Pharmaceutical Wastewater Research Articles

Enhanced Organics Removal Using 3D/GAC/O3 for N-Containing Organic Pharmaceutical Wastewater: Accounting for Improved Biodegradability and Optimization of Operating Parameters by Response Surface Methodology

Pharmaceutical industry effluents often contain high concentrations of refractory organic solvents, chemical oxygen demand (COD), and total dissolved solids (TDSs). These wastewaters, including N-containing organic solvents known for their persistence and toxicity, pose significant environmental challenges. The study evaluated the efficacy of 3D/Granular Activated Carbon (GAC)/O3 treatment compared to linear process additions when treating real pharmaceutical wastewater, and revealed a 2.73-fold enhancement in COD mineralization. The process primarily involves the direct oxidation of monoprotic organic acids found in real pharmaceutical effluents, such as acetic and formic acid, crucially influencing mineralization rates. Optimal conditions determined via the response surface methodology were 125 g/L GAC, 30 mA/cm2, and 75 mg/L O3, achieving high total organic carbon (TOC) and COD removal efficiencies of 87.19 ± 0.19% and 89.67 ± 0.32%, respectively (R2 > 0.9), during verification runs. Current density emerged as the key parameter for organic abatement, aligning with the emphasis on direct oxidation at the anode surface. This integrated approach enhances biodegradability (BOD5/COD) and reduces acute toxicity associated with persistent N-containing solvents, demonstrating promising applications in pharmaceutical wastewater treatment.

Integrated Ozone-Fenton Treatment – A Breakthrough in Pharmaceutical Wastewater Purification

Integrated Ozone-Fenton Treatment – A Breakthrough in Pharmaceutical Wastewater Purification

Fugitive VOCs Emitted by Pharmaceutical Wastewater Treatment Plant: Pollution Characteristic, Odor Activity, Ozone Formation Potential and Health Risk

Fugitive VOCs Emitted by Pharmaceutical Wastewater Treatment Plant: Pollution Characteristic, Odor Activity, Ozone Formation Potential and Health Risk

Effect of High-Rate Aeration in the Electrocoagulation Treatment of Pharmaceutical and Synthetic Textile Industrial Wastewater Effluents

Despite the extensive literature on the effects of implementing aeration in the electrocoagulation (EC) treatment of industrial wastewater, few studies evaluate the performance of this technique at high aeration rates. In this work, we present the outcomes derived from EC treatment of pharmaceutical and synthetic textile wastewater effluents in two lab-scale reactors with and without aeration, each equipped with different electrode combinations of aluminium and iron (Al/Al, Al/Fe, and Fe/Fe). In the non-aerated EC reactor, maximum chemical oxygen demand (COD) reductions of 56% and 80% were achieved for the pharmaceutical and textile effluents, respectively, with up to 100% removal of turbidity and colour with the Al/Al combination. The installation of high-rate aeration to prevent sludge accumulation on the electrode surface markedly reduced residence times and enhanced the COD removal in the pharmaceutical effluent. However, this implementation potentially reduced the process efficiency for thesynthetic textile effluent as prolonged operation led to flocculation breakdown and subsequent re-dissolution of the contaminants in the water.

Role of Nanomaterials in Degradation of Cosmetics and Pharmaceutical Wastewater: A Review

Biodiversity progress impacts the quality and availability of renewable natural resources. Ecological concerns about air and water pollution have been raised on communal and commercial levels. The continuous release and accumulation of cosmetics and pharmaceutical items in the environment pose significant threats to both ecosystems and human health. The presence of these emerging pollutants from pharmaceutical and cosmetic products has been reported in wastewater streams coming from industrial as well as wastewater treatment plants. This need has driven the development of technologies like advanced oxidation processes such as ozonation, Fenton’s oxidation, photocatalysis, etc. for conventional wastewater treatments. Among these, the photocatalytic processes are presently being efficient since they not only utilize UV light but also visible light. This article mainly focuses on the review of preparation and comparative activity of photocatalysts on cosmetic as well as pharmaceutical wastes degradation. Photocatalysts, in their different forms like nanoparticles, nanorods and nanocomposites, hold great promise due to their stability, non-toxicity and reusability.

