A Review on Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products Residues in the Aquatic Environment and Possibilities for Their Remediation

Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) are pollutants known as organic micropollutants. PPCPs belong to a group of compounds with proven biological activity used in medicine, veterinary medicine and to maintain hygiene in daily life. Their presence in the environment, even in trace conce...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Sustainability 2024-01, Vol.16 (1), p.169
Main Authors: Wydro, Urszula, Wołejko, Elżbieta, Luarasi, Linda, Puto, Klementina, Tarasevičienė, Živilė, Jabłońska-Trypuć, Agata
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Antibiotics
COVID-19
Drinking water
Drugs
Eau de Cologne
Energy consumption
Environmental impact
Groundwater
Health aspects
Metabolites
Pandemics
Personal care industry
Personal grooming
Pharmaceutical industry
Purification
R&D
Research & development
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Sewage
Sludge
Wastewater
Water treatment
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Summary:Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) are pollutants known as organic micropollutants. PPCPs belong to a group of compounds with proven biological activity used in medicine, veterinary medicine and to maintain hygiene in daily life. Their presence in the environment, even in trace concentrations, can have negative effects on living organisms, including humans. Especially relevant are the residues of pharmaceuticals such as hormonal drugs and antibiotics. PPCPs’ presence in the environment is caused by the improper production, usage and disposal of medicines. PPCPs and their residues may be introduced into the various parts of the environment such as wastewater, water and soil. Therefore, wastewater containing PPCPs, their residues and active metabolites firstly goes to a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). However, some of these compounds may also be present in sewage sludge. This article reviews the methods and technologies used in the remediation of water and wastewater containing PPCPs residues. Among them, physical, chemical and biological methods, as well as a compilation of various techniques, can be identified. Nowadays, in a time of energy crisis, it is important to emphasize that the applied methods of wastewater and water treatment are not only effective, but also have been characterized by low energy consumption or allow for the generation of energy that could be used for the needs of the wastewater treatment plant.
ISSN:2071-1050
2071-1050
DOI:10.3390/su16010169