Pharmaceutical Pollutants Research Articles

Ultrasound-Assisted Biomimetic Synthesis of MOF-Hap Nanocomposite via 10xSBFLike for the Photocatalytic Degradation of Metformin

High levels of emerging pollutants, such as pharmaceutical compounds like metformin (MET), have been an issue for many years. The effective removal of these compounds from wastewater poses a significant challenge and has spurred interest among researchers. This study aims to integrate two of the prominent research interests in photocatalysis, Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOF), and Hydroxyapatite (HAp), and tests their effectiveness in the photocatalytic degradation of MET. The MOF-HAp was produced using a biomimetic method via 10xSBF-like solution with and without ultrasound assistance at varying biomimetic times. MOF-HAp nanocomposite’s photocatalytic degradation capabilities were tested by degrading MET, considering varying parameters – initial pollutant concentration, catalyst loading, and exposure time. Results showed that a biomimetic time of 6 h synthesized with ultrasound irradiation presented the most promising physicochemical properties for MOF-HAp, as verified by the X-ray Fluorescence (XRF), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), X-ray Diffractometer (XRD), and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses. In the photocatalytic degradation of MET, catalyst loading, exposure time, and initial pollutant concentration were found to have significant effects on the percent degradation. The initial concentration of 8 ppm, catalyst loading of 0.25 g, and 120 min of exposure time produced the highest percent degradation with an average of 82.25%. The findings of this study prove MOF-HAp's potential to effectively degrade organic and pharmaceutical pollutants in wastewater.

Tuneable functionalized biochar for simultaneous removal of pharmaceuticals from binary mixture

Eliminating different pharmaceutical contaminants simultaneously from wastewater has become a crucial environmental issue. In this regard, the shift from the conventional methods of removing single pollutant to implementing a system that simultaneously removes multiple contaminants is required. In pursuit of this goal, functionalized biochar (FBC) was prepared from bamboo sawdust to simultaneously remove pharmaceutical pollutants in batch and fixed-bed sorption systems. FBC exhibited a greater removal capacity for acetaminophen (ACM) (192.43 mg/g) compared to ciprofloxacin (CIP) (70.95 mg/g), as predicted by the Langmuir isotherm model. The competitive Langmuir isotherm model, employed for the binary component, predicted a maximum adsorption capacity of 125.31 mg/g for ACM and 65.44 mg/g for CIP. The adsorption capacity ratio (qm binary/qm single < 1) suggests an antagonistic behavior of these pollutants when they co-exist in the water matrix. On the other hand, the single and binary component adsorption of ACM and CIP was best described by pseudo-second-order kinetic model, indicating that the adsorption process was mainly controlled by the chemisorption process. Fixed-bed column study showcased the maximum bed capacity of ACM (172.48 mg/g) and CIP (147.67 mg/g), with the highest respective removal efficiency of 44.23% and 37.86% in the binary component adsorption system. However, the single-component column adsorption system achieved a higher removal efficiency of 65.83% (ACM) and 42.59% (CIP). These results indicate that the simultaneous removal of ACM and CIP depends on the unique molecular properties of ACM/CIP and their interactions with the adsorbent. Hence, the as-synthesized FBC has been proven effective for the simultaneous removal of ACM and CIP from various water matrices.

Insights in Pharmaceutical Pollution: The Prospective Role of eDNA Metabarcoding.

Environmental pollution is a growing threat to natural ecosystems and one of the world's most pressing concerns. The increasing worldwide use of pharmaceuticals has elevated their status as significant emerging contaminants. Pharmaceuticals enter aquatic environments through multiple pathways related to anthropogenic activity. Their high consumption, insufficient waste treatment, and the incapacity of organisms to completely metabolize them contribute to their accumulation in aquatic environments, posing a threat to all life forms. Various analytical methods have been used to quantify pharmaceuticals. Biotechnology advancements based on next-generation sequencing (NGS) techniques, like eDNA metabarcoding, have enabled the development of new methods for assessing and monitoring the ecotoxicological effects of pharmaceuticals. eDNA metabarcoding is a valuable biomonitoring tool for pharmaceutical pollution because it (a) provides an efficient method to assess and predict pollution status, (b) identifies pollution sources, (c) tracks changes in pharmaceutical pollution levels over time, (d) assesses the ecological impact of pharmaceutical pollution, (e) helps prioritize cleanup and mitigation efforts, and (f) offers insights into the diversity and composition of microbial and other bioindicator communities. This review highlights the issue of aquatic pharmaceutical pollution while emphasizing the importance of using modern NGS-based biomonitoring actions to assess its environmental effects more consistently and effectively.

