A sustainable chemistry solution to the presence of pharmaceuticals and chemicals in the aquatic environment – the example of re-designing β-blocker Atenolol

Abstract

Micro-pollutants in general as well as pharmaceuticals in the environment (PIE) in particular are obstacles for sustainable chemistry and can be seen as one of the major challenges of the sustainable management of water resources and a threat to health, water and food safety. Recent research has shown that this problem cannot be solved with advanced effluent treatment. Therefore, new approaches are urgently needed. This includes the new design of molecules or the re-design of existing molecules that present the functionality needed for their application and that are improved with regards to their biodegradability in the environment after their intended use. This paper presents a new approach for generating, identifying and testing biodegradable and drug-like molecules.