TiO2 assisted photocatalytic degradation of macrolide antibiotics

Macrolide antibiotics are one of the most prescribed antibiotics in human and veterinary medicine. After administration, they end up in municipal wastewater streams. However, conventional wastewater treatment plants are incapable of removing them effectively resulting in their detection in the discharged effluents and consequently in the environment. Presence of antibiotics in the environmental waters has negative effect on water quality and also contributes to the development of antibiotic resistance. Therefore, advanced treatment methods become an inevitable approach. This mini review provides a brief summary on the occurrence of macrolide antibiotics in the aquatic environment and overview of the recent developments in photocatalytic degradation using TiO2 for their efficient removal.