Recent advances in using adsorbent derived from agricultural waste for antibiotics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory wastewater treatment: a review

Abstract

Antibiotics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are among the top pharmaceutical contaminants that have been often found in the aquatic environment. The presence of these contaminants in the aquatic environment is of great concern since it has a negative impact on both ecology and human health. In contrast to other tertiary treatments, adsorption stands out as a viable treatment approach since it provides benefits such as easier operating conditions with no byproduct formation. Commercial activated carbon is widely researched as a pharmaceutical adsorbent, but its large-scale applicability is constrained by its high cost. Agricultural waste also contains a large amount of various functional groups, which may be adapted to surface modification to increase its adsorption ability. In this regard, this study is designed to review the recent progress of efficient adsorbents derived from various agricultural wastes for the removal of antibiotics and NSAIDs contaminants from water bodies. Adsorbents made from agricultural waste have important benefits over commercial activated carbon for the reduction in waste while controlling water pollution.