Zirconium-doped lead dioxide anodes prepared by sol-gel method for ampicillin removal from simulated pharmaceutical polluted wastewater.

New anodes consisting of zirconium-doped PbO2 coating, growth on titanium dioxide interlayer, were deposited on titanium substrates using spin coating method and have been tested for the removal of ampicillin, a β-lactam antibiotic, from water. Morphological, structural, and electrochemical properties of the prepared coatings were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscope (AFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and electrochemical impendence spectroscopy (EIS). Results showed that the incorporation of zirconium dopant had a noticeable modification in the morphology of anodes. An increase in the surface roughness and the specific active area were observed with Ti/TiO2/PbO2- 10% Zr electrode compared to other anodes. The electrochemical measurements indicated that the anode doped with 10% Zr showed a more protective coating performance than the undoped and 20% Zr-doped PbO2 electrodes. The experiments on ampicillin degradation revealed that doped lead dioxide anodes have excellent electrocatalytic activity. The major byproduct generated during anodic oxidation treatment has been identified as ampicilloic acid by liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy (LC-MS) analysis. Results demonstrated that Ti/TiO2/PbO2- 10% Zr anode presents the best removal rate of ampicillin with a minimum intermediate amount, which leads to conclude that 10% is the optimum percentage of zirconium dopant for antibiotic wastewater treatment.

The Influence of Aloe Vera Biocoagulant and Mixing Time in Reducing Biological Oxygen Demand, Chemical Oxygen Demand and Total Suspended Solids Levels

Aloe vera is a plant with complex composition of carbohydrates, sugars, and mucilage, enabling it to bind particles in water and serve as a coagulant in the coagulation-flocculation process. This study aims to assess the impact of varying doses and rapid stirring times on the reduction of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and total suspended solids (TSS) levels in liquid waste from pharmaceutical companies. The research involves two factors: (1) aloe vera concentration at three levels (20 mL/L, 40 mL/L, and 60 mL/L); (2) fast mixing time at three levels (20 minutes, 40 minutes, and 60 minutes), with each treatment repeated thrice. Levels of BOD, COD and TSS were measured post-treatment using a jar test tool. The results of the analysis showed that the optimal efficacy of the aloe vera coagulant occurred at a concentration of 40 mL/L for 40 minutes. At this optimal condition, the effectiveness of the aloe vera coagulant in reducing BOD, COD and TSS levels was 72.3%, 78.5%, and 65.3%, respectively. This indicates that the aloe vera coagulant can be effectively utilized in the treatment of pharmaceutical industrial wastewater to reduce BOD, COD and TSS levels

Pharmaceutical Wastewater and Sludge Valorization: A Review on Innovative Strategies for Energy Recovery and Waste Treatment

Currently, a large amount of pharmaceutical waste (PW) and its derivatives are being produced and, in some cases, inadequate management or treatment practices are applied. In this regard, this research explores the adoption of several alternatives to deal with these problems, including biocarbon within the framework of the circular economy. Photocatalytic nanomaterials have been also extensively discussed as a feasible way to remove pharmaceutical compounds in wastewater. Although there are existing reports in this area, this document provides a detailed study of the synthesis process, experimental conditions, the integration of photocatalysts, and their impact on enhancing photocatalytic efficiency. Additionally, the low cost and ease of fabrication of lab-scale microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are thoroughly examined. This innovative technology not only facilitates the degradation of hazardous compounds in wastewater but also harnesses their energy to generate electricity simultaneously. The aforementioned approaches are covered and discussed in detail by documenting interesting recently published research and case studies worldwide. Furthermore, this research is of significant importance because it addresses the valorization of PW by generating valuable by-products, such as H2 and O2, which can occur simultaneously during the photodegradation process, contributing to more sustainable industrial practices and clean energy technologies.

