Molecular insights into anammox inhibition induced by environmentally relevant sulfamonomethoxine and functional...

Antibiotics contaminants, such as sulfamonomethoxine (SMM) pose significant environmental risks to biological wastewater treatment systems. This study systematically investigated the dose effects of SMM (0-500 μg/L) on anaerobic ammonium oxidation performance and evaluated the efficacy of voltage stimulation as a recovery strategy. Metabolomic profiling revealed that 10 μg/L SMM induced adaptive responses by promoting polysaccharide/lipid secretion. High SMM (≥100 μg/L) overwhelmed these defenses, inhibited the synthesis of essential amino acids and cofactors and ultimately degraded microbial communities by suppressing synthesis of purines and pyrimidines. Voltage stimulation (0.3-1.5 V) significantly shortened the recovery time by over one week by stabilizing membrane structures, promoting Heme c synthesis, and enhancing purine, pyrimidine, and amino acid metabolism. These findings highlight the severe inhibitory effects of SMM and demonstrate the potential of voltage stimulation as a promising strategy to mitigate antibiotic-induced disruptions, providing valuable insights for enhancing the resilience of wastewater treatment technologies.