Formation of disinfection byproducts from sulfamethoxazole during sodium hypochlorite disinfection of marine culture water.

The fates of the antibiotic sulfamethoxazole (SMX) in the chlorination of fresh water, simulated brackish marine culture water, and marine water were investigated. SMX was oxidized by sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) at different reaction rates in the different samples. The oxidation of SMX followed pseudo-first-order kinetics, and the rate constant was the largest in marine water (3.44 min-1), as Br- ions promote the oxidation reaction. Moreover, the kinds of disinfection byproducts (DBPs) were also affected by Br- ions. Br-DBPs were found in the simulated brackish marine culture water and marine water disinfection systems. The structures of the DBPs indicated that S-C cleavage, polymerization, S-N hydrolysis, chlorine/bromine substitution, and desulfonation reactions occurred on SMX during the disinfection process. EPI (Estimation Programs Interface) Suite™ and absorbable organic halogen (AOX) analysis were used to evaluate the toxicity of the DBPs. The results suggested that DBPs in the simulated brackish marine culture water and marine water systems were more toxic than those in the fresh water system.