Visible Light-driven Effective Photocatalytic Degradation of the Persistent Organic Pollutant Using Cobalt-doped Strontium Titanate

Residual antibiotics in natural aquatic environments pose a critical threat to humans and other organisms. However, most sewage treatment plants fail to remove them. Photocatalytic nanomaterials can efficiently destroy these persistent organic pollutants in wastewater. In this study, we developed a series of cobalt-doped SrTiO3 (Co-STO) catalysts with different doping amounts (3, 5, 7, and 9 wt%) for the effective photocatalytic degradation of ciprofloxacin (CIP). The nanostructures were characterized using X-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray analysis, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller N2 adsorption isotherms. The Co-STO particles have a mesoporous diameter of ~30.8 nm, and the Co-doped nanostructures have a rhombohedral hopper-like shape. Co-doping decreased the bandgap of pure STO from 3.61 to 3.42 eV, which enabled it to absorb visible light. Among the catalysts, 7 wt% Co-STO showed the highest CIP degradation activity (90.6%) during 120 min of visible-light irradiation. Radical scavenging experiments revealed that superoxide (O2 •-) is the primary reactive species during degradation. These Co-doped nanostructures have potential applications in the remediation of hazardous pollutants in pharmaceutical wastewater. Moreover, the crystal and energy band structure, density of states, and Bader charge of these molecules were analyzed.

TiO2 aerogel − A sensing electrode matrix for the sensitive detection of diclofenac sodium

This study developed a new composite matrix containing TiO2 aerogel having mesoporous structure (TiO2AG), bioengineered flagellin (bioF) and chitosan (Ch) deposited on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE), for the detection of diclofenac sodium (DS) in aqueous solutions. It is worth mentioning that TiO2AG mesoporous material was used for the first time as a sensitive matrix for DS detection. The morpho-structural properties of the new electrode materials were assessed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), N2 adsorption–desorption measurements, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in conjunction with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The electrochemical properties of the new bioF + TiO2AG + Ch/GCE modified electrode were determined by cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and square wave voltammetry (SWV) techniques. The developed modified electrode exhibits a significant electrocatalytic activity for DS electrooxidation process reflected in the acquired performances (detection limit of 17 nM, sensitivity of 0.41 A/M, linear range from 0.15 to 2.5 µM), and presents excellent reproducibility, repeatability, and stability. The practical use of the new developed electrode was estimated by quantifying DS in pharmaceutical formulations (recovery mean of 100.66 % for DS, with a relative standard deviation of 0.39 %) and wastewater samples (relative error of 3.15 % and a relative standard deviation of 0.393 when compared to the LC-MS standard technique).

Removing high strength lincomycin in pharmaceutical wastewater by a bacteria microalgae consortium co-immobilized filter

Lincomycin (LIN) in pharmaceutical wastewater would enter municipal wastewater treatment plants and decrease their performance, leading to residual LIN enter the natural environment and pose serious eco-risk. In this study, a bacterium-microalgae consortium co-immobilized filter (BMCCF) was established and used to remove LIN in artificial pharmaceutical wastewater treatment plants effluents (PWWTPE). LIN removal mechanisms and degradation products’ eco-toxicity was studied, and the abundance change of class 1 integrase gene (intⅠ1) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) was monitored. As a result, 98.54 % of 82 mg/L LIN was removed within 7 days, LIN removal was mainly attributed to bio-degradation by the Bacillus subtilis strain, and LIN degradation products were less toxic than their substrate. Therefore, the BMCCF established in this study provides a promising alternative for the bio-treatment of pharmaceutical wastewater containing high concentration of LIN.

Synergistic catalytic degradation of Methotrexate using Ce-based high-entropy metal oxides: Insights from DFT calculations and CWPO performance

Methotrexate (MTX), a widely used anticancer drug, is a refractory organic pollutant posing serious threats to ecosystems and human health. This study focuses on the development of a novel catalyst composed of Ce-based high-entropy metal oxides (NHEMO) supported on nepheline for the catalytic wet peroxide oxidation (CWPO) process, targeting MTX degradation in simulated wastewater. The NHEMO catalyst exhibited a unique high-entropy structure that enhances catalytic performance by facilitating diverse electronic interactions, which was confirmed through X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses showing a well-defined crystal structure and uniform dispersion of metal oxides. Additionally, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) revealed a stable metal composition and high oxidation states of active metal sites. At a reaction temperature of 160 °C, with a residence time of 150 s and an oxidation coefficient of 5, the catalyst achieved a MTX removal rate of 93.49 % and a chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal of 99.95 %. Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations further demonstrated that H2O2 decomposes into both adsorbed (surface-bound) and free (solution-phase) hydroxyl radicals (·OH). These radicals synergistically degrade MTX through both radical and non-radical pathways, ensuring comprehensive pollutant breakdown. The catalyst also showed excellent stability and a very low metal dissolution rate during the reaction, maintaining high catalytic activity after repeated recycling. This catalyst offers high cost-effectiveness, activity, and stability, providing a promising solution for treating refractory organic pollutants in pharmaceutical wastewater.

