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Sources of Antibiotic Contamination in Wastewater and Approaches to Their Removal—An Overview

Author

Listed:
  • Antony V. Samrot

    (School of Bioscience, Faculty of Medicine, Bioscience and Nursing, MAHSA University, Jenjarom 42610, Selangor, Malaysia)

  • Samraj Wilson

    (Department of Botany, St. John’s College, Palayamkottai, Tirunelveli 627002, Tamil Nadu, India)

  • Ram Singh Sanjay Preeth

    (Department of Biotechnology, School of Bio and Chemical Engineering, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai 600119, Tamil Nadu, India)

  • Pandurangan Prakash

    (Department of Biotechnology, School of Bio and Chemical Engineering, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai 600119, Tamil Nadu, India)

  • Mahendran Sathiyasree

    (Department of Biotechnology, School of Bio and Chemical Engineering, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai 600119, Tamil Nadu, India)

  • Subramanian Saigeetha

    (Department of Biotechnology, School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore 632014, Tamil Nadu, India)

  • Nagarajan Shobana

    (Department of Biotechnology, School of Bio and Chemical Engineering, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai 600119, Tamil Nadu, India)

  • Senthilkumar Pachiyappan

    (Department of Chemical Engineering, Saveetha Engineering College, Thandalam, Chennai 602105, Tamil Nadu, India)

  • Vinod Vincent Rajesh

    (MSU College, Naduvakurichi, Sankarankovil Taluk, Tenkasi District, Tirunelveli 627756, Tamil Nadu, India)

Abstract

In the practice of medicine, antibiotics are extremely important and are employed in the treatment of infections. A lot of antibiotics are consumed by humans and excreted via urine and feces into sewage systems and treatment plants. These are considered to be non-biodegradable, and over the years they accumulate in the aquatic environment. The presence of antibiotics in water resources causes the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, posing a serious threat to the health of human beings. Water bodies must be adequately treated before being discharged to prevent the spread of antibiotic resistance. In the present article, the sources of antibiotics and strategies used for their effective removal, such as ultrafiltration, microfiltration, nanofiltration, membranous biological reactor treatment, Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP), Reverse Osmosis (RO) and Nano sorbents, are discussed. Conventional wastewater treatment plants are not able to eliminate antibiotics deposition/resistance genes effectively and efficiently. In this regard, the adsorption method is the most effective way of removing antibiotics from wastewater from various sources.

Suggested Citation

  • Antony V. Samrot & Samraj Wilson & Ram Singh Sanjay Preeth & Pandurangan Prakash & Mahendran Sathiyasree & Subramanian Saigeetha & Nagarajan Shobana & Senthilkumar Pachiyappan & Vinod Vincent Rajesh, 2023. "Sources of Antibiotic Contamination in Wastewater and Approaches to Their Removal—An Overview," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-25, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:16:p:12639-:d:1221570
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Airu Huang & Muting Yan & Jingjun Lin & Lijie Xu & He Gong & Han Gong, 2021. "A Review of Processes for Removing Antibiotics from Breeding Wastewater," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-12, May.
    2. La Thi Quynh Lien & Nguyen Quynh Hoa & Nguyen Thi Kim Chuc & Nguyen Thi Minh Thoa & Ho Dang Phuc & Vishal Diwan & Nguyen Thanh Dat & Ashok J. Tamhankar & Cecilia Stålsby Lundborg, 2016. "Antibiotics in Wastewater of a Rural and an Urban Hospital before and after Wastewater Treatment, and the Relationship with Antibiotic Use—A One Year Study from Vietnam," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-13, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Jorge Alejandro Silva, 2024. "Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Sustainability in Water Supply: A Systematic Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(8), pages 1-29, April.

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