Removal of the emergent pollutants (hormones and antibiotics) from wastewater using different kinds of biosorbent—a review

In recent years, the pharmaceutical industry has achieved significant advances in response to human life and health needs, yet this has also resulted in serious environmental challenges. Pharmaceutical contamination of natural waters, which has the potential to harm ecosystems and persons, has become a rising cause of concern around the world. The recommendations made in this study will be useful in the treatment of pharmaceutical industrial effluent. The different sources of wastewater in the pharmaceutical sector are highlighted in this research, and the best current solutions to remove them are reviewed critically. Adsorption is the most utilized wastewater treatment technique for eliminating pharmaceutical waste due to its adjustable design, operation, and cost-effectiveness. Pharmaceutical pollutants cannot be completely removed from wastewater by using single wastewater treatment methods. The pros and cons of both traditional and non-conventional treatment approaches are discussed in this study. In addition, the effects of wastewater parameters and the type of biosorbent employed in the process were studied. Applications of biosorption in wastewater treatment aim to assess current trends, new developments, and biosorption applications. A physicochemical process in which a biological substance collects pollutants and removes them from a medium is known as biosorption. This approach is currently considered a potential alternative to traditional wastewater treatment procedures. This review provides insights on recent developments in the removal of various hormones and antibiotics from pharmaceutical wastewater using biosorbents. Graphical abstract