Urban wastewater is one of main sources for the introduction of antibiotics into the environment. Monitoring the concentrations of antibiotics in wastewater is necessary for estimating the amount of antibiotics discharged into the environment through urban wastewater treatment systems. In this study, we report a novel diffusive gradient in thin films (DGT) method based on molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) for in situ measurement of two typical antibiotics, fluoroquinolones (FQs) and sulfonamides (SAs) in urban wastewater. MIPs show specific adsorption toward their templates and their structural analogs, resulting in the selective uptake of the two target antibiotics during MIP-DGT deployment. The uptake performance of the MIP-DGTs was evaluated in the laboratory and was relatively independent of solution pH (4.0–9.0), ionic strength (1–750 mmol/L), and dissolved organic matter (DOM, 0–20 mg/L). MIP-DGT samplers were tested in the effluent of an urban wastewater treatment plant for field trials, where three SA (sulfamethoxazole, sulfapyridine, and trimethoprim) and one FQ (ofloxacin) antibiotics were detected, with concentrations ranging from 25.50 to 117.58 ng/L, which are consistent with the results measured by grab sampling. The total removal efficiency of the antibiotics was 80.1% by the treatment plant. This study demonstrates that MIP-DGT is an effective tool for in situ monitoring of trace antibiotics in complex urban wastewaters.

城市废水是将抗生素引入环境的主要来源之一。监测废水中抗生素的浓度对于估算通过城市废水处理系统排放到环境中的抗生素的数量是必要的。在这项研究中，我们报告了一种基于分子印迹聚合物（MIP）的新颖的薄膜扩散梯度（DGT）方法，用于现场测量城市废水中的两种典型抗生素，氟喹诺酮（FQs）和磺酰胺（SAs）。MIP对模板及其结构类似物表现出特异性吸附，从而导致在MIP-DGT部署过程中选择性吸收两种目标抗生素。在实验室评估了MIP-DGT的吸收性能，并且与溶液的pH值（4.0-9.0）相对独立，离子强度（1-750 mmol / L）和溶解的有机物（DOM，0-20 mg / L）。在城市污水处理厂的废水中对MIP-DGT采样器进行了现场试验，其中检测到三种SA（磺胺甲恶唑，磺胺吡啶和甲氧苄啶）和一种FQ（氧氟沙星）抗生素，浓度范围为25.50至117.58 ng / L。 ，与通过抓取抽样测得的结果一致。处理厂对抗生素的总去除效率为80.1％。这项研究表明，MIP-DGT是用于现场监测复杂城市废水中痕量抗生素的有效工具。和甲氧苄啶）和一种FQ（氧氟沙星）抗生素被检测到，浓度范围为25.50至117.58 ng / L，与通过抓取采样测得的结果一致。处理厂对抗生素的总去除效率为80.1％。这项研究表明，MIP-DGT是用于现场监测复杂城市废水中痕量抗生素的有效工具。和甲氧苄啶）和一种FQ（氧氟沙星）抗生素被检测到，浓度范围为25.50至117.58 ng / L，与通过抓取采样测得的结果一致。处理厂对抗生素的总去除效率为80.1％。这项研究表明，MIP-DGT是用于现场监测复杂城市废水中痕量抗生素的有效工具。