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First evidence that antibiotic-resistant bacteria are inactivated by chemical species produced through the solar photosensitization of ciprofloxacin in water

Verbel-Olarte MI, Serna-Galvis EA, Jimenez-Lopez DM, Jojoa-Sierra SD, Porras J, Pulgarin C, Torres-Palma RA

The Science of the total environment, 2025

Abstract

For the first time, using a chemical pollutant (an antibiotic) as a photosensitizer to improve the elimination of a microbiological contaminant of emerging concern (antibiotic-resistant bacteria) is presented. The effect of ciprofloxacin (CIP) on the inactivation of three light-promoted antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) was evaluated. Ciprofloxacin-resistant Escherichia coli, ciprofloxacin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae. Firstly, the photosensitizing effect of CIP on E. coli inactivation was studied. Irradiated CIP (1 ppm) induced superoxide anion radical formation (confirmed through EPR analyses), and the combination of these reactive oxygen species (ROS) with ongoing solar radiation exposure enhanced bacterial inactivation. CIP enhanced the disinfection of antibiotic-resistant E. coli (by 1.84 log units at 120 min of irradiation) and improved the inactivation of K. pneumoniae (by 3.48 log units at 135 min)-both Gram-negative bacteria. Conversely, the photo-inactivation of the Gram-positive bacteria S. aureus did not significantly change (just a slight reduction of 0.42 log units at 120 min) by the presence of CIP. Showing the bacterial structure influences the disinfection process. Another critical factor was antibiotic concentration. A high CIP concentration (10 ppm) induced an interfering screen effect, while a low concentration promoted bacteria inactivation via photosensitization (in Gram-negative bacteria).…

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