Pharmaceuticals and personal care products as emerging contaminants: environmental fate, detection, and mitigation strategies
Noushi Zaidi, M. Amin Mir, Sook Keng Chang, Nouara Abdelli, Syed M. Hasnain, Md. Mostaured Ali Khan, Kim Andrews
Abstract
Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are examples of emerging pollutants (EPs) that are receiving more attention because of their environmental effect and persistence. In order to investigate the prevalence, origins, environmental destiny, and related dangers of PPCPs, this review gathers contemporary research (2015–2025). It draws attention to how they accumulate in soil, water, and biota, mostly as a result of traditional wastewater treatment technologies’ inefficiency. The focus is on advanced detection methods including bioanalytical instruments and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). The review also discusses how PPCPs contribute to ecological damage and antibiotic resistance, assesses contemporary remediation techniques, and provides guidance for future study and policy development.