Detoxification of antibiotic pollution using nanoparticle systems: Introspecting the mechanisms, current status and...

The irrational usage and improper disposal of antibiotics in healthcare facilities, households, animal husbandry and agriculture had resulted in widespread accumulation of antibiotic residues in environment. The antibiotic residues play a critical role in accelerating the onset of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), by applying selective pressure on the ecological niche which in turn gets disseminated through vertical and horizontal gene transfer mechanisms among bacteria. This AMR when gets transmitted across environments and to humans causes catastrophic threat to one health. In addition, the antibiotic accumulation disrupts microbial community structure, impairs soil fertility by altering nutrient cycling processes and bioaccumulates in food chains also posing significant ecological imbalances and long-term risk to human and one health. In recent years nanomaterials have emerged as promising candidates for antibiotic detoxification due to their unique physiochemical properties such as tuneable surface properties, higher surface area and enhanced reactivity at nanoscale. By degrading antibiotics from environment, nanomaterials reduces the antibiotic exposure and hence reduces the emergence of AMR pathogens and AMR genes (ARGs). Despite the rapid progress, the existing studies remain fragmented lacking a consolidative framework to assess the application of nanoparticle systems for antibiotic degradation. Hence this review bridges the gap by critically comparing and analysing the existing nanomaterials for antibiotic degradation in colloidal system. Further it addresses the knowledge gap and future research directions essential for adapting newer solutions to mitigate antibiotic pollution and their diverse ecological effects.