Wastewater‐treatment plants (WWTPs) are regarded as one of the main sources of antibiotics in the environment. In the present study, the concentrations of multiple antibiotics and their metabolites belonging to 5 antibiotic classes were determined in 3 major Finnish WWTPs. An online solid phase extraction–liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method was used for the extraction and analysis of the compounds. The method was fully validated using real and synthetic wastewaters. Seven antibiotics and 3 metabolites were found in the analyzed samples. Sulfonamides were removed most efficiently, whereas macrolides usually showed negative removal efficiency during the treatment, which means that the concentrations for individual antibiotics determined in the effluent samples were higher than in the influent samples. Sulfadiazine was found at concentrations up to 1018 ng/L, which was the highest concentration of any of the detected antibiotics in influent. In the effluent samples, the highest mean concentration was found for trimethoprim (532 ng/L). The measured mass loads of the antibiotics and metabolites to the receiving waters ranged from 2 to 157 mg/d per 1000 population equivalent. The evaluated environmental risk assessment showed that clarithromycin and erythromycin might pose a risk to the environment. The present study further underlines the importance of implementing technology for efficient removal of xenobiotics during wastewater treatment. Environ Toxicol Chem 2020;39:1774–1789. © 2020 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.

中文翻译：

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芬兰3个主要废水处理厂的进水和出水中存在抗生素。

废水处理厂（WWTP）被视为环境中抗生素的主要来源之一。在本研究中，在3个主要的芬兰污水处理厂中确定了属于5种抗生素类别的多种抗生素及其代谢产物的浓度。在线固相萃取-液相色谱-串联质谱法用于化合物的萃取和分析。该方法已使用实际废水和合成废水进行了充分验证。在分析的样品中发现了7种抗生素和3种代谢物。磺酰胺的去除效率最高，而大环内酯类药物在处理过程中通常显示出负去除效率，这意味着流出样品中确定的单个抗生素浓度高于流入样品中的浓度。磺胺嘧啶的浓度高达1018 ng / L，是进水中检测到的所有抗生素中最高的浓度。在废水样品中，甲氧苄氨嘧啶的最高平均浓度为532 ng / L。每千人口当量测得的抗生素和代谢产物在接收水中的质量负荷为2至157 mg / d。评估的环境风险评估表明，克拉霉素和红霉素可能对环境构成风险。本研究进一步强调了在废水处理过程中实施有效去除异种生物的技术的重要性。每千人口当量测得的抗生素和代谢产物在接收水中的质量负荷为2至157 mg / d。评估的环境风险评估表明，克拉霉素和红霉素可能对环境构成风险。本研究进一步强调了在废水处理过程中实施有效去除异种生物的技术的重要性。每千人口当量测得的抗生素和代谢产物到接收水的质量负荷为2至157 mg / d。评估的环境风险评估表明，克拉霉素和红霉素可能对环境构成风险。本研究进一步强调了在废水处理过程中实施有效去除异种生物的技术的重要性。2020年《环境毒理学》； 39：1774-1789。©2020作者。Wiley Periodicals LLC代表SETAC发布的《环境毒理学和化学》。