| Adsorption |
It is easy to operate and has low cost |
Product recovery usually requires expensive distillation. The capacity of the adsorbent also progressively deteriorates as you increase the number of cycles |
Chlortetracycline,51 sulfamethazine52
|
| Photolysis and photocatalysis |
It does not lead to the formation of bromated products. It can be applied to the full-scale drinking water treatment system |
The penetration of light can be inhibited by turbidity. The process is also energy- and cost-intensive |
Tetracycline,53 ciprofloxacin54
|
| Ozonation |
It enhances the effective destruction of organic matter |
It requires high cost |
Roxithromycin55
|
| Biodegradation |
It is a low-cost technology and plays a critical role in pollutant degradation |
The rate of microbial metabolism may reduce (due to antibiotic wastewater exposure), thereby affecting the performance of biological treatment of the sewage |
Cephalexin,41 sulfanilamide56
|
| Electrochemical oxidation |
It can be integrated with other technologies |
It is not widely used due to the expensive cost of electrode materials. It is also associated with low current efficiency and high energy consumption |
Levofloxacin57
|
| Anaerobic treatment |
It is effective in removing high-strength organic compounds and breaking down refractory materials |
They are effective in removing non-organic pollutants from wastewater (such as nutrients and pathogens) |
Tylosin,58 penicillin59
|
| Aerobic treatment |
It is associated with reduced odor and improved nutrient removal efficiency |
It requires high capital cost, high operating cost, and high maintenance requirements |
Tetracycline,60 Sulfamerazine46
|
| Biofilm technology |
It offers operational flexibility, reduced hydraulic retention time, low space requirements, high active biomass concentration, and increased biomass residence time |
Operators need to be skilled in the area of biological water treatment. It also requires annual monitoring to ensure that the bacteria on the carriers are still thriving |
Ibuprofen,61 terramycin62
|
| Coagulation/flocculation/sedimentation |
Decrease in detention time of the wastewater treatment process. They can also target different contaminants via a single system |
Since coagulation is an additive process, the addition of chemicals can produce a large volume of sludge that must be treated and disposed of after the treatment |
Sulfamerazine, sulfadimethoxine48
|
