Enhanced Degradation of Ciprofloxacin in Floating Treatment Wetlands Augmented with Bacterial Cells Immobilized on Iron Oxide Nanoparticles

Antibiotic contamination of water is an emerging global issue with severe implications for both public health and the environment. Ciprofloxacin (CIP) is a synthetic fluoroquinolone antibiotic, which is broadly used in human and veterinary medicines around the world to treat various bacterial infections. The presence of CIP in the aquatic environment poses serious health problems to human beings and other living entities. Floating treatment wetland (FTW) is a low-cost and eco-friendly wastewater remediation technology. In the current study, the Canna indica. (Indian shot) was vegetated in a floatable mat to develop FTWs. A consortium of three bacterial strains, Acinetobacter lwoffii ACRH76, Bacillus pumulis C2A1, and Acinetobacter sp. HN3, was immobilized on iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe3O4-NPs) and augmented in the FTWs for the remediation of CIP-contaminated (100 mg/L) water. The augmentation of bacteria (immobilized or free) in the FTWs significantly enhanced the removal of CIP from water. The maximum reduction in CIP (98%), chemical oxygen demand (COD; 90%), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD; 93%) and total organic carbon (TOC; 95%) was observed in FTWs that had Fe3O4-NP supported bacteria. This study reveals that FTWs have a great potential to remove the CIP from contaminated water, albeit its CIP removal efficiency was substantially enhanced by augmentation with Fe3O4-NPs supported bacteria.