Abstract
In Vietnam's coastal wetlands, fluoroquinolones, a widely used class of antibiotics in shrimp farming, are frequently detected in sediments of former shrimp farms. This phenomenon could lead to negative impacts on the aquatic ecosystem, since the antibiotic residues could induce changes in the microorganism communities of the water body. The potential of native wetland plants (Acrostichum aureum L. and Rhizophora apiculata Blume Fl. Javae) for phytoremediation of fluoroquinolones (ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin) was investigated. The half-life for each antibiotic was estimated at approximately 10 days in the planted sediment. With respect to the accumulation of ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin in plants, these antibiotics were found mainly in roots. Antibiotic translocation from root to stem and leaves occurred at a low rate. The results showed that A. aureum and R. apiculata can be valuable for the phytoremediation of antibiotic-contaminated sediments. Additionally, the initial findings of the presence of resistant bacteria indicated that bacteria could play a role in facilitating the phytodegradation.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This research was supported by Vietnam's National Foundation for Science and Technology Development (NAFOSTED), Project 105.09.30.09. The authors would like to thank Prof. Lewis Hinchman and Dr. Luu Trong Tuan for editing the English manuscript; MSc. Truong Lam Son Hai, Ms. Nguyen Nhu Ha Vy and MSc. Nguyen Hong Tuyet for their laboratory assistance.