A comprehensive review of techniques for removal of antibiotics from wastewater

Abstract

The contamination issues posed by antibiotics in the environment and their impact on human health are well-documented. This review stresses how important it is to come up with removal techniques to remove antibiotics from waterways. Different kinds of waste that contains antibiotics, like ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, levofloxacin, metronidazole, sulfamethoxazole, and trimethoprim, are reviewed. The review further overviews different biological, physical, and chemical methods, as well as combined removal methods. Biological treatments include both aerobic and anaerobic processes. Physical treatments include membrane technologies such as reverse osmosis, microfiltration, ultrafiltration, and nanofiltration. Along with chemical solutions like coagulation–flocculation, adsorption methods utilizing activated carbon, man-made materials, and biomass materials are discussed. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) such as electrochemical oxidation, ozonation, the Fenton process, and UV/H₂O methods are important for breaking down and removing pharmaceutical products, particularly membrane technology. The ability of these technologies to remove antibiotics from different types of wastewater depends on the chemical composition of the compounds. This review stresses the importance of using integrated treatment methods and highlights the critical role of AOPs in enhancing the degradation and removal of antibiotics, contributing to the development of more effective wastewater treatment strategies.