Shifts and Trends in Analysis of Contaminants of Emerging Concern: Sulfonamides

Abstract

Antibiotics have served the human race for many decades, especially after the discovery of penicillin in 1928. Advancement in medical science further enhanced the formulation, production, and consumption of antibiotics globally. Sulfonamides (SAs) are among the most effective antibiotics and have been used extensively for the treatment of various bacterial infections. These antibiotics find extensive use in animal husbandries to combat bacterial infections as well as growth promoters. Recently, SAs have been classified as micropollutants due to their occurrence in various environmental compartments, such as surface water, wastewater, and soil. Their discharge into the environment is not regulated yet. Even at a concentration range from ng/L to μg/L, chronic exposure to SAs can lead to the development of antimicrobial/antibiotic resistance, which ultimately disrupts the balance in the environment. Thus, monitoring and analysis of these compounds become critical; however, it is very challenging and requires tedious sample preparation and sophisticated analytical instrumentation, such as gas/liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectroscopy (GC/LC-MS). The current chapter focuses on classification, monitoring, and analytical methods for the quantification of SAs. An exclusive section on the occurrence of these antibiotics in surface water, wastewater, and soil in the Asian countries is also included in the chapter.