Antibiotic contamination in wastewater treatment plant effluents: Current research and future perspectives

Abstract

Antibiotics are among the most important discoveries in medicine and have revolutionized human therapy. Antibiotics are used extensively in many different fields apart from medicine. The development of antibiotic resistance in ecosystems is mostly caused by the extensive use of antibiotics in aquaculture and agriculture to promote growth while minimizing disease. Insufficient metabolism in humans and animals causes a large-scale release of antibiotics and their metabolites into various environmental compartments, which in turn increases the resistance of bacterial infections. Although the use of antibiotics has reduced the number of deaths from bacterial illnesses in poor countries, the hazards connected with antibiotic pollution are still having a significant impact on humanity’s standard of life. The incomplete and undegradable breakdown of antibiotics discharged into the environment causes antibiotic pollution, and bioremediation processes is a challenging procedure. Inappropriate disposal of pharmaceutical waste contributes to an increase in the content of antibiotics in water bodies. Although they are prohibited in European Union (EU) nations including Europe, Sweden, and Namibia, antibiotics are still used in China and India as growth promoters in animal husbandry to increase feeding efficiency. The misuse of antibiotics in agriculture and healthcare is linked to environmental and public health problems, which are exacerbated by antibiotic residues in wastewater that lead to the creation of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB). Effective wastewater management is necessary to reduce ARB and antibiotic resistance gene pollution, which calls for advances in treatment technology and cautious antibiotic use. Considering the increasing problems related to antibiotic usage, these methods must be used to safeguard human health and preserve environmental integrity. Keeping in mind, the current review focusses on antibiotics sources, potential degradation processes, health consequences, and strategies of bacterial antibiotic resistance.