Solar Photocatalysis Applications to Antibiotic Degradation in Aquatic Systems

Abstract

Contaminant such as pesticides, veterinary products, industrial compounds, food additives, personal care products, and pharmaceuticals may cause a negative effect when comes into contact with the environment. The presence of these compounds can be generated toxic effects in the aquatic system and cause an irreparable ecological alteration. Antibiotic compounds are one of the main pollutants found in the aquatic systems, because they are often inadequately prescribed and as a part of antibiotics is not completely consumed or degraded in human and animal bodies. Their residues can be entered in aquatic systems by wastewater treatment plants. The presences of antibiotics in aquatic systems have been linked to increasing microorganism antibiotic resistance through different mutations. Advanced oxidation processes have been proposed for the treatment of antibiotic in aqueous systems, including solar photocatalysis. Several parameters are necessary to take into account in solar photocatalysis treatment to eliminate antibiotics, since these compounds display different physicochemical and biological properties. This chapter discusses the effect of parameters and pathways (transformation products) of solar photocatalysis of antibiotic groups usually found in aquatic systems as macrolides, sulfones, lincosamides, and quinolone.