10 Review on Trends in the Removal of Pharmaceuticals …
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compounds the removal efficiencies vary with therapeutic classes and treatment processes for separate studies. Also, Tables 10.4 indicates that no compound is entirely
removed even after application of various removal processes.
Table 10.5 indicates that biodegradability of individual pharmaceuticals and or
the systems studied cannot be generalized or predicted. Further, research in this area
is needed to elucidate the reasons of variations in PPCP biodegradation. Biodegradation pathways should be investigated to understand the byproducts and its effects
on ecology and human health compared to the parent PPCPs. Ternes et al. cautioned
that in some cases the parent compound might not be detected but the transformation
products might initiate potential health hazards (Ternes et al. 2007). Biodegradation
studies measuring only mineralization and/or measuring separation of parent compounds also needed to examine the metabolic pathways and breakdown products.
The microbes degrading PPCPs should also be investigated further. This is needed to
understand if biodegradation of a compound is done by a single microbes or a group
of microbes. This will improve the knowledge of efficient PPCP biodegradation.
10.6 Conclusions
The review presented in this paper included general idea about different PPCPs,
their regulation law, and removal processes. This review indicates that more strict
law and regulations are needed to minimize PPCPs pollution in the environment. The
review also discussed different removal techniques for PPCPs removal from water
and wastewater. Also, it is pointed that though the knowledge of occurrence and
fate of PPCPs in the environment have increased, there are still scopes for further
research. As pointed in the paper, biodegradation is one of many removal processes.
Other mechanisms should also be explored to understand the mechanisms controlling PPCPs removal. Synergistic interaction among multiple chemicals and multiple
types of process should also be addressed. PPCPs are not the only chemicals, and
biodegradation is not the only process; further, studies in this regards are needed
urgently. This will increase the understanding of PPCPs behavior in the environment. Also, it will help to understand how biodegradation can be better utilized to
prevent or reduce PPCPs contamination of the environment.
Acknowledgements SM and PB would like to thank Jadavpur University for the financial support under JU-RUSA 2.0 department project scheme (File no-R11/631/19, Dated 11/06/2019). AB
acknowledges the University Grants Commission for providing research opportunity with the Dr. D.
S. Kothari postdoctoral fellowship (UGC-DSKPDF, File No: F.4-2/2006 (BSR)/OT/18-19/0009).
Contribution UR and SM have contributed equally to this work.
Conflict of Interest Authors declare no conflict of interest for this work.
245
compounds the removal efficiencies vary with therapeutic classes and treatment processes for separate studies. Also, Tables 10.4 indicates that no compound is entirely
removed even after application of various removal processes.
Table 10.5 indicates that biodegradability of individual pharmaceuticals and or
the systems studied cannot be generalized or predicted. Further, research in this area
is needed to elucidate the reasons of variations in PPCP biodegradation. Biodegradation pathways should be investigated to understand the byproducts and its effects
on ecology and human health compared to the parent PPCPs. Ternes et al. cautioned
that in some cases the parent compound might not be detected but the transformation
products might initiate potential health hazards (Ternes et al. 2007). Biodegradation
studies measuring only mineralization and/or measuring separation of parent compounds also needed to examine the metabolic pathways and breakdown products.
The microbes degrading PPCPs should also be investigated further. This is needed to
understand if biodegradation of a compound is done by a single microbes or a group
of microbes. This will improve the knowledge of efficient PPCP biodegradation.
10.6 Conclusions
The review presented in this paper included general idea about different PPCPs,
their regulation law, and removal processes. This review indicates that more strict
law and regulations are needed to minimize PPCPs pollution in the environment. The
review also discussed different removal techniques for PPCPs removal from water
and wastewater. Also, it is pointed that though the knowledge of occurrence and
fate of PPCPs in the environment have increased, there are still scopes for further
research. As pointed in the paper, biodegradation is one of many removal processes.
Other mechanisms should also be explored to understand the mechanisms controlling PPCPs removal. Synergistic interaction among multiple chemicals and multiple
types of process should also be addressed. PPCPs are not the only chemicals, and
biodegradation is not the only process; further, studies in this regards are needed
urgently. This will increase the understanding of PPCPs behavior in the environment. Also, it will help to understand how biodegradation can be better utilized to
prevent or reduce PPCPs contamination of the environment.
Acknowledgements SM and PB would like to thank Jadavpur University for the financial support under JU-RUSA 2.0 department project scheme (File no-R11/631/19, Dated 11/06/2019). AB
acknowledges the University Grants Commission for providing research opportunity with the Dr. D.
S. Kothari postdoctoral fellowship (UGC-DSKPDF, File No: F.4-2/2006 (BSR)/OT/18-19/0009).
Contribution UR and SM have contributed equally to this work.
Conflict of Interest Authors declare no conflict of interest for this work.