Biological Technologies Used for the Removal of Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs

Abstract

Chronic pain is one of the most important causes of disability worldwide and represents a major public health challenge. The presence of inflammation is a common underlying mechanism of chronic pain. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), COX2-selective and non-selective, showing analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties, are useful options for the treatment of chronic pain. Non-metabolized pharmaceutical products and their metabolites are excreted and enter sewage as biologically active substances. The accumulation of emerging pollutants, such as active pharmaceutical ingredients and their metabolites in the aquatic environment, has recently become a serious problem due to their bioaccumulation and ecotoxicity potential that affects living organisms. Pharmaceutical products considered as emerging pollutants are partially removed during the treatment of wastewater that contains them and are detected in groundwater, surface water, and wastewater effluent, as well as in drinking water at concentrations ranging from a few nanograms per liter to 15 μg/L. The elimination of these contaminants is essential due to the toxicity that causes in the organisms. Biological techniques that include microorganisms in their processes could be more effective for the elimination of pharmaceutical contaminants compared to the physicochemical techniques currently used.