Machine learning-assisted source tracing in domestic-industrial wastewater: A fluorescence information-based approach

An emergency water pollution incident poses a significant risk to the proper functioning of wastewater treatment plants, particularly in domestic-industrial integrated facilities. Source tracing is recognized as an effective method to mitigate ongoing impacts. Machine learning-assisted traceability is emerging as a more efficient and faster method compared to traditional methods. In this study, a total of 712 sets of characterization wastewater information from effluent samples from14 discharge enterprises across 6 different sectors, as well as domestic wastewater was collected using 3-dimensional fluorescence spectroscopy. After data cleaning and augmentation, a feature fingerprint database of wastewater was constructed to train a traceability model. Several machine learning algorithms, including Back Propagation neural network (BP), Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Naive Bayes (NB) and K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), were selected for constructing the traceability framework. Subsequently, an advanced Particle Swarm Optimization Random Forest model (PSO-RF), capable of automatically optimizing model parameters, was proposed and applied to trace the sources of wastewater in integrated wastewater treatment plant. The PSO-RF achieved and accuracy of 96.55 % in sector identification and 94.25 % in manufacturer identification. As part of the validation process, laboratory simulations were conducted using blended wastewater with different volume ratios of domestic and industrial wastewater to evaluated the potential application of PSO-RF. The results consistently demonstrated PSO-RF's effectiveness, particularly in tracing pharmaceutical wastewater sources, maintaining an accuracy of over 85 %. This work presents a novel strategy for tracing abnormal sources during emergency pollutant incidents, providing essential support for integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into meticulous wastewater management.

Application of electro-membrane bioreactor in the treatment of pharmaceutical wastewater

In the present study, the integrated process of an electro-membrane bioreactor (EMBR) with conventional membrane bioreactor (MBR) was used for wastewater treatment. The removal rates of chemical oxygen demand (COD), phosphate (PO43-), turbidity, diclofenac (DCF), and UV254 were investigated in both reactors, which operated with a sludge retention time (SRT) of 60 d and a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 24 h. The assessment of the current density effect on DCF removal in an electrocoagulation reactor indicated that 0.5 mA/cm² was an appropriate current for the operation of the EMBR. The results of conventional pollutant removal showed that applying an electric current to the MBR approximately increased COD removal by 1.1 times, PO43- removal by 1.56 times, UV254 removal by 1.26 times, and turbidity removal by 1.11 times compared to the conventional MBR. The DCF removal efficiency increased from 43.90 % in the MBR process to 76.46 % in the EMBR. Membrane fouling was investigated through transmembrane pressure (TMP) monitoring, and the findings showed an increase in membrane usage time in EMBR compared to conventional MBR. Finally, the results explained that the application of current to MBR improves the removal of contaminants, mitigates membrane fouling, and reduces the residual DCF concentration.

Innovative RGO-bridged S-scheme CuFe2O4@Ag2S heterojunction for efficient Sun-light-driven photocatalytic disintegration of Ciprofloxacin