Experimental and theoretical confirmation of CeFeCu trimetal oxide/Bi2O3 S-scheme heterojunction for boosted photocatalytic degradation of sulfamethoxazole and toxicity evaluation

Photocatalytic degradation of pharmaceutical pollutants in water or wastewater is becoming a hot topic for environmental clean-up. Herein, a novel CeFeCu trimetal oxide (CFC TMO)/Bi2O3 (CFCB) photocatalysts were prepared through precursor mixing, ultrasonication, and calcination methods and used for photocatalytic degradation of sulfamethoxazole (SMZ). The pseudo-first order kinetic rate of CFCB-2 catalyst on degradation of SMZ reached 0.0577 min−1 which is 4.93 and 10.02 times higher than of α-Bi2O3 and CFC TMO under visible light illumination. This was proved by the strong interaction between the pristine materials as confirmed by XPS and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. DFT calculations indicated that having more orbital distribution could make it easier to capture more electrons and produce more radicals through electron transfer. Meanwhile SMZ by-products showed no sign of cytotoxicity towards human embryonic kidney cell line (HEK 293) and human intestinal epithelial cell line (CACO-2). The findings of the scavenger experiments and ESR measurements proved that •OH and •O2− radicals played superior role in decomposition of SMZ. Furthermore, the S-scheme charge carrier transfer and degradation pathway of SMZ are proposed and analysed. This study paves ways into promising strategy for the construction of α-Bi2O3 based novel S-scheme heterojunction for environmental decontamination and can be extended to other applications such as Fenton-like reactions and persulfate activation.

Determination of risks for business entities in the sphere of manufacturing medicines in military conditions in Ukraine

The aim: determination of risks for business entities in the field of production of medicinal products under the conditions of martial law in Ukraine.&#x0D; Materials and methods. The research materials are the results of a sociological survey in the form of a questionnaire among representatives of the senior management heads of structural units related to the environmental component of business entities' activities in the pharmaceutical production field. Method of sociological survey was used to collect primary information. A questionnaire was conducted, and respondent’s answers were registered using google-forms. The method of comparative analysis and generalization of statistical data was used to process the results.&#x0D; Results. The study identified, analyzed, and assessed risks for business entities in producing medicinal products under martial law in Ukraine. &#x0D; Significant risks of the destruction of infrastructure and the occurrence of man-made disasters have been identified. Thus, 10 % of pharmaceutical enterprises received critical damage, which makes it impossible to operate the enterprise until the destructive consequences are eliminated; another 15 % received some damage, but the company's activities are carried out. More than 75 % of enterprises can fully comply with the current licensing conditions (LC) for producing and selling medicinal products under martial law.&#x0D; How critical risks were assessed: supply of raw materials and materials (logistics problems) (60 %); decrease in demand for the company's products (45 %); termination of gas supply (45 %); power outage (40 %); inflation, rising prices of raw materials and energy resources (35 %); termination of communications (35 %); difficulties in purchasing equipment, consumables, devices (30 %); termination of water supply (30 %); lack of competent personnel (30 %).&#x0D; In the zone of critical risk at this stage remains the ability and willingness of enterprises to work following the plans of the state environmental policy following the Association Agreement between the EU countries and Ukraine. Respondents admit that the company lacks resources to comply with all requirements (20 %), that environmental aspects of activity are currently irrelevant (25 %), and that there are not enough competent specialists to implement the environmental policy and support the relevant procedures (25 %); that there is not enough informational support from the State (30 %).&#x0D; Conclusions. In fact, 30 % of pharmaceutical enterprises are located in regions that are currently included in the List of territories where hostilities are (were) being waged or temporarily occupied. In general, Ukrainian business entities in the field of pharmaceutical production remain in the zone of uncertainty and significant risk of man-made disasters, non-fulfilment of requirements regarding production conditions, technological processes and constant quality control of production, non-fulfilment of environmental safety of production due to the direct threat of destruction of infrastructure and supply chains, due to the threat of termination of reliable supply of electricity, gas, water, resources, as well as due to high migration of qualified personnel.&#x0D; Considering the current state of the economy and the environmental consequences of the war, particularly man-made disasters, the implementation of plans to comply with the state environmental policy and the fulfilment of some requirements of the Association Agreement between the EU and Ukraine is at risk.&#x0D; In the long term, careful scientifically based planning of the rehabilitation program of the pharmaceutical sector is needed, taking into account the risks of pharmaceutical pollution and the adverse impact of the pharmaceutical industry on the natural environment, in particular through the implementation of environmental management systems (EMS) as part of the overall management system of the enterprise to manage environmental aspects; fulfilment of mandatory legal requirements and voluntary obligations following the goals and environmental policy of the enterprise; and to address issues related to risks and opportunities, especially concerning emergency preparedness and emergency response.

