A review on microalgae-mediated biotechnology for removing pharmaceutical contaminants in aqueous environments: Occurrence, fate, and removal mechanism

Ting Zhou; Zehao Zhang; Huan Liu; Shiman Dong; Long D Nghiem; Li Gao; Alex V Chaves; Arash Zamyadi; Xuan Li; Qilin Wang

doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130213

A review on microalgae-mediated biotechnology for removing pharmaceutical contaminants in aqueous environments: Occurrence, fate, and removal mechanism

J Hazard Mater. 2023 Feb 5;443(Pt A):130213. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130213. Epub 2022 Oct 19.

Authors

Ting Zhou¹, Zehao Zhang¹, Huan Liu¹, Shiman Dong², Long D Nghiem¹, Li Gao³, Alex V Chaves⁴, Arash Zamyadi⁵, Xuan Li⁶, Qilin Wang⁷

Affiliations

¹ Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia.
² Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123 Turin, Italy.
³ South East Water, 101 Wells Street, Frankston, VIC 3199, Australia.
⁴ School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia.
⁵ Water Research Australia Limited, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia.
⁶ Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia. Electronic address: xuan.li@uts.edu.au.
⁷ Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia. Electronic address: Qilin.Wang@uts.edu.au.

PMID: 36283219
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130213

Abstract

Pharmaceutical compounds in aquatic environments have been considered as emerging contaminants due to their potential risks to living organisms. Microalgae-based technology showed the feasibility of removing pharmaceutical contaminants. This review summarizes the occurrence, classification, possible emission sources, and environmental risk of frequently detected pharmaceutical compounds in aqueous environments. The efficiency, mechanisms, and influencing factors for the removal of pharmaceutical compounds through microalgae-based technology are further discussed. Pharmaceutical compounds frequently detected in aqueous environments include antibiotics, hormones, analgesic and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), cardiovascular agents, central nervous system drugs (CNS), antipsychotics, and antidepressants, with a concentration ranging from ng/L to μg/L. Microalgae-based technology majorly remove the pharmaceutical compounds through bioadsorption, bioaccumulation, biodegradation, photodegradation, and co-metabolism. This review identifies the opportunities and challenges for microalgae-based technology and proposed suggestions for future studies to tackle challenges. The findings of this review advance our understanding of the occurrence and fate of pharmaceutical contaminants in aqueous environments, highlighting the potential of microalgae-based technology for pharmaceutical contaminants removal.

Keywords: Influencing factors; Mechanisms; Microalgae; Pharmaceutical contaminants; Removal performance.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Biodegradation, Environmental
Biotechnology
Microalgae* / metabolism
Pharmaceutical Preparations / metabolism
Wastewater
Water Pollutants, Chemical* / metabolism

Substances

Water Pollutants, Chemical
Pharmaceutical Preparations
Waste Water