Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in the aquatic environment: Biotoxicity, determination and electrochemical treatment

Various detection, analysis and remediation methods have been reported for pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in wastewater. In this review, the biotoxicity of PPCPs were briefly introduced. Because of PPCPs' hazardous to the environment, the enrichment and extraction methods (e.g., solid phase extraction, soxhlet extraction, supercrtical fluid extraction, and microwave assisted extraction) for PPCPs were systemati-cally described. PPCPs analysis technologies (e.g., liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer, capillary electrophoresis, and sensors) were summarized. The removal per-formances and mechanisms of PPCPs through different electrochemical treatment approaches (e.g., electro-Fenton, photoelectrocatalytic degradation, and electrochemical membrane bioreactor) were critically analyzed and discussed. Finally, the concluding remarks and suggestions for future researches concerning the topic of PPCPs detection, analysis, and electrochemical treatments were proposed. This work could provide an overview for the detection/analysis techniques and electrochemical treatments of PPCPs from wastewater.

Automated summary

This review summarizes various detection, analysis, and remediation methods for pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in wastewater. The biotoxicity of PPCPs is briefly introduced. The enrichment and extraction methods (solid phase extraction, soxhlet extraction, supercrtical fluid extraction, and microwave assisted extraction) for PPCPs are systematically described. PPCPs analysis technologies (liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer, capillary electrophoresis, and sensors) are summarized. The removal performances and mechanisms of PPCPs through different electrochemical treatment approaches (electro-Fenton, photoelectrocatalytic degradation, and electrochemical membrane bioreactor) are critically analyzed and discussed. Concluding remarks and suggestions for future research on PPCPs detection, analysis, and electrochemical treatments are proposed. This work provides an overview of detection/analysis techniques and electrochemical treatments of PPCPs from wastewater.