Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 5, 2025

Identification of Pharmaceuticals in The Aquatic Environment Using HPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS and Elimination of Erythromycin Through Photo-Induced Degradation
05:46

Identification of Pharmaceuticals in The Aquatic Environment Using HPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS and Elimination of Erythromycin Through Photo-Induced Degradation

Published on: August 1, 2018

13.2K

Migration, Transformation and Removal of Macrolide Antibiotics in The Environment: A Review

Qingjiang Yuan1, Meiping Sui1, Chengzhi Qin1

  • 1Qingdao Solid Waste Pollution Control and Resource Engineering Research Center, School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao, 266520, China.

Environmental Science and Pollution Research International
|January 24, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Macrolide antibiotics (MAs) are emerging environmental pollutants affecting organisms. This review summarizes their environmental behavior, ecotoxicity, and removal, highlighting research gaps in multiphase migration and cost-effective technologies.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Science
  • Ecotoxicology
  • Environmental Chemistry

Background:

  • Macrolide antibiotics (MAs) are prevalent emerging pollutants in various environmental media.
  • Their presence can disrupt the growth, development, and reproduction of aquatic and terrestrial organisms.
  • Existing research lacks comprehensive reviews on MA occurrence, environmental fate, ecotoxicity, and removal.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To consolidate current knowledge on the environmental occurrence, migration, transformation, and ecotoxicity of MAs.
  • To clarify the removal mechanisms of MAs from the environment.
  • To identify research gaps and propose future directions for MA environmental management.

Main Methods:

  • Comprehensive literature review of existing research on macrolide antibiotics in the environment.
  • Synthesis of data on MA migration and transformation pathways across different environmental compartments.
  • Analysis of ecotoxicity data and summarization of MA removal technologies and mechanisms.

Main Results:

  • Macrolide antibiotics exhibit complex migration and transformation behaviors in soil, water, and sediment.
  • Significant ecotoxicological effects on organisms have been documented, necessitating environmental monitoring.
  • Current removal technologies are often lab-based, with limited understanding of multiphase transport and high costs.

Conclusions:

  • Further research is needed on the multiphase migration and transformation of MAs (e.g., soil-water-sediment interactions).
  • Development of cost-effective and efficient MA removal technologies, including upgrading existing methods, is crucial.
  • This review provides a foundation for understanding MA environmental risks and guiding future remediation strategies.
Keywords:
EcotoxicityEmerging pollutantsMultiphase explorationOccurrence characteristicsRemoval mechanism

More Related Videos

Prospecting Microbial Strains for Bioremediation and Probiotics Development for Metaorganism Research and Preservation09:49

Prospecting Microbial Strains for Bioremediation and Probiotics Development for Metaorganism Research and Preservation

Published on: October 31, 2019

22.6K
Author Spotlight: Understanding and Detecting Environmental Antimicrobial Resistance by Combining Culture-Based Techniques and Genomics06:54

Author Spotlight: Understanding and Detecting Environmental Antimicrobial Resistance by Combining Culture-Based Techniques and Genomics

Published on: July 19, 2024

1.2K

Related Concept Videos

Bioremediation00:46

Bioremediation

Bioremediation is the use of prokaryotes, fungi, or plants to remove pollutants from the environment. This process has been used to remove harmful toxins in groundwater as a byproduct of agricultural run-off and also to clean up oil spills.
20.8K
Environmental Applications of Microorganisms01:30

Environmental Applications of Microorganisms

Microorganisms play a pivotal role in maintaining ecosystem balance by recycling essential elements such as carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, as well as supporting processes like bioremediation, wastewater treatment, and biofuel production.Microbes in Elemental CyclesIn the carbon cycle, microorganisms decompose organic matter, releasing carbon dioxide via aerobic respiration. This carbon dioxide is subsequently used by photosynthetic organisms to synthesize organic compounds, closing the...
389
Drug Biotransformation: Overview01:16

Drug Biotransformation: Overview

Pharmaceutical substances known as xenobiotics are predominantly lipophilic and nonionized. This enables them to permeate lipid bilayers, such as cell membranes, and interact with intracellular target receptors. Lipophilic drugs have an advantage in crossing biological barriers and reaching their intended sites of action. However, lipophilic drugs often have a restricted capacity for renal expulsion or elimination from the body. When these drugs enter the kidneys and undergo glomerular...
3.0K
Development of Antibiotic Resistance01:30

Development of Antibiotic Resistance

Antibiotic resistance is a major public health concern that arises when bacteria evolve mechanisms to withstand the effects of antibiotic treatments. This resistance can be intrinsic, acquired through genetic mutations, or transferred between bacteria via horizontal gene transfer. The development of antibiotic resistance poses significant challenges in treating bacterial infections and necessitates ongoing research to develop new therapeutic strategies.Intrinsic resistance occurs when bacterial...
293
Transformation01:26

Transformation

Microbial communities are dynamic environments where cell lysis releases free DNA into the surroundings. Other cells can take up this extracellular DNA through a process known as transformation.When a cell incorporates this foreign DNA into its genome, resulting in genetic modification, the process is known as transformation. Cells capable of this process are termed competent. Competence can be natural, as observed in certain bacteria and archaea, or artificially induced in the...
201
Biological Methods for Microbial Control01:28

Biological Methods for Microbial Control

Biological agents offer an effective means of controlling microbial growth by leveraging natural processes like predation, competition, and the secretion of antimicrobial substances.Predatory bacteria such as Bdellovibrio species target and kill pathogens like Salmonella and E. coli. They are widely used in poultry farms to control infections. Myxococcus species help combat plant-pathogenic fungi. These naturally occurring predators serve as eco-friendly alternatives to chemical pesticides and...
298