Adsorption of pharmaceutical pollutants on ZnCl2-activated biochar from corn cob: Efficiency, selectivity and mechanism

The occurrence of pharmaceuticals in water bodies and drinking water poses risks for the environment and human health, thus it is necessary to study methodologies that allow the efficient removal of these contaminants. In this work, corn cob-derived biochar was obtained by ZnCl2-activation, and subsequent carbonization at 700 °C. The effect of contact time, temperature, pH, and initial concentration on the adsorption capacity of acetaminophen (ACE) and amoxicillin (AMX) was determined through batch experiments. In addition, the kinetics, isotherms, and thermodynamics parameters were determined. The activated biochar exhibited a maximum adsorption capacity of 332.08 mg/g for ACE and 175.86 mg/g for AMX. The adsorption kinetics and adsorption isotherm of ACE corresponded to the pseudo-second order and Langmuir model, respectively. Meanwhile, pseudo-first-order kinetics and the Freundlich isotherm model were well-fitted to AMX adsorption. The ACE and AMX co-adsorption had a synergistic effect on AMX but an antagonistic effect on ACE removal, achieving a maximum adsorption capacity of 193.51 and 184.58 mg/g, respectively. On the other hand, fixed-bed column experiments showed that the adsorption capacity depends on the influent concentration, and the breakthrough curve fits the Thomas and Yoon-Nelson model. The mechanism adsorption studies showed that surface interactions (hydrogen bonding formation and n-π interactions) are the main driving forces for the adsorption process, and pore filling is the rate-limiting step. In this way, the prepared biochar exhibits a high potential for the adsorption of pharmaceutical compounds from water.

Construction of Z-scheme heterojunction TiO2-ZnO@Oxygen-doped gC3N4 composite for enhancing H2O2 photoproduction and removal of pharmaceutical pollutants under visible light

In this study, the heterojunction photocatalyst of titanium dioxide-zinc oxide@oxygen-doped graphitic carbon nitride (TiO2-ZnO@OCN (TZ@OCN)) was synthesized using a simple and cost-effective hydrothermal self-assembly process. Characterization of the fabricated materials revealed that the incorporation of TiO2 and ZnO as inherent semiconductors along with the oxygen doping has effectively broadened the absorption spectrum of gC3N4, which can promote the electron generation and provide more active sites for O2 and H+ adsorption. It is noteworthy that the mentioned structure modification resulted in a superior H2O2 production rate among gC3N4-based photocatalysts with up to 3.11 mM.g−1 under visible light irradiation. Moreover, a valence band shifting from 1.57 to 2.91 eV upon doping oxygen atoms also elucidated the participation of active species in the photocatalytic degradation of ciprofloxacin (99.7 %, k = 0.030 min−1) and tetracyline (94.6 %, k = 0.017 min−1), in which superoxide radicals (•O2−) were shown to play a major role in removing the antibiotic. Besides, a Z-scheme heterojunction mechanism is additionally suggested, demonstrating the effectiveness of electron-hole pair splitting in the oxidation of antibiotics. Conclusively, the results show a novel and feasible modification pathway to enhance the photocatalytic activities of gC3N4 and other advanced semiconductor catalysts, especially for eliminating antibiotics and generating H2O2 within aqueous media.

Catalytic wet air oxidation of sulfamethoxazole and tetracycline using platinum-based catalysts at eco-operating conditions

Conventional wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) are unsuitable for emerging contaminants' elimination. Most of these pollutants persist after the treatment and threaten the receiving environment. Catalytic wet air oxidation (CWAO) is one of the promising solutions to treat these concentrated active molecules. This study reports the catalytic degradation tests on sulfamethoxazole (SM) and tetracycline (TET) using platinum (Pt) supported on cerium oxide (Ce) and mixed cerium and zirconium oxides (CeZr). Pt/CeZr catalyst showed 98 % TET elimination at 50 °C under atmospheric pressure (Patm). Furthermore, the test at room conditions reached 92 % removal. Pt/Ce test enabled 77 % SM elimination and reached 45 % SM mineralization. Toxicity assessment confirmed the environmental legibility of the treated solution using CWAO. The outcomes of this study showed an eco-energetic, eco-friendly, and efficient way to treat wastewater loaded with pharmaceutical pollutants.