Antibiotics contamination in water bodies poses a significant threat to public health and the environment, necessitating advanced methods for their removal from wastewater. In response to this issue, developing a novel magnetic nanocomposite (RGO/CuFe2O4@Ag2S) as an efficient photocatalyst for the degradation of pharmaceuticals like ciprofloxacin (CIP) is of great importance. The synthesized nanocomposite underwent comprehensive characterization to elucidate its crystalline structure, chemical bonding, surface morphology, elemental composition, internal structure, optical properties, surface area, particle size distribution, and magnetic properties. Under optimized conditions (pH=9, nanocomposite dose =0.5 g/L, CIP concentration of 20 mg/L, and duration of 200 minutes), the nanocomposite demonstrated complete degradation of CIP. Moreover, post-treatment analysis revealed significant reductions in total organic carbon (TOC) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) of 70.08% and 85.08%, respectively, indicating extensive mineralization of the antibiotic. Mechanistic investigations revealed a unique S-scheme heterojunction in the RGO/CuFe2O4@Ag2S nanocomposite, where RGO acts as an electronic bridge between CuFe2O4 and Ag2S. This innovative architecture facilitates efficient charge separation and transfer, significantly enhancing the photocatalytic activity. Reusability tests demonstrated the robust nature of the photocatalyst, with only a modest 6% decline in efficiency after six consecutive cycles. To further assess the system's effectiveness in real-world applications, its performance was evaluated in treating pharmaceutical wastewater. The biodegradation efficiency was quantified by measuring the Average Oxidation State (AOS) and Carbon Oxidation State (COS) of the wastewater samples before and after treatment.

Synthesis of Copper-Doped Metal Nanoferrites for Efficient Removal of Pharmaceutical Wastewater Pollutants in Membrane Bioreactor System

Pharmaceuticals present in the aquatic environment can poison aquatic species and humans through drinking water and cause harmful bacteria to become resistant. The role of transition metal doped metal nanoferrites for the enhanced efficiency of degradation process is widely achieved. In this work, copper doped magnesium ferrite (Cu-MgFe2O4) and copper doped zinc ferrite (Cu-ZnFe2O4) nanoparticles were synthesized using a sol-gel method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the formation of the spinel structure for both samples, with crystal sizes of 16.72 nm and 59.05 nm, respectively. The magnetic properties of the samples were studied using a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), which revealed that the addition of Cu2+ ions has a significant impact on the magnetic properties of the nanoparticles. The saturation magnetisation (Ms), retentivity (Mr) and coercivity value (Hc) for the Cu-MgFe2O4 sample were found to be 0.18453 emu, 39.584 × 10-3 emu and 139.61 Oe, respectively, while for the Cu-ZnFe2O4 sample, the values were 0.21271 emu, 71.022 × 10-3 emu and 285.91 Oe, respectively. The impact of copper doped nanoferrites on pollutant removal from pharmaceutical wastewater using the membrane Bioreactor (MBR) system has also been accomplished. The results demonstrated the effectiveness of ferrites in reducing concentrations of heavy metals, including lead and cadmium, within acceptable ranges for inland surface water and public sewers. Furthermore, the MBR system with ferrites exhibited efficient removal of fluoride, sulphide and radioactivity, ensuring compliance with the specified standards. Although the study exhibited the potential of ferrites in pollutants removal, further optimization is necessary to achieve complete compliance with water quality standards.

Constructing Tandem Fenton-like Reaction Systems Based on Structure Adaption to Boost Water Contaminant Mineralization Efficiency.

Mineralization of emerging contaminants by using advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) is a desirable option to ensure water safety, but still challenged by the excessive chemical and/or energy input. Here, we conceptually proposed the tandem reaction system (TRS) of different reactive oxygen species (ROS) based on structure adaption of target contaminants. To construct a model TRS, we first realized highly selective generation of three classical ROS (1O2, HO• and SO4•-) by peroxymonosulfate activation in an electrochemical Fenton-like system, where three replaceable Fe-centered cathodes were rationally designed as electronic mediator. The 1O2+SO4•--TRS exhibited nearly 100% mineralization of sulfamethoxazole (SMX), whereas only 34.2%, 56.2% and 60.8% for each of the single 1O2/HO•/SO4•--AOP systems. Mechanism exploration of SMX degradation in TRS evidenced that the initial reaction with 1O2 selectively destructed the sulfonamide bridge of SMX to form p-aminobenzenesulfonic acid, which will be vulnerable to sequent SO4•- attack to facilitate mineralization. Successful extendibility of 1O2+SO4•--TRS to other sulfonamide antibiotics and 1O2+HO•-TRS to phenolic and arylcarboxylic compounds, as well as the demonstration of 1O2+SO4•--TRS in treatment of three actual pharmaceutical wastewaters strongly support that TRS is a powerful and sustainable strategy to enhance the mineralization of emerging contaminants in water.

