Authors: Shivendra Singh Thakur, Deepali Pandey
Abstract: Pharmaceutical waste, including antibiotics, hormones, and analgesics, is increasingly contaminating aquatic and terrestrial environments due to inadequate treatment in conventional wastewater systems. These compounds, often persistent and bioactive at low concentrations, pose severe risks to ecosystems and human health. Microbial degradation has emerged as a sustainable and eco-friendly approach to remove such contaminants from the environment. This study explores the potential of environmental microbial systems—both natural and engineered—to biodegrade pharmaceutical residues. We examine the microbial taxa involved, their enzymatic pathways, and the environmental conditions that influence degradation efficiency. The research emphasizes the synergistic interactions among microbial communities in biofilms, activated sludge, and constructed wetlands. Methodologies included sample collection from pharmaceutical effluent sites, microbial isolation, and high-throughput sequencing to analyze community structure and functional gene abundance. Results showed promising degradation rates for several commonly detected pharmaceuticals, especially by bacterial genera such as Pseudomonas, Bacillus, and Sphingomonas. The findings advocate for integrating microbial solutions into existing treatment frameworks to mitigate pharmaceutical pollution. Ultimately, understanding microbial dynamics and optimizing bioremediation strategies can lead to more sustainable and effective waste management systems.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16868961
