Removal of Enrofloxacin using Eichhornia crassipes in microcosm wetlands

Abstract

Abstract The global consumption of antibiotics leads to their possible occurrence in the environment. In this context, nature-based solutions (NBS) can be used to sustainably manage and restore natural and modified ecosystems. In this work, we studied the efficiency of the NBS free-water surface wetlands (FWSWs) using Eichhornia crassipes in microcosm for enrofloxacin removal. We also explored the behavior of enrofloxacin in the system, its accumulation and distribution in plant tissues, the detoxification mechanisms, and the possible effects on plant growth. Enrofloxacin was initially taken up by E. crassipes (first 100 hours) and then it accumulated in the sediment. Removal rates above 94% were obtained in systems with sediment and sediment + E. crassipes. In addition, enrofloxacin was found in leaves, petioles and roots (8.8–23.6 µg, 11-78.3 µg and 10.2–70.7 µg, respectively). Furthermore, enrofloxacin and degradation products were quantified in tissues and chlorosis was observed on days 5 and 9. Finally, the degradation products of enrofloxacin were analyzed, and four possible metabolic pathways of enrofloxacin in E. crassipes were described.