The adsorption, inhibition, and biotransformation of the fluoroquinolone antibiotic ciprofloxacin (CIP) under aerobic conditions were investigated in this study. The maximum adsorption capacity and the Langmuir constant were 37.9 mg CIP/g VSS and 37 L/g, respectively. A glucose-fed aerobic culture was inhibited by CIP at 10 mg/L or higher and the degree of inhibition increased with increasing UP concentration. However, the microbial activity recovered to some extent with prolonged incubation under a semi-continuous feeding mode. A low extent of CIP biotransformation was observed in an aerobic, glucose-fed culture derived from poultry litter extract. LC/UV/MS analysis of the biotransformation product showed that only the piperazine ring was oxidized, while the antibiotic quinolone part of CIP was intact. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.