Recent Advances in Pharmaceuticals Biosorption on Microbial and Algal-Derived Biosorbents

Abstract

The removal of pharmaceuticals from aqueous environments has become a critical ecological challenge. Biosorption has emerged as a promising and cost-effective solution for pharmaceutical removal. This review examines the potential of microbial and algal-derived biosorbents, including fungi, bacteria, and algae, in the biosorption of pharmaceuticals from water. The removal efficiency of various types of biosorbents is discussed in relation to the chemical structure and functional groups presented on the biosorbent surfaces at various process parameters, such as pH, contact time, biosorbent dosage, and initial pharmaceutical concentration. Additionally, the benefits of chemical and physical modifications, immobilization techniques, and the reusability of biosorbents are highlighted. The major goal of the present review is not just to gather and discuss information about possible mechanisms of biosorption, which to some extent are still speculative, and to explain the effect of process parameters on the removal but also to highlight the advantages and disadvantages of various types of microbial/algal biosorbents and to ease the selection of proper biosorbents for pharmaceuticals removal. In this way, the review will benefit and induce more technological studies in the field of biosorption.