Pond algae can digest antibiotics polluting wastewater
Sethanunt O, Selwe KP, Jeanmard L, Sallach JB, Chong JPJ
Phytoremediation
The algae blooming in retention ponds and treatment wetlands near you may be quietly filtering out drug residues that would otherwise flow into local streams and groundwater.
Scientists tested whether a fast-growing green algae called Chlorella sorokiniana could clean antibiotics out of water. When given one antibiotic at a time, the algae broke down almost all of a drug called metronidazole and made a real dent in two others. But when all three antibiotics were mixed together, the algae struggled much more, removing far less of each one. The algae also soaked up excess nitrogen and phosphorus from the water, showing it could do double duty cleaning up both drug residue and nutrient pollution.
Key Findings
Alone, C. sorokiniana removed 98.8% of metronidazole, 52% of trimethoprim, and 36.2% of sulfamethoxazole over 21 days.
In a mixture of all three antibiotics, removal dropped sharply to 31.6% (metronidazole), 25.4% (trimethoprim), and 34.5% (sulfamethoxazole).
The algae also cut chemical oxygen demand and lowered nitrate, ammonium, and phosphate levels in the growth medium, pointing to combined pollutant and nutrient cleanup potential.
chevron_right Technical Summary
A common green microalga can break down antibiotics found in contaminated wastewater, clearing up to 99% of one drug when dosed alone, though a mix of multiple antibiotics together is much harder for it to clean up.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Removal of antibiotics metronidazole, sulfamethoxazole, and trimethoprim by the green microalga Chlorella sorokiniana, and assessment of their biotransformation products.
Antibiotic consumption for human and animal health is increasing. This results in significant quantities of antibiotics remaining unmetabolized, entering wastewater and contaminating aquatic enviro...
open_in_new Read full abstractAbstract copyright held by the original publisher.
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Chlorella is a genus of about thirteen species of single-celled or colonial green algae of the division Chlorophyta. The cells are spherical in shape, about 2 to 10 μm in diameter, and are without flagella. Their chloroplasts contain the green photosynthetic pigments chlorophyll-a and -b. In idea...