A comprehensive update on antibiotics as an emerging water pollutant and their removal using nano-structured photocatalysts

•Extensive antibiotic utilization promotes antibiotic resistance in microorganism.•Organizational level of intervention has controlled the global antibiotic pollution rate.•Metal and metal oxide nanoparticle degrade antibiotics via photocatalytic mechanism.•Free Radical generation by the novel nanoparticles promotes antibiotic degradation.•Lower Bandgap energies of the nanoparticles improve the degradation efficiency.