Chapter 12 - Organic radicals used to modify materials surface and their application to remove pharmaceutical residues from wastewater

Abstract

Pharmaceutical pollutants are chemical compounds or residues released into the environment by factories or industries producing pharmaceutical products. These pollutants include active pharmaceutical ingredients, which are biologically active compounds, as well as other chemicals used to manufacture pharmaceutical products, such as solvents, stabilizers, and excipients. Consequently, their elimination from wastewater and soil has attracted particular attention from researchers and industrialists. In this context, the synthesis of highly reactive materials for pharmaceutical pollutants removal is much needed. In fact, organic radicals are highly reactive molecules that contain unpaired electrons, making them highly reactive and unstable. They are typically formed in chemical reactions involving organic compounds. These radicals are often employed as intermediates in the synthesis of organic compounds or in the study of their properties and reactions. This chapter highlights the role of organic radicals and their reactive oxidative species in the treatment of wastewater containing pharmaceutical pollutants utilizing several processes. It also examines some characterization techniques applied to investigate materials based on organic radicals and their efficiency in removing pharmaceutical contaminants as an exciting option in wastewater remediation technologies.