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Unveiling Impact of Polyamide Microplastics on Ceftiofur Sodium Migration in Porous Media: Experimental and Modeling Insights
Summary
Laboratory experiments showed that polyamide microplastics in soil slow the movement of the antibiotic ceftiofur sodium through porous ground layers, retaining more of the drug as microplastic concentrations increase. This matters because microplastics could extend the persistence of antibiotics in agricultural soils, potentially worsening antibiotic resistance in soil microbes and groundwater.
Polyamide (PA) and cephalosporin, specifically ceftiofur sodium (CTFS), are commonly found in soil environments. The impact of microplastics on the transport of cephalosporin cannot be disregarded due to their surface hydrophobicity and large specific surface area. This study investigates the influence of PA microplastics on the transport of CTFS in porous media through a combination of experimental and numerical modeling approaches, investigating how environmental factors affect CTFS transport. The adsorption of CTFS on PA is inversely correlated with the increase in ionic strength, specifically with the presence of Na+, Ca2+ and Ba2+ ions. This suggests a significant impact of ionic strength on the adsorption process. Experimental findings indicate that higher mass fractions of PA result in greater retention of CTFS within the columns. Conversely, elevated flow velocities and initial CTFS concentrations facilitate the migration of CTFS in PA-silica sand (SS) mixed porous media. Additionally, the migration of CTFS is modeled using the advection–dispersion equation (ADE) with first-order kinetics, yielding a coefficient of determination (R2) exceeding 0.95. Subsequently, the correlation between kinetic parameters of CTFS and various environmental factors such as PA%, flow velocity, initial concentration, and ionic types and strengths is determined. These results contribute to a deeper understanding of the environmental interactions between microplastic particles and antibiotics within porous media, and offer a scientific foundation for precise forecasting and evaluation of the environmental hazards posed by microplastic contamination in soil-groundwater system.