Advanced oxidation process-mediated removal of pharmaceuticals from water: a review of recent advances

Pharmaceutical compounds have raised significant environmental concerns, due to their persistent and non-biodegradable nature. Addressing their presence in the environment has become a priority, leading to the application of various removal treatment techniques. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) undoubtedly have emerged as highly effective removal techniques, as evidenced by the growing body of work in this area. This review offers an overview of the recent advances in the development of AOPs for treating pharmaceuticals and their by-products. Current trends and discoveries reported in diverse AOP studies have been scrutinized and are presented. Furthermore, emphasis is placed on the use of TiO₂-mediated photocatalysis, which stands out as one of the most explored AOPs for pharmaceutical remediation. Performance aspects of TiO₂ photocatalytic treatment are explored and discussed encompassing both commercially available and synthesized TiO₂, as well as engineered TiO₂-based materials (e.g. activated carbon, polymers, metals and non-metals), all aimed at removal of pharmaceutical compounds from the environment. The review concludes by summarizing key findings and offers insights into directions for future research.