Photodegradation of sulfonamides and their N~4-acetylated metabolites in water by simulated sunlight irradiation: kinetics and identification of photoproducts

摘要

Once released into the aquatic environment, pharma-ceuticals may undergo different degradation processes. Photodegradation, for example, might be an important elimina tion process for light-sensitive pharmaceuticals, such as antibi otics. In this study, the fate of sulfonamides (sulfamethazine, sulfadiazine, and sulfamethoxazole) and their N~4 acetylated me tabolites (N~4-acetylsulfadiazine, N~4-acetylsulfamethazine, and N~4-acetylsulfernethoxazole) under simulated sunlight irradiation was investigated. The irradiation resulted in total or almost total degradation (88 to 98%) of the pharmaceuticals tested, except for sulfamethazine (52%), during 24 h of irradiation. The photoproducts of all investigated pharmaceuticals have been analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. Structure elucidation performed from photodegradation products of both, sulfonamides and their N~4-acetylated metabolites, clear ly showed two major formation pathways. These were cleav age of the sulfonamide bond as well as SO_2 extrusion. In total, nine photoproducts were elucidated. Among these photoprod ucts, the tautomers of sulfamethoxazole and desulfonated products of sulfadiazine and sulfamethazine were also present.Tautomers of sulfadiazine and sulfamethazine have been char acterized here for the first time as well as some photoproducts of sulfadiazine, sulfametoxazole, and their metabolites N~4-acetylsulfadiazine andN~4-acetylsulfametoxazole. The obtained results are an important piece in the complex puzzle for assessing the environmental fate of sulfonamides and their metabolites in the environment.