Photocatalytic nanomaterials for the removal of pharmaceuticals

Pharmaceuticals, due to continuous input and regardless of concentration levels, are threatening the aquatic ecosystem. Natural and clean water sources are essential for the survival of all living organisms, but they are being contaminated at high rates due to human usage of different chemical compounds, synthetic drugs, and antibiotics and their direct disposal into water bodies. Pharmaceuticals are a major source of water contamination. Different methods incorporating materials of nanosize are being used to remove these pharmaceuticals. These methods include reverse osmosis, chemical oxidation, electrochemical separation, advanced oxidation, and others. Different nanoscale materials such as metals, metal oxides, metal sulfides, magnetic nanoparticles, carbon, and carbon-based nanomaterials are being used to remove pharmaceuticals from water. This chapter discusses some of the photocatalytic nanomaterials that have been used thus far to remove pharmaceuticals from water bodies via photocatalysis.