to be pseudo-persistent in the aquatic environment. In contrast to antibiotics, which can undergo photodegradation, UV filters are compounds designed to stably absorb UV radiation. This study explored the light based remediation of representative antibiotics from seven classes of antibiotics (fluoroquinolones, tetracyclines, penicillins, macrolide, glycolpeptide, sulphonamides and trimethoprim) in order to assess whether antibiotic pollution persists longer in the presence of organic UV filters. We show that the presence of UV filters either completely supresses or significantly alters the photodegradation of antibiotics in water. Advanced technologies in wastewater treatment, such as the use of UV C radiation, both effectively minimise the effect of UV filters and degrade most of the tested antibiotics proving to be effective management strategy. However, the half-life of erythromycin and amoxicillin, widely used antibiotics from macrolide- and penicillin-like classes, is extended in the presence of UV filters, even during UV C irradiation. Overall, the UV filters present within environmental mixtures are identified as important drivers of mixture toxicity, as they prolong antibiotic contamination of aquatic and engineered environments. The ramification of such finding is that inadequate consideration of UV filters may result in an imperfect prediction of the solar and UV light-based remediation of antibiotics, lead to improper classification of antibiotics persistence in the environment and cause non-optimal chemical fate and transport model performance. Use of the more benign compounds and assessment of the UV filters were identified as feasible management options in minimizing the influence of UV filters onto the remediation of antibiotics in aquatic environments.

Automated summary

Antibiotic pollution in water can persist longer in the presence of organic UV filters, as they can suppress or alter the photodegradation of antibiotics. Advanced technologies like UV C radiation in wastewater treatment effectively minimize the effect of UV filters and degrade most of the tested antibiotics, proving to be an effective management strategy. However, certain widely used antibiotics like erythromycin and amoxicillin may have extended half-lives in the presence of UV filters, even with UV C irradiation.