Plant-Based Strategies for the Removal and Degradation of Antibiotics from the Environment

A special issue of Antibiotics (ISSN 2079-6382).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2025 | Viewed by 54

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Pharmacy Department, University of Chieti, Via dei Vestini 31, Chieti 66100, Italy
Interests: medicinal plants and fungi; dermatophytes; microorganisms; human pathogenic fungi and bacteria; antimicrobials; biological assays
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The widespread presence of antibiotics in the environment, driven by their excessive use in human and veterinary medicine and agriculture, poses a growing risk to ecosystems and contributes to the emergence and dissemination of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and resistance genes (ARGs). Plant-based remediation strategies, including phytoremediation, rhizosphere processes, and plant–microbe interactions, have emerged as promising, sustainable tools to mitigate antibiotic contamination in soil and water.

This Special Issue aims to collect original research and review articles addressing plant-mediated uptake, transformation, and detoxification of antibiotics, as well as the ecological and molecular mechanisms involved. We also welcome contributions focusing on the role of rhizospheric microbial communities in enhancing antibiotic degradation, the long-term effects of phytoremediation on resistance gene propagation, and advanced analytical techniques to track antibiotic fate in plant systems. Together, these insights will support the development of innovative, nature-based solutions to combat antibiotic pollution and protect environmental and public health.

Acknowledgment: Ms. Gaia Cusumano and Dr. Gokhan Zengin will be participating in this Special Issue as specialist advisors. We would like to thank them for their contributions to this Special Issue.

Dr. Giancarlo Angeles Flores
Dr. Paola Angelini
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Antibiotics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • antibiotics
  • ARGs
  • phytoremediation
  • rhizosphere
  • plant–microbe interactions
  • biodegradation
  • detoxification
  • environmental pollution
  • resistance mitigation
  • sustainable remediation

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Published Papers

This special issue is now open for submission.
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