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

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

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