The fate of sulfonamide antibiotics in farmlands is crucial for food and ecological safety, yet it remains unclear. We used [phenyl-U-14 C]-labeled sulfamethoxazole ( 14 C-SMX) to quantitatively investigate the fate of SMX in a soil−maize system for 60 days, based on a six-pool fate model. Formation of nonextractable residues (NERs) was the predominant fate for SMX in unplanted soil, accompanied by minor mineralization. Notably, maize plants significantly increased SMX dissipation (kinetic constant k d = 0.30 day −1 vs 0.17 day −1 ), while substantially reducing the NER formation (92% vs 58% of initially applied SMX) and accumulating SMX (40%, mostly bound to roots). Significant NERs (maximal 29−42%) were formed via physicochemical entrapment (determined using silylation), which could partially be released and taken up by maize plants. The NERs consisted of a considerable amount of SMX formed via entrapment (1−8%) and alkali-hydrolyzable covalent bonds (2−12%, possibly amide linkage). Six and 10 transformation products were quantified in soil extracts and NERs, respectively, including products of hydroxyl substitution, deamination, and N-acylation, among which Nlactylated SMX was found for the first time. Our findings reveal the composition and instability of SMX-derived NERs in the soil− plant system and underscore the need to study the long-term impacts of reversible NERs.