Magnetic Fe-doped TiO2@Fe3O4 for metronidazole degradation in aqueous solutions: Characteristics and efficacy assessment

Antibiotics present in aquatic environments can contribute to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains, posing potential threats to public health. Therefore, efficient strategies to remove these compounds from water systems are essential to reduce both ecological and human health risks. This research aimed to assess the photocatalytic removal efficiency of metronidazole (MET) from an aqueous solution using a 15-W bare UVC lamp and magnetic nanocatalysts (Fe-doped TiO2@Fe3O4), which were synthesized using the sol-gel technique. Furthermore, scanning electron microscopy with integrated energy dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM/EDX), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), Differential reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis were carried out to characterize the synthesized nanocatalysts. The influence of several factors, such as pH, initial MET, and nanocatalysts concentrations during reaction times of 15–120 min, was studied. The characterization results confirmed that Fe and Ti were successfully integrated into the Fe– doped TiO2@Fe3O4 nanocomposite. Highest MET degradation efficiency (99.37 %) was observed at a pH of 3, with an initial MET concentration of 60 mg/L, nanoparticle dosage of 800 mg/L, and a reaction time of 90 min. The stability of the nanocatalyst was acceptable. The results suggest that OH ions may play a crucial role in the degradation of MET demonstrating photocatalytic degradation can be an effective way to remove MET from water resources. This research sets a precedent for future endeavors aimed at harnessing photocatalysis for environmental remediation of pharmaceutical pollutants.

Aqueous Adsorption of Pharmaceutical Pollutants on Biochar: a Review on Physicochemical Characteristics, Classical Sorption Models, and Advancements in Machine Learning Techniques

Aqueous Adsorption of Pharmaceutical Pollutants on Biochar: a Review on Physicochemical Characteristics, Classical Sorption Models, and Advancements in Machine Learning Techniques

Pharmaceutically active compounds in aqueous environment: recent developments in their fate, occurrence and elimination for efficient water purification.

The existence of pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) in the water is a major concern for environmentalists due to their deleterious effects on living organisms even at minuscule concentrations. This review focuses on PhACs such as analgesics and anti-inflammatory compounds, which are massively excreted in urine and account for the majority of pharmaceutical pollution. Furthermore, other PhACs such as anti-epileptics, beta-blockers and antibiotics are discussed because they also contribute significantly to pharmaceutical pollution in the aquatic environment. This review is divided into two parts. In the first part, different classes of PhACs and their fate in the wastewater environment are presented. In the second part, recent advances in the removal of PhACs by conventional wastewater treatment plants, including membrane bioreactors (MBRs), activated carbon adsorption and bench-scale studies concerning a broad range of advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) that render practical and appropriate strategies for the complete mineralization and degradation of pharmaceutical drugs, are reviewed. This review indicates that drugs like diclofenac, naproxen, paracetamol and aspirin are removed efficiently by conventional systems. Activated carbon adsorption is suitable for the removal of diclofenac and carbamazepine, whereas AOPs are leading water treatment strategies for the effective removal of reviewed PhACs.

Analysis and risk assessment of pharmaceutical residues in fish from three water bodies in Ghana.

Illegal mining has overshadowed pharmaceutical pollution even though exposure to pharmaceutical waste is high. Consumption of fish potentially polluted with pharmaceuticals from the rivers continues with little concern or potential threat it poses. In the present study, the residues of one antibiotic (Chloramphenicol), five hormones (progesterone, 17-betaEstradiol, Estrone, 17a-Ethynylestradiol, and one), three environmental contaminants (4-para-nonylphenol, 4-tert-octylphenol, and Bisphenol A), one barbiturate (Primidone) and one analgesic (Diclofenac sodium salt), were investigated from fish samples from the rivers Pra, Narkwa, and the Volta. The results show a high concentration of drugs in River Pra in comparison to those in Rivers Narkwa and Volta. The hazard quotients (HQs) for the environmental contaminants were all above 1, except Bisphenol A. Furthermore, the HQs from this study suggest that consumers of fish from any of the three rivers stand a hazard risk of Chloramphenicol (19), 17a-Ethynylestradiol (4), Estrone (1.366), Diclofenac sodium salt (3.29), Progesterone (4.598), 4-tert-octylphenol (87.2), and 4-para-nonylphenol (7.252), but negligible risk against E2 (0.687), Primidone (0.014), Testosterone (0.16), and Bisphenol A (0.642). Of the fish species studied, the highest concentration of all pharmaceuticals put together is found in Clarias gariepinus, Labeo senegalensis, and Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus in that order.

