Sustainable Wastewater Management in the Pharmaceutical Industry

Abstract

Although pharmaceuticals are advantageous to modern civilization in many ways, their use contaminates the environment to which they are exposed. Numerous pathways, such as the release of treated wastewater, sewage from waste dumps, sewer lines, runoff from animal waste, as well as the application of manure fertilizers to land, may allow them to reach the environment. Pharmaceutical wastewater contains organic debris, non-biodegradable chemicals, microbial contaminants, and salt, necessitating advanced treatment techniques due to water scarcity and the persistence of dissolved organic matter. Anaerobic membrane bioreactors are capable of treating intricate pharmaceutical waste, recovering energy, and generating wastewater that is rich in nutrients and suitable for irrigation. This chapter discusses the use of anaerobic methods for drug breakdown, highlighting the benefits of wastewater's high organic matter concentration. It also discusses hybrid processes combining physical, chemical, and biological treatments.