Aqueous fate of furaltadone: Kinetics, high-resolution mass spectrometry - based elucidation and toxicity assessment of photoproducts

• Published in: The Science of the total environment 2024-04, Vol.919, p.170848-170848, Article 170848
• Main Authors: Efthymiou, Christina, Boti, Vasiliki, Konstantinou, Ioannis, Albanis, Triantafyllos
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Aquatic photochemistry; Frontotemporal Dementia; Furaltadone; Kinetics; LC-LTQ/Orbitrap HRMS; Mass Spectrometry; Nitrofurans; Nitrofurans - analysis; Nitrofurans - chemistry; Oxazolidinones; Photolysis; Phototransformation products; Toxicity assessment; Water - chemistry; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170848

Furaltadone (FTD) is an antibiotic belonging to the nitrofurans group. It has been broadly used in livestock and aquaculture for therapeutic purposes, as well as for stimulating promotion. Although the European Union has imposed restrictions on the use of FTD since 1995 due to concerns regarding its toxicity, in many cases FTD has been excessively and/or illegally applied in productive animals in developing countries, because of its high efficacy and low-cost. Unlike other nitrofuran compounds, the hydrolytic and photolytic behavior of FTD in natural aquatic systems has not been thoroughly investigated. To this end, hydrolysis in different pH values and photolysis in aquatic environment, including lake, river and sea water have been both examined. Hydrolysis was found to have an insignificant impact on degradation of FTD in the aquatic environment relevant pH values, whereas indirect photolysis proved to be the main route of its elimination. The identification of tentative photoproducts (PPs) was performed using ultra high performance liquid chromatography coupled to hybrid LTQ/Orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometry. A possible pathway for photolytic transformation of FTD was proposed. Additionally, in silico simulations were used to evaluate the toxicity such as the mutagenicity of FTD and PPs. Complementary to the low-cost and time-limited simulations, an in vitro method (Vibrio Fischeri bioluminescence) was also used to assess ecotoxicity. [Display omitted] •FTD's photolysis proved to be the main transformation route in aquatic environment.•Study of natural water components effects on photodegradation kinetics of FTD.•Eight new PPs were tentatively identified by UHPLC–LTQ/Orbitrap HRMS analysis.•In vitro and in silico ecotoxicity assessment of FTD photolytic process.