Radiolysis of selected antibiotics and their toxic effects on various aquatic organisms

This study was conducted to investigate the decomposition of three gamma-irradiated antibiotics (e.g., tetracycline, sulfamethazine, and lincomycin) and to compare the toxic effects on Daphnia magna, Vibrio fischeri, and Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata. The median cell growth inhibition concentrations (IC50) of tetracycline, lincomycin, and sulfamethazine for P. subcapitata dramatically increased (e.g., toxicity decreased) after radiolysis. The results demonstrated that gamma-radiation treatment was efficient to decompose antibiotics and thereby their toxicity on P. subcaptitata remarkably decreased due to reduced parent compounds. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.