Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

Transformation of sulfadiazine in humic acid and polystyrene microplastics solution by horseradish peroxidase coupled with 1-hydroxybenzotriazole

Researchers found that polystyrene microplastics in solution inhibited an enzyme-based system designed to break down the antibiotic sulfadiazine. The microplastics competed with the antibiotic for enzyme binding sites, reducing treatment efficiency — a concern for biological water treatment processes dealing with pharmaceutical contamination.

2020 Chemosphere 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Efficient tetracycline hydrochloride degradation via peroxymonosulfate activation by N doped coagulated sludge based biochar: Insights on the nonradical pathway

Researchers found a way to repurpose waste sludge from microplastic removal processes by converting it into a nitrogen-doped carbon material that can break down the antibiotic tetracycline in water. The recycled material performed well across a wide pH range and worked primarily through a nonradical pathway to degrade the antibiotic. The study offers a dual benefit approach that addresses both microplastic waste management and antibiotic contamination in water systems.

2024 Environmental Research 5 citations
Article Tier 2

The Photocatalytic Degradation of Enrofloxacin Using an Ecofriendly Natural Iron Mineral: The Relationship Between the Degradation Routes, Generated Byproducts, and Antimicrobial Activity of Treated Solutions

This paper is not relevant to microplastics research; it investigates the photocatalytic degradation of the antibiotic enrofloxacin in water using a natural iron mineral, focusing on pharmaceutical contamination rather than plastic particles.

2024 Molecules 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Humic acid enhances adsorption of antibiotic ciprofloxacin on polylactic acid microplastics, leading to reproductive and mitochondrial toxicity in Daphnia magna: Quantitative analysis

Researchers found that humic acid, a common natural organic compound in freshwater, significantly enhanced the adsorption of the antibiotic ciprofloxacin onto polylactic acid microplastics. This combination caused greater reproductive harm and mitochondrial DNA damage in water fleas (Daphnia magna) than exposure to the microplastics or antibiotic alone. The study highlights that even biodegradable microplastics can amplify the ecological toxicity of environmental pollutants when natural organic matter is present.

2025 Aquatic Toxicology 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Norfloxacin removal by ultraviolet-activated sodium percarbonate and sodium hypochlorite: process optimization and anion effect

This paper is not about microplastics; it evaluates UV-activated chemical processes for removing the antibiotic norfloxacin from water.

2023 Water Science & Technology 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Roles of microplastic-derived dissolved organic matter on the photodegradation of organic micropollutants

Researchers discovered that dissolved organic matter released from weathered microplastics significantly inhibits the photodegradation of the antibiotic sulfamethoxazole in water, primarily through light screening effects, suggesting microplastic pollution may slow the natural breakdown of pharmaceutical contaminants.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials 120 citations
Article Tier 2

The fate and risk of microplastic and antibiotic sulfamethoxazole coexisting in the environment

Researchers investigated sulfamethoxazole antibiotic adsorption onto polyamide microplastics and found that pH significantly influenced uptake, with adsorbed antibiotics more readily released in natural water than ultrapure water, posing environmental risks.

2022 Environmental Geochemistry and Health 29 citations
Article Tier 2

The effects of environmental conditions on the enrichment of antibiotics on microplastics in simulated natural water column

Researchers investigated how environmental ageing conditions affect the ability of microplastics to adsorb the antibiotic tetracycline, finding that pH, ionic strength, and temperature had little effect, but humic acid significantly reduced adsorption capacity. The reduction was attributed to humic acid covering plastic surfaces, altering hydrophobicity, and competing for adsorption sites via electrostatic repulsion.

2018 Environmental Research 121 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of microplastics on tertiary/quaternary treatment of urban wastewater: Fe-biochar/peroxymonosulfate/sunlight vs solar photo-Fenton

Researchers evaluated how microplastics present in secondary-treated urban wastewater affect the degradation of four pharmaceutical micropollutants and the inactivation of antibiotic-resistant E. coli using two advanced oxidation processes. Microplastics were found to influence the performance of both iron-modified biochar/peroxymonosulfate and solar photo-Fenton treatments.

2025 Journal of Environmental Management 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of co-loading of polyethylene microplastics and ciprofloxacin on the antibiotic degradation efficiency and microbial community structure in soil

Researchers studied how polyethylene microplastics and the antibiotic ciprofloxacin together affect soil microbial communities and antibiotic degradation. The study found that co-loading of microplastics with antibiotics altered microbial community structure and affected the rate of antibiotic degradation in soil, suggesting microplastic contamination may influence how soils process pharmaceutical pollutants.

2020 The Science of The Total Environment 142 citations
Article Tier 2

Impacts of microplastic decomposition using heat-activated persulfate on antibiotic adsorption and environmental toxicity

Researchers found that when polyamide (nylon) microplastics were broken down using a chemical treatment called heat-activated persulfate, the roughened plastic surfaces actually absorbed more antibiotics from the water. While the treatment itself showed some promise for degrading microplastics, the treated water had negative effects on seed germination and marine organisms at higher concentrations. This highlights how microplastic cleanup methods need careful evaluation to avoid creating new environmental problems.

2024 Marine Pollution Bulletin 12 citations
Article Tier 2

The impact of dissolved organic matter on the photodegradation of tetracycline in the presence of microplastics

Researchers investigated how dissolved organic matter affects the photodegradation of the antibiotic tetracycline in the presence of polystyrene microplastics under simulated sunlight. The study found that both dissolved organic matter and microplastics enhanced tetracycline breakdown, but humic acid had the most pronounced accelerating effect regardless of whether microplastics were present.

