Research Progress on Antibiotic Treatment by NZVI-Based Water Treatment Technologies

Antibiotic contamination has become an emerging challenge in water treatment and environmental protection due to the increasing discharge of antibiotics and their transformation products, which exhibit ecological toxicity and resistance to degradation. Conventional treatment technologies often show limitations in antibiotic removal, including insufficient efficiency, high operational costs, and potential secondary pollution. Nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) has attracted extensive attention as a promising remediation material for antibiotic wastewater treatment owing to its large specific surface area, strong reducing capability, and excellent adsorption properties. However, the practical application of nZVI is still restricted by particle aggregation and surface passivation, which reduce its reactivity, stability, and long-term performance. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in nZVI-based materials for antibiotic removal, with emphasis on preparation strategies, surface modification approaches, removal mechanisms, and integrated treatment technologies. The performance of pristine nZVI and modified nZVI-based systems in antibiotic degradation and removal is systematically discussed. Furthermore, current challenges, including material deactivation, iron leaching, environmental risks, and scale-up limitations, are critically evaluated, and future perspectives toward efficient, stable, and sustainable antibiotic wastewater treatment are proposed.