Pharmaceutical waste management using functional materials for environmental remediation

Pharmaceutical waste has become an important environmental issue because of its persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity towards ecosystems and human health. Unwanted drugs, manufacturing waste, and excretion of active pharmaceutical ingredients lead to water and soil contamination. The review emphasizes the use of functional materials in remediation of pharmaceutical contamination through new remediation technologies. It delves into different categories of pharmaceutical waste, their environmental effects, and current regulatory systems. Special focus is given to the use of innovative functional materials like activated carbon, nanomaterials, and biochar in physical, chemical, and biological removal methods. Studies have shown that activated carbon can remove up to 95 % of certain pharmaceutical residues, while nanomaterials such as TiO₂ nanoparticles exhibit over 90 % degradation efficiency under UV light. Similarly, biochar has demonstrated removal efficiencies ranging from 60 % to 98 % depending on the compound and treatment conditions. In addition, the review touches on technical and regulatory issues, public education gaps, and directions for future sustainable management of pharmaceutical waste. Through the incorporation of green chemistry concepts and material science, functional materials provide hopeful solutions for environmental remediation and are consistent with global sustainability objectives.