Pharmaceutical Waste Valorization and Bioremediation: Challenges and Innovations
摘要
The growth of the world’s population and improvements in health have dramatically increased the use of pharmaceuticals. This increase in consumption, along with improper disposal of unused pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical manufacturing waste, has led to the introduction of significant amounts of pharmaceutical compounds into the environment. The presence of pharmaceuticals in the environment, especially in water resources, has many toxic effects on living organisms and ecosystems. These effects include hormone disruption, antibiotic resistance in bacteria, and threats to biodiversity. To address this serious challenge, researchers in recent years have focused on developing methods for bioremediation and valorization of pharmaceutical waste. Bioremediation refers to a set of biological processes that use microorganisms, plants, or enzymes to degrade and remove organic contaminants from the environment. In addition to bioremediation, pharmaceutical waste can be used to produce value-added products such as biofuels and biofertilizers. This approach not only helps reduce pollution but is also economically viable. This chapter has reviewed various bioremediation methods for the removal and management of pharmaceutical waste. Methods such as biodegradation by bacteria and fungi, bioabsorption by plants and algae, and new technologies such as microbial fuel cells and composting have been presented as promising solutions to this problem. The results of studies show that biological methods have a high potential for reducing pharmaceutical pollution and converting pharmaceutical waste into value-added products. However, more research is needed to optimize the operating conditions and evaluate the environmental impact of these methods before they can be widely used.