Layered bimetallic oxide composite film: A highly efficient and reusable photocatalytic film for removal of tetracycline antibiotics

To fabricate novel photocatalytic materials is critical to the removal of emerging pharmaceutical pollutants from water samples. However, the photocatalytic materials still face the challenges of degradation performance and reusability. Here, layered bimetallic oxide (LBMO) composites were constructed by using hydrothermal synthesis method of layered double hydroxides (LDH) as precursors, and the LBMO films were prepared by dispersing the LBMO composites in poly(acrylonitrile-co-maleic acid) (PANCMA) solution. The obtained LBMO/PANCMA films exhibited high removal efficiency and good reusability for tetracycline (TC) degradation. Under the optimal conditions, the removal rate of LBMO/PANCMA composite film (20 mg) for TC (20 μg/mL) was 99.34 % within 40 min of light exposure, and retain above 85 % of removal rate even after 10 consecutive uses. Moreover, the possible TC degradation pathways were deduced by analyzing the TC degradation intermediates with LC-MS method, and the toxicity evolution of the TC degradation products was appraised by using density functional theoretical (DFT) method. This study provides a simple and feasible synthesis strategy for membrane-based photocatalytical materials to remove environmental pollutions.

Anchoring modified g-C3N4 with Bi5O7Br: S-scheme photocatalysts with boosted activities in elimination of inorganic and organic pollutants

In this research, modified g-C3N4 with hydrogen peroxide was decorated with Bi5O7Br nanoparticles (abbreviated as g-C3N4(M)/Bi5O7Br) via a facile precipitation procedure. The s-scheme g-C3N4(M)/Bi5O7Br (20 %) nanocomposite showed superior photocatalytic ability in degradation to tetracycline (TC), as a pharmaceutical pollutant, upon visible light. The maximal removal constant was 34.3 and 6.83-folds premier than g-C3N4 and g-C3N4 (M) systems, respectively. Interestingly, the g-C3N4(M)/Bi5O7Br (20 %) nanocomposite demonstrated excellent activity in visible-light elimination of amoxicillin (AMX) (an antibiotic), methyl orange (an anionic pollutant), rhodamine B and Fuchsine (cationic pollutants), and also photoconversion of Cr (VI) into Cr (III) upon visible light, that was about 15.5, 18.9, 22.4, 21.7, and 23.2-folds preferable than that of g-C3N4, respectively. The spectrophotometric, photoluminescence, and electrochemical studies approved the production of more charges upon visible light, and promoted segregation/movement of the generated charges within the binary g-C3N4(M)/Bi5O7Br (20 %) photocatalyst. The impressive segregation of charges was assigned to developing an s-scheme structure between Bi5O7Br and g-C3N4 (M) semiconductors. Scavenging tests revealed that superoxide anion radicals, holes, and hydroxide radicals were crucial species in the reactions. Eventually, the biocompatibility of the treated solution was confirmed via the successful growth of wheat seeds. In conclusion, the s-scheme g-C3N4(M)/Bi5O7Br system can be used as a suitable sample for environmental detoxification.

Photocatalytic degradation of a pharmaceutical pollutant (Levofloxacin) by two-hybrid photocatalysts g-C3N4/TiO2 and WO3/TiO2: comparative study

Photocatalytic degradation of a pharmaceutical pollutant (Levofloxacin) by two-hybrid photocatalysts g-C3N4/TiO2 and WO3/TiO2: comparative study

A single-step method as a green approach to fabricate magnetite nanocomposite for removal of moxifloxacin and cadmium from aqueous solutions

