Current Progress in Natural Degradation and Enhanced Removal Techniques of Antibiotics in the Environment: A Review

Abstract

Antibiotics are used extensively throughout the world and their presence in the environment has caused serious pollution. This review summarizes natural methods and enhanced technologies that have been developed for antibiotic degradation. In the natural environment, antibiotics can be degraded by photolysis, hydrolysis, and biodegradation, but the rate and extent of degradation are limited. Recently, developed enhanced techniques utilize biological, chemical, or physicochemical principles for antibiotic removal. These techniques include traditional biological methods, adsorption methods, membrane treatment, advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), constructed wetlands (CWs), microalgae treatment, and microbial electrochemical systems (such as microbial fuel cells, MFCs). These techniques have both advantages and disadvantages and, to overcome disadvantages associated with individual techniques, hybrid techniques have been developed and have shown significant potential for antibiotic removal. Hybrids include combinations of the electrochemical method with AOPs, CWs with MFCs, microalgal treatment with activated sludge, and AOPs with MFCs. Considering the complexity of antibiotic pollution and the characteristics of currently used removal technologies, it is apparent that hybrid methods are better choices for dealing with antibiotic contaminants.

A comprehensive review on the fate and impact of antibiotic residues in the environment and public health: A special focus on the developing countries

“…Moreover, antibiotic residues affect human microorganisms, upsetting the gut flora and causing a number of diseases. Consequently, persistent antibiotic residue in the environment threatens both the structural integrity of ecosystems and human health (Zheng et al, 2022). Even at low concentrations, antibiotic residues are absorbed by plants and animals, causing adverse effects that lead to resistant microbes.…”

“…Antibiotics and their residues can undergo both non‐biological and biological processes to varying degrees. In nature, photodegradation is facilitated by microbes, algae, and plants (Zheng et al, 2022). Non‐biological degradation includes photolysis, hydrolysis, oxidative degradation, and ionizing radiation.…”

“…Direct photolysis has been observed to reduce ciprofloxacin ecotoxicity at pH 5, 7, and 9. Light has also been found to degrade nitrofuran (Zheng et al, 2022). Photocatalysis has the potential to disinfect pathogens and decontaminate pharmaceuticals (Lundborg & Tamhankar, 2017).…”

“…Generally, microbial activity, physiochemical characteristics, seasonal changes, water velocity, organic matter, and the quantity of AR utilized in the surrounding region all influence the accumulation and concentration of antibiotics in sediments. In addition, dissolved organic carbon and colloidal particles can increase the mobility rate of AR whereas, the rise of temperatures can decrease the mobility rate of AR in the environment (Hanamoto et al, 2017; Zheng et al, 2022). However, sediment compartments can firmly retain contaminants due to their high hydrophobic capacity (Codling et al, 2018).…”

Progressive Biocatalysts for the Treatment of Aqueous Systems Containing Pharmaceutical Pollutants

“…However, there are a lot of factors in BES-based processes that can significantly affect its effectiveness: the type of microorganisms used, electrode material, reactor architecture, pH of the medium, electrolyte concentration, substrate type, presence of electron donors and acceptors, concentration, temperature, redox properties and initial concentration of the pollutant, etc. [ 120 , 121 , 122 , 123 ]. Therefore, this direction needs to be explored in further scientific and practical advancements.…”