Research progress on antibiotic removal process in wastewater for aquatic environment protection

Abstract

The serious issue of antibiotic contamination has become a pressing concern. Antibiotic-contaminated wastewater that is not effectively treated can have detrimental effects on both aquatic environments and human health. Therefore, it is imperative to intensify research efforts towards developing efficient and effective processes for removing antibiotics from aquatic environments. This paper provides a comprehensive review of common antibiotic removal processes used in sewage treatment plants, including physical adsorption and membrane filtration. It also examines various chemical treatments such as ozone oxidation, hydrolysis, photolysis, Fenton oxidation, persulfate oxidation, and electrochemical oxidation. In addition, the paper discusses biological treatments including anaerobic biological treatment, aerobic biological treatment, and constructed wetland treatment, as well as the combination of related processes. Through this review of the relevant literature, it is evident that advanced oxidation technology demonstrates superior performance in single removal processes for antibiotics. Furthermore, the combination of different removal processes yields even more effective antibiotic removal outcomes, indicating great potential for future development. Finally, this paper highlights the importance of future research in antibiotic removal to further advance the field and promote the growth of antibiotic removal technology.