Research Topic: pharmaceutical degradation

Recent advances in microbial engineering approaches for wastewater treatment: a review

This review explains how microorganisms like bacteria, fungi, and algae can clean polluted water more effectively and cheaply than traditional methods. These microbes break down harmful chemicals, remove heavy metals, and clean industrial waste. Using multiple types of microbes together (microbial consortium) works better than using a single type, making it an environmentally friendly and economical solution for treating wastewater worldwide.

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Removal of Ibuprofen in Water by Bioaugmentation with Labrys neptuniae CSW11 Isolated from Sewage Sludge—Assessment of Biodegradation Pathway Based on Metabolite Formation and Genomic Analysis

This study shows that a bacterium called Labrys neptuniae CSW11 can effectively remove ibuprofen from water, a common pharmaceutical that pollutes our environment. The bacteria works especially well when given glucose as extra food, removing ibuprofen completely within a week. However, the bacteria breaks ibuprofen down into toxic byproducts, so using it alongside other bacteria that can degrade these byproducts would make the treatment even more effective for cleaning contaminated wastewater.

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Enhanced biodegradation of fluorinated pharmaceutical by Aspergillus flavus and Cunninghamella elegans biofilms: kinetics and mechanisms

Researchers discovered that two types of fungi, Aspergillus flavus and Cunninghamella elegans, can effectively break down common prescription drugs like fluoxetine, ciprofloxacin, and atorvastatin in wastewater. When grown as biofilms on foam carriers, these fungi removed over 90% of the pharmaceuticals in just a few days. This is an important finding because conventional wastewater treatment doesn’t effectively remove these medications, which can harm aquatic ecosystems.

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Mycoremediation of azole antifungal agents using in vitro cultures of Lentinula edodes

This research shows that shiitake mushrooms (Lentinula edodes) can help clean up antifungal medications that contaminate water and soil. When the mushroom mycelium was exposed to two common antifungal drugs used in creams and treatments, it absorbed and broke down these compounds. The mushrooms degraded about one-third of the drugs by targeting their chemical structure, particularly the imidazole ring. This suggests mushrooms could be used as a natural, cost-effective solution for removing pharmaceutical pollution from the environment.

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Enhanced biodegradation of fluorinated pharmaceutical by Aspergillus flavus and Cunninghamella elegans biofilms: kinetics and mechanisms

This study demonstrates that two types of fungi, Aspergillus flavus and Cunninghamella elegans, can effectively remove persistent pharmaceutical pollution from wastewater when grown as biofilms on foam carriers. The fungi achieved removal rates of 92-98% for three common medications (atorvastatin, ciprofloxacin, and fluoxetine) much faster than previously reported methods. Unlike traditional fungal treatments that depend on lignin, these fungi can work in diverse environments, making them practical for wastewater treatment plants and offering a sustainable biological solution to pharmaceutical pollution.

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