2023 Chemosphere 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Influence of microplastics and environmentally persistent free radicals on the ability of biochar components to promote degradation of antibiotics by activated peroxymonosulfate

Researchers investigated how microplastics and environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) together influence the activity of soil enzymes, finding that combined exposure produced greater inhibition of dehydrogenase and urease activity than either contaminant alone. The results indicate EPFRs can amplify the toxic effects of microplastics on soil microbial processes.

2024 Environmental Pollution 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Adsorption interactions between typical microplastics and enrofloxacin: Relevant contributions to the mechanism

This study investigated how common microplastics (polyethylene, PVC, and polystyrene) absorb the antibiotic enrofloxacin from the environment. The researchers found that microplastics can effectively bind antibiotics through multiple chemical mechanisms, with the strength of binding depending on water conditions like acidity. This is concerning because microplastics carrying antibiotics could transport them into the food chain, potentially contributing to antibiotic resistance and affecting human health.

2024 Chemosphere 65 citations
Article Tier 2

Enhanced the interaction of biodegradable microplastics with tetracycline by persulfate oxidation process

Researchers studied how persulfate-based oxidation processes affect the adsorption of tetracycline onto biodegradable microplastics, finding that oxidative treatment altered the surface chemistry of the plastics and significantly enhanced their ability to bind this common antibiotic.

2025 Environmental Technology 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Characterization of microplastics and their interaction with antibiotics in wastewater

Researchers characterized microplastics in wastewater and investigated their interactions with antibiotics, examining how microplastic surfaces adsorb antibiotic compounds and the implications for antibiotic transport and dissemination in wastewater treatment systems.

2025 e_Buah
Article Tier 2

Humic acid synergistic bioelectrochemical system for treating high-concentration ammonia nitrogen wastewater enriched with various antibiotics and microplastics

Researchers built a composite-polluted wastewater treatment system containing high-ammonia, multiple antibiotics, and microplastics, and tested whether adding humic acid to a bioelectrochemical reactor improved treatment outcomes. The humic acid-enhanced system achieved superior removal of all three contaminant types compared to the standard bioelectrochemical approach.

2025 Bioresource Technology
Article Tier 2

Current Progress in Natural Degradation and Enhanced Removal Techniques of Antibiotics in the Environment: A Review

This review summarized natural and enhanced techniques for antibiotic degradation in the environment, finding that while natural processes like photolysis and biodegradation are limited, advanced technologies including biological, chemical, and physicochemical methods show promising removal efficiency.

2022 International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 83 citations
Article Tier 2

The occurrence of microplastic in specific organs in commercially caught fishes from coast and estuary area of east China

Researchers studied how polyethylene microplastics interact with the antibiotic ciprofloxacin in aquatic environments and found that the plastic particles can absorb and concentrate the drug on their surface. The adsorption capacity increased with weathering of the plastic, suggesting that aged microplastics in the environment are more effective carriers of pharmaceutical pollutants. The findings raise concerns that microplastics could transport antibiotics through water systems, potentially contributing to antimicrobial resistance.

2018 Journal of Hazardous Materials 453 citations
Article Tier 2

The occurence of pharmaceuticals and other micropollutants in wastewater treatment plant in the aspect of interaction with microplastics

Researchers analysed the occurrence of antibiotics, virucidal, and fungicidal pharmaceuticals in raw and treated sewage at a wastewater treatment plant in southern Poland, examining their removal efficiency and potential interactions with microplastics present in the effluent. The study found that pharmaceutical micropollutants persisted through treatment to varying degrees, raising concerns about combined contamination pathways when microplastics act as co-vectors for these compounds.

2024 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Fluoroquinolones: Fate, effects on the environment and selected removal methods

Researchers review the fate of fluoroquinolone antibiotics — a widely used class of drugs — in water systems, where conventional wastewater treatment fails to fully remove them, creating risks for ecosystems and human health. Advanced removal methods including light-based degradation (photocatalysis), chemical oxidation, and biological breakdown are evaluated for their effectiveness.

2023 Journal of Cleaner Production 83 citations
Article Tier 2

Leveraging Biocatalyst‑H2O2‑Driven Microplastic Degradation: WaterborneMicroplasticBreakdown and Soil Microbial Community Shifts

Researchers developed a biocatalyst-H₂O₂-driven system for degrading microplastics in water, demonstrating that peroxidase enzymes combined with hydrogen peroxide could break down plastic polymer chains under mild conditions and produce less hazardous breakdown products.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Humic substance mitigated the microplastic-induced inhibition of hydroxyl radical production in riparian sediment

Researchers investigated how humic substances mitigate the inhibitory effects of microplastics on hydroxyl radical production during photochemical reactions in water, finding that humic matter partially restored radical generation suppressed by plastic particles. The results suggest natural organic matter plays a protective role in environments where microplastics otherwise dampen oxidative water chemistry.

2024 Journal of Hazardous Materials 6 citations
Article Tier 2

Removal of sulfamethoxazole using Fe-Mn biochar filtration columns: Influence of co-existing polystyrene microplastics

Researchers investigated how polystyrene microplastics affect the removal of the antibiotic sulfamethoxazole using iron-manganese modified biochar filtration columns. They found that the presence of microplastics significantly reduced antibiotic retention due to competitive sorption, with the effect varying depending on water pH. The study highlights that co-occurring microplastics in wastewater can interfere with contaminant removal systems, potentially allowing more antibiotics to pass through treatment processes.

2024 Journal of Cleaner Production 10 citations