Anaerobic membrane bioreactor to remove pesticides and pharmaceuticals from wastewater: A bibliometric review

With the development of state-of-the-art analytical methods, new compounds have been detected in water and sewage. Due to their diverse and complex nature, these compounds have been classified as contaminants of emerging concern (CEC). Among the CEC, there are products of pharmaceutical origin and pesticides. Due to the damage caused by these contaminants to human health and the environment, there is a need to develop technologies for their removal in wastewater treatment. An anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) is a technology that can potentially remove emerging compounds by combining biological treatment associated with membrane filtration. Thus, this article mapped literature describing the use of AnMBR for removing drugs and pesticides through a bibliometric review. A relatively low number of publications related to this subject was observed in the last 10 years. Most of the research has been done in the Middle East, South, and Southeast Asia. The main themes addressed by the articles were the treatment of drugs, bacteria, and antibiotic-resistant genes. In particular, research on the removal of pesticides by AnMBR was scarce.