Hybrid advanced oxidation processes for treatment of wastewater from the pharmaceutical industry

Abstract

Ever increasing health issues and rapid development of the healthcare sector causes discharge of pharmaceuticals in different water matrices. Conventional treatment processes are unable to remove the compounds from wastewater. The known and suspected toxicity and biological stability of these compounds led to the search for alternative technologies. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) involving a hydroxyl or sulphate radical has emerged to solve the issues of degrading recalcitrant compounds. Hybrid AOPs are mainly adopted to obtain faster kinetics and complete mineralization of the pharmaceutical compounds. The risk associated with the improper disposal and negligence in handling is addressed. The efficiency of the conventional treatment processes in removing pharmaceuticals are discussed and the need for hybrid AOPs are highlighted. Several hybrid AOPs used to remove analgesics, anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics, antiepileptic drugs, etc., and their efficiencies are documented. The chapter also circumscribes several challenges associated with the implementation of hybrid AOPs in removing pharmaceuticals. The chapter may provide an outlook on the current status of hybrid AOPs in the field of pharmaceutical compounds removal from several types of wastewaters.