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Removal of Penicillin G and Erythromycin with Ionizing Radiation Followed by Biological Treatment

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Abstract

The decomposition of penicillin G and erythromycin antibiotics at concentration of 0.2 mg ml−1 by gamma irradiation at 50 kGy followed by biological treatment with Cupriavidus metallidurans CH34 was evaluated. Degradation of penicillin G and erythromycin was analyzed using nuclear magnetic resonance analysis (NMR), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and chemical oxygen demand (COD). The exposure to the absorbed dose of 50 kGy caused degradation of penicillin G and erythromycin in the aqueous solution. The complete disappearance of NMR and FTIR peaks following irradiation confirmed the breakage of the β-lactam ring in penicillin G, and the decarboxylation and cleavage of the thiazolidine ring and for erythromycin, the complete destruction of the three aromatic rings. Irradiation alone removed 52.8 and 65.5 % of penicillin G and erythromycin, respectively. Further reduction to 12.6 and 14 % of the original penicillin G and erythromycin COD, respectively, was achieved using treatment of the irradiation products with C. metallidurans.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Tunisian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research for supporting this work. We thank Mr Zied Trabelsi for his assistance on the gamma irradiator facility.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Biotechnology and Nuclear Technology, National Centre for Nuclear Science and Technology (CNSTN), Sidi Thabet Technopark, 2020, Ariana, Tunisia

    Issam Ben Salem & Mouldi Saidi

  2. Methods and Analysis Techniques Laboratory LR 10 INRAP 03, National Institute of Research and Physicochemical Analysis, 2020, Sidi Thabet, Tunisia

    Mohamed Mezni

  3. Laboratory of Natural Substances, National Institute of Research and Physico-chemical Analyses, Biotechnopole of Sidi Thabet, 2020, Ariana, Tunisia

    Abdennacer Boulila

  4. Laboratory of Microbial Ecology and Technology LETMi-05ES08, National Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology, BP 676, 1080, Ariana, Tunisia

    Mokhtar Hamdi

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  1. Issam Ben Salem
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  2. Mohamed Mezni
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  3. Abdennacer Boulila
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  4. Mokhtar Hamdi
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  5. Mouldi Saidi
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Correspondence to Issam Ben Salem.

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Ben Salem, I., Mezni, M., Boulila, A. et al. Removal of Penicillin G and Erythromycin with Ionizing Radiation Followed by Biological Treatment. Curr Microbiol 73, 582–586 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-016-1097-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-016-1097-6

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