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Biodegradation of sulfamethoxazole: current knowledge and perspectives

Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology volume 96, pages 309–318 (2012)Cite this article

Abstract

Antibiotic compounds, like sulfamethoxazole (SMX), have become a concern in the aquatic environment due to the potential development of antibacterial resistances. Due to extensive consumption, excretion and disposal, SMX has been frequently detected in wastewaters and surface waters. This has led to numerous studies investigating the nature of SMX, with many researchers focusing on the biodegradation and persistence of SMX during wastewater treatment and in the environment. This review provides a summary of recent developments, outlines the discrepancies in observations and results, and demonstrates the need for further research to determine optimal biological removal strategies for SMX and other antibiotics.

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  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, McGill University, 3610 University Street, Montréal, QC, Canada, H3A 2B2

    Simone Larcher & Viviane Yargeau

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  1. Simone Larcher
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  2. Viviane Yargeau
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Correspondence to Viviane Yargeau.

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Larcher, S., Yargeau, V. Biodegradation of sulfamethoxazole: current knowledge and perspectives. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 96, 309–318 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-012-4326-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-012-4326-3

Keywords

  • Sulfamethoxazole (SMX)
  • Biodegradation
  • Antibiotic
  • Wastewater
  • Metabolites
  • Environment