Removal of pharmaceuticals in water using low-cost materials

The consumption of pharmaceuticals such as antibiotics for human and veterinary use has increased drastically in recent years, causing antimicrobial resistance to be recognised as “one of the worst global health issues”. The
release of antibiotics into aquatic eco-systems from household, hospital, industrial and agricultural wastewaters leads to serious environmental issues and adversely effects on human and animal health. There is a lack of
effective treatment methods in response to water contamination with antibiotics. Some conventional techniques such as chlorination may even exacerbate the problem by forming unknown intermediates and contributing to the antimicrobial resistance problem. Adsorption processes are widely adopted for the removal of metals, dyes, and petrochemical products from water. However, production and regeneration costs of some adsorbents, for example
activated carbon, remain high. Ligno-cellulosic waste materials such as sawdust, wheat straw and sugar cane bagasse are the most promising alternative bio-adsorbents. These materials have been used effectively to remove pesticides and pharmaceuticals from ground and surface waters. Additionally, they are non-toxic, cheap, readily available and environmentally-friendly materials. This research investigates waste materials for the reduction of concentrations of selected pharmaceuticals and antibiotics in water.