title: Co-metabolic oxidation of pharmaceutical compounds by a nitrifying bacterial enrichment.
abstract: The biotransformation of five selected pharmaceuticals ibuprofen (IBP), ketoprofen (KTP), carbamazepine (CBZ), dexamethasone (DXM) and iopromide (IOP) by a stable nitrifying enrichment culture was investigated at concentrations ranging between 25 μg/L and 2mg/L. Complete biotransformation was observed only for IBP and KTP, although, an inverse correlation between transformation rate and concentration was found. The transformation pattern observed is consistent with ammonia monooxygenase (AMO) activity. The metabolic succession of the compounds according to the biotransformation rates was: IBP>KTP>DXM>CBZ>IOP. A linear correlation between the calculated diffusive flux of the model compounds across a bilayer membrane and their biotransformation rates was found. Our results support the concept that augmentation with nitrifying activity can enhance the removal of trace organic pollutants during effluent treatment. Furthermore, ammonia-oxidizing activity appears as a good indicator for estimation of potential of biodegradability of pharmaceuticals, especially at low concentrations.
authors.affiliation: Civil and Environmental Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.
authors.forename: Anwar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dawas-Massalha
authors.affiliation: Civil and Environmental Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.
authors.forename: Shirra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gur-Reznik
authors.affiliation: Civil and Environmental Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.
authors.forename: Sofia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lerman
authors.affiliation: The Galilee Society Research & Development Center, Shefa-Amr, Israel; Braude College for Engineering, Karmiel, Israel.
authors.forename: Isam
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sabbah
authors.affiliation: Civil and Environmental Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel. Electronic address: carlosd@tx.technion.ac.il.
authors.forename: Carlos G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Dosoretz
mesh_terms: D064751:Ammonium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental / Q000187:drug effects; D001711:Biotransformation / Q000187:drug effects; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004058:Diffusion; D007052:Ibuprofen / Q000378:metabolism; D007660:Ketoprofen / Q000378:metabolism; D007700:Kinetics; D058465:Nitrification / Q000187:drug effects; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction / Q000187:drug effects; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D064751:Ammonium Compounds; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D007660:Ketoprofen; D007052:Ibuprofen
keywords: Ammonia monooxygenase; Ammonia oxidizing bacteria; Co-metabolism; Pharmaceuticals biodegradation