Assessment of biomass as an effective adsorbent for the removal of pharmaceutical compounds: A literature review
Michelle Pita, Kevin Jhon Fernández-Andrade, Santiago Quiroz-Fernández, Joan Manuel Rodríguez-Díaz, Christhel Andrade Díaz
Abstract
Emerging pollutants are becoming far more prevalent in the environment. Pharmaceutical substances stand out among them due to widespread concern about their effects on human health and the environment. The development of technology for their removal from aqueous environments is therefore a hot issue in literature. Due to its simplicity of use and efficacy, adsorption is one of the most promising techniques for removing contaminants from entering water bodies. This study investigates the efficacy of several biomass types, encompassing organic and residual matter of plant and animal origin, as materials for pharmaceuticals adsorption. The research evaluates the prevalent biomasses utilized for different pharmaceutical classes, categorizing both pharmaceuticals and biomass types. A comprehensive review of 114 articles was conducted to explore the literature on drug removal using biomass as an adsorbent. Based on the origin of the biomasses, they were divided into four categories: terrestrial plants (n = 92), aquatic plants (n = 12), microorganisms (n = 8), and animal origins (n = 8). The pharmaceuticals were categorized as antibiotics, antibacterial, antiparasitic, antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, antihistamine, analgesic, and others. This review highlights the potential role of biomass for pharmaceuticals elimination, particularly regarding antibiotics, which of all the pharmaceuticals herein discussed, has been the most studied. Due to their high adsorption capacities, activated carbons and biochar made from rice husks, cocoa, sugar cane, corn, fungus, palm, or sawdust have been crucial for pharmaceuticals removal. Residual biomass is a low-cost and environmentally friendly material to replace expensive conventional adsorbents in wastewater treatments.