climate of that place, the most effective process can be detected. But among all,
aerobic and anaerobic processes are most significant for the elimination of pharmaceutical from the dissolved phase (Tambosi et al. 2010).
In wastewater treatment process biodegradation and adsorption are two important
processes.
Usually, pharmaceuticals in the acidic form in sludge are removed by adsorption.
For the removal of acidic pharmaceuticals to sludge, adsorption is suggested as
secondary treatment (Urase and Kikuta 2005). When pharmaceuticals are present
majorly in dissolved phase, then most important elimination process of wastewater
treatment is biodegradation. Biodegradation process can be aerobic and anaerobic.
While pharmaceuticals are found in dissolved form, the anaerobic degradation is
recommended as most significant removal method of pharmaceuticals. Moreover, as
the hydraulic retention time increases, the biological decomposition of
pharmaceuticals also increases (Yonetani et al. 2017).
13.4 Biodegradation of Pharmaceuticals
According to US Environmental protection agency “Biodegradation is a process by
which microbial organisms transform or alter (through metabolic or enzymatic
action) the structure of chemicals introduced into the environment.” Biodegradability indicates the transformation of organic compound by microorganisms (bacteria,
fungi, yeast, and algae) to simple form of molecules during biological activities.
Biodegradability signifies the potential of microbes to mineralize the organic
contaminants. The final products of the degradation process remain in the form of
water and carbon dioxide (Murphy and Morrison 2002).
Indigenous microbial communities of soil and aquatic environment are the
“regulators” as they provide ecosystem services like monitoring the quality of
ecosystem, fate of pollution released into the environment, and degradation of
pollutants (Reed and Martiny 2007). Microbes in the ecosystem have the quality
of self-modification and growth as they can degrade the pollutants by their metabolic
and co-metabolic activities. Biodegradation is deemed as the most significant process for the elimination of pharmaceuticals from the environment (Rodarte-Morales
et al. 2012). Processes of biodegradation acquired by microbes are relatively
restricted due to the presence of xenobiotic compounds. Pharmaceuticals possess
kinds of elements which can extensively alter physicochemical properties of the
environmental and biochemical performance of the organisms. Recovery from the
contamination is feasible if the toxicity of molecules does not hinder the microbial
activity (Lahti and Oikari 2011). Biodegradation of recalcitrant compounds involves
the augmentation of vigorous microbial culture along with the determination of their
metabolic and kinetic parameters. Biodegradation of pharmaceuticals is considered
as eco-friendly, cost-effective, and sustainable method and has shown the potential
to eradicate pharmaceutical residues by degrading them into nontoxic end products
(Hasan et al. 2011). Various biodegradation studies related to the removal of
pharmaceuticals of different range in various environmental sectors have been
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K. Sharma and G. Kaushik
aerobic and anaerobic processes are most significant for the elimination of pharmaceutical from the dissolved phase (Tambosi et al. 2010).
In wastewater treatment process biodegradation and adsorption are two important
processes.
Usually, pharmaceuticals in the acidic form in sludge are removed by adsorption.
For the removal of acidic pharmaceuticals to sludge, adsorption is suggested as
secondary treatment (Urase and Kikuta 2005). When pharmaceuticals are present
majorly in dissolved phase, then most important elimination process of wastewater
treatment is biodegradation. Biodegradation process can be aerobic and anaerobic.
While pharmaceuticals are found in dissolved form, the anaerobic degradation is
recommended as most significant removal method of pharmaceuticals. Moreover, as
the hydraulic retention time increases, the biological decomposition of
pharmaceuticals also increases (Yonetani et al. 2017).
13.4 Biodegradation of Pharmaceuticals
According to US Environmental protection agency “Biodegradation is a process by
which microbial organisms transform or alter (through metabolic or enzymatic
action) the structure of chemicals introduced into the environment.” Biodegradability indicates the transformation of organic compound by microorganisms (bacteria,
fungi, yeast, and algae) to simple form of molecules during biological activities.
Biodegradability signifies the potential of microbes to mineralize the organic
contaminants. The final products of the degradation process remain in the form of
water and carbon dioxide (Murphy and Morrison 2002).
Indigenous microbial communities of soil and aquatic environment are the
“regulators” as they provide ecosystem services like monitoring the quality of
ecosystem, fate of pollution released into the environment, and degradation of
pollutants (Reed and Martiny 2007). Microbes in the ecosystem have the quality
of self-modification and growth as they can degrade the pollutants by their metabolic
and co-metabolic activities. Biodegradation is deemed as the most significant process for the elimination of pharmaceuticals from the environment (Rodarte-Morales
et al. 2012). Processes of biodegradation acquired by microbes are relatively
restricted due to the presence of xenobiotic compounds. Pharmaceuticals possess
kinds of elements which can extensively alter physicochemical properties of the
environmental and biochemical performance of the organisms. Recovery from the
contamination is feasible if the toxicity of molecules does not hinder the microbial
activity (Lahti and Oikari 2011). Biodegradation of recalcitrant compounds involves
the augmentation of vigorous microbial culture along with the determination of their
metabolic and kinetic parameters. Biodegradation of pharmaceuticals is considered
as eco-friendly, cost-effective, and sustainable method and has shown the potential
to eradicate pharmaceutical residues by degrading them into nontoxic end products
(Hasan et al. 2011). Various biodegradation studies related to the removal of
pharmaceuticals of different range in various environmental sectors have been
274
K. Sharma and G. Kaushik