The increasing pace of water resource contamination by heavy metal and pharmaceutical pollutants necessitates the use of advanced methods. Nanomaterials with unique properties are widely employed as adsorbents to address this issue. In this research, a single-step method was developed to coat the magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) on the sand to produce sand coated with MNPs (S-MNPs), then to use this nanocomposite for the removal of moxifloxacin (MFX) and cadmium (Cd(II)) from aqueous solutions. This method is intended to solve the problem of aggregation and difficulty in the separation of MNPs. The coating method was based on the green synthesis approach by coprecipitation of Fe2+ and Fe3+ ions using green (polyphenolic) extract. The extract of cucumber (Cucumis sativus) peels was selected among six other types of vegetal peels. A trial and error procedure was performed to obtain the suitable amount of the extract to produce MNPs with higher stability and the desired surface functionality. It was found that 5 mL per 100 mL (extract/solution) is the best ratio. The synthesized MNPs were categorized by a set of tests. Then, the synthesized S-MNPs were used in a set of batch experiments with varying conditions to remove the contaminants, moreover, isotherm, kinetics, and thermodynamic study were applied to study the ability of the manufactured nanocomposite to remove contaminants from aqueous solutions and to optimize its utilization. The experimental results proved that the synthesized S-MNPs have a good ability to remove the selected contaminants, with a removal capacity of 94 % and 80 % for MFX and Cd(II), respectively.

Ecopharmacology: Knowledge, Attitude, and Medication Disposal Practice Among Pharmacy Students.

Ecopharmacology, as a form of drug management for the environment, focuses on the impact of drugs on the environment. Pharmacists, and by extension pharmacy students, are expected to play an important role in ecopharmacology. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the knowledge and attitude towards ecopharmacology and the practice of disposal of leftover or expired medicines among pharmacy students. This was a descriptive cross-sectional study among pharmacy students in Northwestern Ethiopia. The study took place from May 1 to June 15, 2023. A self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. Four hundred and forty-five students were included in the study. Only 91 (20%) of the students were aware of the term ecopharmacology, 27% knew that excretion from the human or animal body is the major route by which pharmaceutical agents enter the environment, and 42% were aware of the risk of increased antimicrobial resistance due to antibiotic residues in the environment. In addition, only 27% of respondents reported receiving information about the disposal of pharmaceuticals. The most common method of disposing of medications was throwing them away in household trash (61.8%). Our results suggest that while most pharmacy students in Ethiopia have a positive attitude toward ecopharmacology, they do not know enough about ecopharmacology and dispose of their medicines poorly. More uniform education in ecopharmacology and pharmaceutical pollution might be warranted in the pharmacy curriculum.

Pharmaceutical pollution in aquatic environments: exposure, ecotoxicological risks, antibiotic resistance and solutions

Pharmaceutical pollution in aquatic environments: exposure, ecotoxicological risks, antibiotic resistance and solutions

Peroxydisulphate activated FTO-WO3 nanorods based photoelectrocatalytic degradation of tetracycline: Intermediate products, degradation pathway and ecotoxicity studies

This work reports sulphate radical assisted photoelectrocatalytic (SR-PEC) degradation of tetracycline using a visible light active fluorine-doped tin oxide – tungsten trioxide nanorods (FTO-WO3 NRs) photoanode. The WO3 NRs were synthesised via the hydrothermal method and then conducted on the FTO glass to form a photoanode. When the photoanode was applied without sulphate radicals for PEC degradation, 10 % of the tetracycline was degraded. Conversely, when 3 mM persulphate was added, the extent of tetracycline degraded was 88 % using the UV–vis spectrophotometer and 99 % using the ultra-performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometer (UPLC-MS) within 90 min at 1.5 V. The mechanism of tetracycline degradation was proposed based on the intermediate products identified using UPLC-MS and the extent of toxicity was evaluated using quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR) analysis. Trapping experiment revealed that the photogenerated holes, sulphate radicals, and hydroxyl radicals were the oxidants that significantly took part in the degradation of tetracycline. Overall, the electrode was stable and reusable, therefore suggesting the suitability of FTO-WO3 NRs photoanode in the presence of sulphate radicals towards the decontamination of water laden with pharmaceutical pollutants.

Confronting the Environmental Challenges of Pharmaceutical Pollution: A Call to Action for Healthcare Professionals

While providing unparalleled health benefits, the 21st century’s pharmaceutical advancements have inadvertently led to environmental contamination. The sheer volume of drug consumption and resulting waste entering ecosystems compounds this issue. Water systems worldwide are under siege, with pharmaceutical residues causing behavioral changes in aquatic life and threatening delicate ecological balances. Wildlife is not spared, with documented behavioral alterations suggesting potential long-term evolutionary consequences. The cycle of pollution returns these pharmaceutical residues to humans, posing health risks, including antibiotic resistance. The sources of these contaminants range from human excretion to industrial runoff. As challenges mount, solutions emerge, with healthcare professionals playing a pivotal role in driving sustainable prescribing practices, patient education, and advocacy.