10 Review on Trends in the Removal of Pharmaceuticals …
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10.5.3.4 Ionizing Irradiation
Recently, gamma irradiation-based advanced oxidation processes have become very
popular for degradation of PPCPs from wastewater. Many reports have pointed out
that gamma irradiation is very promising for the removal of PPCPs (Wang and Chu
2016; Hu and Wang 2007; Xue and Wang 2008; Yu et al. 2010; He et al. 2014; Liu et al.
2014a, b). In a recent report, it has been found that biodegradability of lincomycin,
sulfamethoxazole, and tetracycline could be improved by irradiating with gamma
rays (Kim et al. 2015). Degradation and decomposition of different types of PPCPs
using gamma rays have been studied by many researchers (Sanchez-Polo et al. 2099;
Zheng et al. 2011; Shah et al. 2014; Kimura et al. 2012; Liu and Wang 2013). It
is reported that during gamma irradiation different types of intermediates products
could be generated from the original pollutants (Nielsen et al. 2014; Zhang et al.
2016). The toxicity of these intermediate products should be investigated.
10.5.4 Adsorption
Adsorption is the simple, easy to use, and relatively economic process than the other
types of pollutant separation processes. Till date, different types of adsorbents are
used for the removal of all major types of pollutants present in wastewater. Different
types of adsorbents used in PPCPs removal have been discussed in the following
subsections.
10.5.4.1 Activated Carbon
Activated charcoal is one of the most widely used adsorbents for the removal of
almost all types of pollutants from wastewater. Its versatility, large specific surface
area, and porous structure made it an unavoidable choice for water purification.
Even this has been used to separate traces amount of emergent contaminants from
water. Obviously, it was also used to remove PPCPs from wastewater (Ho 2006;
Nowotny et al. 2007; Plazinski 2010). Powdered activated charcoal (PAC) was also
used for removal of many PPCPs from sewage. Recently, trace amount of almost 20
different types of PPCPs has been separate by Nowotny et al. (2007) from municipal
sewage using PAC. This study pointed out that except few almost all the used PPCPs
were separated with high efficiency. In another study, very common diclofenac,
carbamazepine, clofibric acid, bezafibrate, and primidone were removed from water
using PAC efficiently (Zhang et al. 2016). All these studies are pointing toward
the promising nature of activated charcoal for PPCPs removal. However, it also
has drawbacks like poor removal efficiency in lower pH, energy intensive charcoal
preparation, and poor recyclability. Thus, before its application in large-scale PPCPs
removal from industrial and municipal wastewater, more detail studies are needed.
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10.5.3.4 Ionizing Irradiation
Recently, gamma irradiation-based advanced oxidation processes have become very
popular for degradation of PPCPs from wastewater. Many reports have pointed out
that gamma irradiation is very promising for the removal of PPCPs (Wang and Chu
2016; Hu and Wang 2007; Xue and Wang 2008; Yu et al. 2010; He et al. 2014; Liu et al.
2014a, b). In a recent report, it has been found that biodegradability of lincomycin,
sulfamethoxazole, and tetracycline could be improved by irradiating with gamma
rays (Kim et al. 2015). Degradation and decomposition of different types of PPCPs
using gamma rays have been studied by many researchers (Sanchez-Polo et al. 2099;
Zheng et al. 2011; Shah et al. 2014; Kimura et al. 2012; Liu and Wang 2013). It
is reported that during gamma irradiation different types of intermediates products
could be generated from the original pollutants (Nielsen et al. 2014; Zhang et al.
2016). The toxicity of these intermediate products should be investigated.
10.5.4 Adsorption
Adsorption is the simple, easy to use, and relatively economic process than the other
types of pollutant separation processes. Till date, different types of adsorbents are
used for the removal of all major types of pollutants present in wastewater. Different
types of adsorbents used in PPCPs removal have been discussed in the following
subsections.
10.5.4.1 Activated Carbon
Activated charcoal is one of the most widely used adsorbents for the removal of
almost all types of pollutants from wastewater. Its versatility, large specific surface
area, and porous structure made it an unavoidable choice for water purification.
Even this has been used to separate traces amount of emergent contaminants from
water. Obviously, it was also used to remove PPCPs from wastewater (Ho 2006;
Nowotny et al. 2007; Plazinski 2010). Powdered activated charcoal (PAC) was also
used for removal of many PPCPs from sewage. Recently, trace amount of almost 20
different types of PPCPs has been separate by Nowotny et al. (2007) from municipal
sewage using PAC. This study pointed out that except few almost all the used PPCPs
were separated with high efficiency. In another study, very common diclofenac,
carbamazepine, clofibric acid, bezafibrate, and primidone were removed from water
using PAC efficiently (Zhang et al. 2016). All these studies are pointing toward
the promising nature of activated charcoal for PPCPs removal. However, it also
has drawbacks like poor removal efficiency in lower pH, energy intensive charcoal
preparation, and poor recyclability. Thus, before its application in large-scale PPCPs
removal from industrial and municipal wastewater, more detail studies are needed.