Exploring the efficiency of tide flow constructed wetlands for treating mariculture wastewater: A comprehensive study on antibiotic removal mechanism under salinity stress

Yangyang Deng; Wen Liu; Nguyen Thuong Thi; Hong J Di; Yingli Lian; Jiewen Yang; Dan A; Rongliang Qiu

doi:10.1016/j.watres.2024.121738

Exploring the efficiency of tide flow constructed wetlands for treating mariculture wastewater: A comprehensive study on antibiotic removal mechanism under salinity stress

Water Res. 2024 May 5:258:121738. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121738. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Yangyang Deng¹, Wen Liu², Nguyen Thuong Thi³, Hong J Di⁴, Yingli Lian⁵, Jiewen Yang², Dan A⁶, Rongliang Qiu⁷

Affiliations

¹ Guangdong Provincial Engineering and Technology Research Center for Agricultural Land Pollution Prevention and Control, College of Resources and Environment, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, 510225, China; Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agricultural & Rural Pollution Abatement and Environmental Safety, College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
² Guangdong Provincial Engineering and Technology Research Center for Agricultural Land Pollution Prevention and Control, College of Resources and Environment, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, 510225, China.
³ Asia-Japan Research Institute, Ritsumeikan University, Kusatsu 525-8577, Shiga, Japan.
⁴ Centre for Soil and Environmental Research, Lincoln University, Lincoln, 7647 Christchurch, New Zealand.
⁵ Key Laboratory of Microecological Resources and Utilization in Breeding Industry, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Haid Group CO., Ltd, Guangzhou, 511450, China.
⁶ Guangdong Provincial Engineering and Technology Research Center for Agricultural Land Pollution Prevention and Control, College of Resources and Environment, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, 510225, China; Centre for Soil and Environmental Research, Lincoln University, Lincoln, 7647 Christchurch, New Zealand. Electronic address: adan@zhku.edu.cn.
⁷ Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agricultural & Rural Pollution Abatement and Environmental Safety, College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.

PMID: 38749184
DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121738

Abstract

Antibiotic residues in aquaculture environment pose persistent threats to ecology and human health, exacerbated by salt-alkali mariculture wastewater. Yet, little is known about antibiotic removal in tidal flow constructed wetlands (TFCWs) under salinity stress, especially considering TFCW constitution, configuration, and influent water characteristics. Here, the removal performance and mechanism of different TFCWs for sulfonamide antibiotics (SAs: sulfadiazine, sulfamethazine, sulfamonomethoxine, and sulfamethoxazole) and trimethoprim (TMP) from mariculture wastewater (with low, medium, and high salinity) were evaluated alongside comparisons of environmental factors and microbial responses. Results showed substantial reduction in alkalinity (from 8.25-8.26 to 7.65-8.18), salinity (from 3.67-11.30 ppt to 3.20-10.79 ppt), and SAs concentrations (from 7.79-15.46 mg/L to 0.25-10.00 mg/L) for mariculture wastewater using TFCWs. Zeolite and yellow flag configurations exhibited superior performance in SAs removal from mariculture wastewater. Furthermore, the salt-alkali neutralization and oxygen transport capabilities of zeolite, along with the salt-alkali tolerance and biofilm formation characteristics of yellow flag, promoted the development of a biofilm in the rhizosphere dominated by oxidative stress tolerance and facultative anaerobic traits, thereby improving the TFCW microenvironment. Consequently, aerobic (Sulfuritalea and Enterobacter) and salt-tolerant (Pseudomonas) functional bacteria involved in antibiotic degradation were selectively enriched in the zeolite- and yellow flag-TFCWs, contributing to the effective biodegradation of SAs (achieving removal efficiency of 92-97 %). Besides, the high salt-alkali levels of mariculture wastewater and the strong oxygen-enriched capacity of the TFCWs not only enhanced the aerobic oxidation reaction of SAs, but also bidirectionally inhibited the substrate adsorption and anaerobic reduction process of TMP. These findings address a critical gap by investigating the efficacy of TFCWs in removing antibiotics from mariculture wastewater under various salinity conditions, providing essential insights for optimizing wetland design and improving wastewater management in mariculture environments.

Keywords: Mariculture wastewater; Microbial response; Salinity stress; Tidal flow constructed wetlands; Veterinary antibiotics.