Different advanced oxidation processes for the abatement of pharmaceutical compounds

In the past two decades, with advancements in the detection technologies, researchers have shown concern over the detection of pharmaceuticals in water bodies. Pharmaceuticals are medicinal and biologically active compounds and their occurrence in environmental waters can lead to unanticipated toxic effects to both human and animal life. Significant risk from pharmaceuticals toward the aquatic life has been reportedly published. Pharmaceuticals are not completely degraded by conventional treatment facilities and at instances toxic metabolites are formed which pose a much severe threat than the parent compounds itself. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) utilize the powerful oxidizing potential of different radicals such as hydroxyl and sulfate to target the pharmaceutical compounds. AOPs have been found to be effective against pharmaceuticals. However, there are certain drawbacks associated with different AOPs such as generation of chemical sludge, intensive requirement of high energy, high cost considerations, and scalability issues. The present review describes the different chemical treatment technologies which are available to remove pharmaceutical compounds with special emphasis on findings from recent studies. It is also shown that different AOPs can be combined together to increase the removal of pharmaceuticals and mineralization efficiency.

Automated summary

In the past two decades, the detection of pharmaceuticals in water bodies has become a concern due to advancements in detection technologies. Pharmaceuticals can have toxic effects on both human and animal life when present in environmental waters. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have been found to effectively target pharmaceutical compounds using powerful oxidizing radicals. However, there are drawbacks associated with AOPs, such as the generation of chemical sludge and high energy requirements. This review discusses different chemical treatment technologies for removing pharmaceuticals and emphasizes the combination of AOPs for increased removal and mineralization efficiency.