Application of Agricultural Waste for the Adsorption of Pharmaceutical Pollutants in Wastewater: A Review

Abstract

Modernization and growth in population have contributed to the continuous release of new and emerging chemical compounds (such as pharmaceuticals) into water sources. The importance of pharmaceuticals can never be overemphasized due to their great potential and effectiveness in the body system. However, improper management of their effluents which eventually ends up in the water in our environment has always been an issue of great concern. This led to the need for the purification of the contaminated water (wastewater). Over time, many methods of wastewater purification have been employed in the treatment of the wastewater, but yet, adsorption has been found and established to be an optimum option for the task due to its effectiveness, availability, affordability, and durability. Adsorption is a separation technique that takes place on the surface of a material or through a component called an adsorbent, and the effectiveness of this method is a function of the adsorbent capacity, contact time, temperature, and other related parameters. For adsorbent preparation, many materials have been considered and proven to be active and effective. However, in this paper, synthesizing agricultural wastes as the adsorbent in the adsorption of pharmaceutical effluents is reviewed with references, to further attest to its prominence in adsorption.