Gatifloxacin, an antimicrobial drug belonging to the fluoroquinolone family, is active against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and is extensively used for the control of infections in humans. The presence of the drug in environmental matrices has already been reported. This study investigated the degradation of gatifloxacin in water by hydroxyl radicals generated by the UV/HO process ([Formula: see text] 0.4-2.4 mmol L) and evaluated the capacity of the radicals to reduce the antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Acute toxicity assays were performed with Vibrio fischeri, and the degradation products were proposed. The hydroxyl radicals formed in the processes were able to degrade the fluoroquinolone and remove the antimicrobial activity from the aqueous solution. Approximately 97 % gatifloxacin degradation was observed after applying 2.4 mmol L of initial HO concentration and 20 min of UVC irradiation (130 J s). The acute toxicity assays showed that the toxicity of the treated solution for V. fischeri increased as the gatifloxacin concentration in the solution decreased.

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The concerns regarding the occurrence of pharmaceuticals in wastewater treatment plants have been increased in the last decades. Gatifloxacin (GAT), the fourth generation of fluoroquinolones, has been widely used to treat both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and has a limited metabolization. The present study aimed to evaluate the ozonation as a technique to degrade GAT. A UHPLC-MS/MS method was used to quantify the residual of GAT and to assess its degradation products. The removal efficiency was higher at alkaline condition (pH = 10), reaching up to 99% of GAT after 4 min. It was also observed that the first ozone attack on the GAT molecule was through the carboxylic group. In contrast, at acid conditions (pH = 3), the ozone attack was first to the piperazinyl ring. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated using Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis as test organisms, and it was observed that the residual activity reduced most at the alkaline conditions. In contrast, the best condition to remove the residual toxicity evaluated for the marine bacteria V. fischeri was the acidic one. Due to this, the ozonation seemed to be an exciting process to remove GAT at aqueous media.