Bioremediation and Adsorption: Strategies for Managing Pharmaceutical Pollution in Aquatic Environment

Abstract

Abstract Recently proliferation of Pharmaceutical Pollution (PPs) in aquatic ecosystems has emerged as a pressing environmental concern. Understanding PPs, ecological impact, and remediation is vital to protecting ecosystems and community people. This thorough review article explores the complex landscape of PPs, covering their diversity, origins, effects, and methods of mitigation. The escalating presence and importance of PPs highlight the need for thorough categorization into distinct types, discussing the impact, various sources, and causes of entry into the environment through domestic and industrial water wastes, agricultural runoff, and other pathways. The rise in PPs is due to heightened pharmaceutical usage, insufficient regulations, and limited public awareness. The adverse impacts of PPs are on ecosystems, human health, and the development of antimicrobial resistance. A comprehensive investigation was conducted to evaluate the impact of pharmaceutical products (PPs) on the activation of sewage sludge in water treatment systems. Diverse treatment approaches spanning chemical (e.g., coagulation), physical (e.g., adsorption, filtration), biological (e.g., activated sludge), and physicochemical processes were systematically analyzed for their efficacy in treating pharmaceutical-laden wastewater. However, these methods possess several merits and demerits, such as higher operation and installation costs. The sludge activation process stands out for its ability to produce high-quality effluent with lower installation costs, effectively treating wastewater containing drugs like antibiotics, depressants, and hormones. The sludge activation process employs removal mechanisms like physisorption, biodegradation, and chemical transformation to effectively mitigate PPs using a variety of efficient adsorbents derived from activated sludge. Removal mechanisms include adsorption using silanol and carbonyl functional groups, ion exchange, and dissociative adsorption. To tackle pharmaceuticals products pollution it is important to continue research, enforce stronger regulations, raise public awareness and adopt eco-friendly drug manufacturing to protect the ecosystem and public health. The idea is to provide a comprehensive view of PPs while stressing the need to include intrigue undertakings to mitigate the negative effects of PPs on the natural environment and people’s health. Graphical Abstract