Constructing Tandem Fenton‐like Reaction Systems Based on Structure Adaption to Boost Water Contaminant Mineralization Efficiency

Mineralization of emerging contaminants by using advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) is a desirable option to ensure water safety, but still challenged by the excessive chemical and/or energy input. Here, we conceptually proposed the tandem reaction system (TRS) of different reactive oxygen species (ROS) based on structure adaption of target contaminants. To construct a model TRS, we first realized highly selective generation of three classical ROS (1O2, HO• and SO4•–) by peroxymonosulfate activation in an electrochemical Fenton‐like system, where three replaceable Fe‐centered cathodes were rationally designed as electronic mediator. The 1O2+SO4•–‐TRS exhibited nearly 100% mineralization of sulfamethoxazole (SMX), whereas only 34.2%, 56.2% and 60.8% for each of the single 1O2/HO•/SO4•–‐AOP systems. Mechanism exploration of SMX degradation in TRS evidenced that the initial reaction with 1O2 selectively destructed the sulfonamide bridge of SMX to form p‐aminobenzenesulfonic acid, which will be vulnerable to sequent SO4•– attack to facilitate mineralization. Successful extendibility of 1O2+SO4•–‐TRS to other sulfonamide antibiotics and 1O2+HO•‐TRS to phenolic and arylcarboxylic compounds, as well as the demonstration of 1O2+SO4•–‐TRS in treatment of three actual pharmaceutical wastewaters strongly support that TRS is a powerful and sustainable strategy to enhance the mineralization of emerging contaminants in water.

The catalytic wet air oxidation of pharmaceutical wastewater with alkali-activated Mn and Cu composites: preparation of precursors by calcination of kaolin with Mn and Cu

In recent decades, the concentration of pharmaceutical residues and narcotics has increased in municipal wastewater. Decomposing these toxic organic chemicals is challenging and requires new techniques and advanced catalytic materials. Precursors of metal composites were prepared by calcining an aqueous suspension of natural clay–based kaolin with Mn and Cu, binding chemically the active metals to the aluminosilicate frame structure of the precursor. The specific surface area of Mn and Cu composite was 67 m2/g and 81 m2/g, respectively. The mechanical durability was determined in terms of compressive strength, and 3.3 MPa and 3.6 MPa were obtained, respectively. In the CWAO of pharmaceutical wastewater, Mn composite gave the highest conversions of 54% and 46% of the chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total organic carbon (TOC), respectively. Metal composites were mechanically and chemically highly durable, inducing only 1.2 wt.% and 1.4 wt.% mass loss. In CWAO, Mn and Cu composite increased the biodegradation of organic species in the wastewater by 65% and 75%, respectively.

Beta-cyclodextrin supported Bi2Fe4O9-based n-p/n hetero-homojunction: A leach proof S-scheme photocatalyst for mitigation of micropollutants

The work proffers a novel Bi2Fe4O9 based n-p/n hetero-homojunction that offers excellent photocatalytic activity towards mitigation of three potential pharmaceutical and agrochemical pollutants. Nanoparticles of Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis shell derived carboxyl functionalized reduced graphene oxide (rGO) were encrusted over the surface of hydrothermally fabricated Bi2Fe4O9 nanoplates. Further, hydroxyl functionalization of fabricated composites was performed using beta-cyclodextrin (β-CD) and the fabricated materials were utilized for oxidative degradation of doxorubicin, levofloxacin drugs and malathion pesticide. The proffered modification not only enhanced the catalytic activity but also protected the surface of Bi2Fe4O9, which resulted 89.06 % and 86.84 % suppression in leaching of Fe and Bi ions as that of pristine bismuth ferrite (BF) was achieved with this beneficial modification. Practical viability of fabricated hetero-homojunction was testified via treating real pharmaceutical wastewater at lower concentration. Mott-Schottky (MS), Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) and Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy (KPFM) studies were employed to investigate the band structure and charge transfer mechanism of fabricated n-p/n hetero-homojunction.