Micro-nano bubbles enhanced immobilized Chlorella vulgaris to remove ofloxacin from groundwater

The phenomenon of antibiotic pollution has emerged as a significant global environmental concern. However, there is a lack of technical research on the effective removal of antibiotics based on the characteristics of the groundwater environment. This paper used micro-nano bubbles (MNBs) enhanced immobilized Chlorella technology to remove ofloxacin (OFLX) from groundwater. The study discussed the impact of initial antibiotic concentration (5-30 mg/mL), algae concentration (0.25-4 bead/mL), aeration time (5-30 min), and coexisting ions on the antibiotic removal rate and analyzed the removal mechanism by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The results showed that MNBs increased Chlorella vulgaris biomass by 2.48 times and significantly improved OFLX removal efficiency. The removal rate of OFLX exhibited a significant positive correlation with the algal concentration and coexisting ions and a significant negative correlation with the aeration time and the initial concentration of antibiotics. Enhanced immobilization of Chlorella vulgaris by MNBs for OFLX removal may involve -NH, -OH, -C=O, -CH₂, and -C-O-C groups. Degradation (including biodegradation and non-biodegradation) is the primary mechanism of antibiotic removal. Overall, intensive immobilization of Chlorella by MNBs promises to be a technically feasible method for removing antibiotics from groundwater.