Effect of particle size on adsorption of norfloxacin and tetracycline onto suspended particulate matter in lake

Abstract Aquatic systems are important sinks of antibiotics; however, their final destination has not been completely elucidated. Therefore, we investigated the adsorption behaviors of suspended particulate matter (SPM) in lakes to support the analysis of the migration and transformation of antibiotics in lacustrine environments. SPM was collected from Meiliang Bay (ML) and Gonghu Bay (GH) in Lake Taihu, China, which was sieved into four particle sizes of >300, 150–300, 63–150, and 300-μm fraction had the lowest capacity. The influence of particle size on adsorption was mainly related to SPM physicochemical properties, such as cation exchange capacity, surface area, and organic matter content, rather than types of functional groups. Considering the mass ratios, the