Sustainable developmental measures for the treatment of pharmaceutical industry effluent using nano zero valent iron technology (nZVI) - A review

Among the diverse nanomaterials, nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) particle is one of the superior materials used for the condition of remediation and environmental restoration. As a result of the nanoscale dimension of nZVI particles and its relatively high surface, it is capable of undergoing various chemical reactions, including reduction, oxidation and adsorption of toxic metals, inorganic substances and organic compounds. In the pharmaceutical industry, mass production of drugs results in the widespread dumping of effluents. As emerging pollutants, antibiotics are non-biodegradable compounds that have potential to adversely affect human genetic and hormonal systems posing a risk to human health and the environment. Global health is endangered by antibiotics present in surface waters and drinking water. Drug contaminants can be removed using a synergistic process involving various advanced methods, including ozonation, fenton process, photocatalytic degradation, reverse osmosis and, adsorption techniques. The enhancement of nZVI composites and earlier studies were reviewed, as well as the evaluation of zero valent iron nanoparticles' effectiveness in eliminating antibiotic effluents from water bodies. This review also revealed the various methods of the determination of toxicity associated with nZVI treated pharmaceutical effluents. The present study would suggest the possible utilization of nZVI technology for the effective removal of hazardous pharmaceutical contaminants through sustainable green measures.