Microbial degradation of sulfamethoxazole in the environment

Sulfamethoxazole (SMX) is one of the most widely applied sulfonamide antibiotics in the world, which is becoming a ubiquitous pollutant in the environment. In this mini-review, the microbial degradation of SMX was briefly reviewed. The performance of the conventional wastewater treatment plants in removing SMX was provided. The microorganisms capable of degrading SMX, including mixed cultures and pure cultures, were presented. The effects of environmental conditions such as temperature, pH, initial SMX concentration, and additional carbon sources on the biodegradation of SMX were discussed. The metabolic pathways of SMX degradation were summarized. Finally, the suggestions were made for further studies.