Pharmaceutical pollution in the aquatic environment: advanced oxidation processes as efficient treatment approaches: a review

Abstract

Pharmaceutical residues in water are a major global concern, posing serious risks to aquatic ecosystems and human health. Pharmaceutical industry processes, such as washing and manufacturing, contribute notably to water pollution. Additional sources include drug manufacturing plants, landfill leachates, municipal wastewater, and medical and hospital wastes, introducing various pharmaceuticals into water bodies. Many of these substances are toxic, carcinogenic, and bioaccumulative, even at low concentrations, leading to chronic health issues. The removal of pharmaceutical residues from wastewater point sources is crucial for environmental remediation due to their toxic, non-biodegradable, and persistent properties. Recent research has focused on developing various strategies to address pharmaceutical contamination in wastewater. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have proven to be promising and efficient methods for the degradation and mineralization of these pollutants. This review provides an overview of pharmaceutical pollution sources, water-related issues, their biological and chemical transformations, and associated human health impacts. It critically evaluates recent AOP methods for removing pharmaceutical residues from aquatic systems, including Fenton and Fenton-like processes, electrochemical oxidation, ozone-based AOPs, photocatalysis, non-thermal plasma, and hybrid combinations. The review also discusses green, low-cost activator catalysts used in various AOPs. It highlights the need for future research to enhance degradation and mineralization efficiency by developing cost-effective, efficient green activators and hybrid AOP systems. The review highlights the effectiveness of AOPs in pharmaceutical removal, addressing challenges, limitations, and future prospects, while suggesting the prioritization of environmentally friendly catalysts and large-scale AOP applications.