Over-the-Counter Monocyclic Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs in Environment-Sources, Risks, Biodegradation

Environmental risk assessment of pharmaceutical pollutants in the Oro River Sub-basin (Colombia)

Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Compounds (PPCPs) are contaminants present in wastewater and in the receiving surface waters, which have no regulations and can bring on environmental risks. In this study, we evaluated the presence of six PPCPs in the Oro River Sub-basin (Colombia) and the environmental risk associated with them. We have verified that the monitored rivers show the presence of Ibuprofen, Cephalexin and Carbamazepine; the first ones (Ibuprofen and cephalexin) were those that presented higher concentrations since they are widely prescribed in Colombia. Pharmaceutical compound concentrations in the rivers downstream of the wastewater treatment plants from Floridablanca were higher than in other monitoring sites being a significant point source of contamination. This wastewater treatment plant receives hospital discharges from the city, including internationally recognized clinics accepting patients from different parts of the country. The environmental risk assessment showed that ibuprofen and Cephalexin have a higher impact on aquatic organisms.

Biodegradation of acetaminophen: Microcosm centric genomic-proteomic-metabolomics evidences

Acetaminophen (APAP) is a frequently used, over-the-counter analgesic and antipyretic medication. Considering increase in global consumption, its ubiquity in environment with potential toxic impacts has become a cause of great concern. Hence, bioremediation of this emerging contaminant is of paramount significance. The present study incorporates a microcosm centric omics approach to gain in-depth insights into APAP degradation by Paracoccus sp. APAP_BH8. It can metabolize APAP (300 mg kg-1) within 16 days in soil microcosms. Genome analysis revealed potential genes capable of mediating degradation includes M20 aminoacylase family protein, guanidine deaminase, 4-hydroxybenzoate 3-monooxygenase, and 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase. Whole proteome analysis showed differential expression of enzymes and bioinformatics provided evidence for stable binding of intermediates at the active site of considered enzymes. Metabolites identified were 4-aminophenol, hydroquinone, and 3-hydroxy-cis, cis-muconate. Therefore, Paracoccus sp. APAP_BH8 with versatile enzymatic and genetic attributes can be a promising candidate for formulating improved in situ APAP bioremediation strategies.

Ibuprofen-enhanced biodegradation in solution and sewage sludge by a mineralizing microbial consortium. Shift in associated bacterial communities

Ibuprofen (IBP) is a widely used drug of environmental concern as emerging contaminant due to its low elimination rates by wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), leading to the contamination of the environment, where IBP is introduced mainly from wastewater discharge and sewage sludge used as fertilizer. This study describes the application of a consortium from sewage sludge and acclimated with ibuprofen (consortium C7) to accelerate its biodegradation both in solution and sewage sludge. 500 mg L-1 IBP was degraded in solution in 28 h, and 66% mineralized in 3 days. IBP adsorbed in sewage sludge (10 mg kg-1) was removed after bioaugmentation with C7 up to 90% in 16 days, with a 5-fold increase in degradation rate. This is the first time that bioaugmentation with bacterial consortia or isolated bacterial strains have been used for IBP degradation in sewage sludge. The bacterial community of consortium C7 was significantly enriched in Sphingomonas wittichii, Bordetella petrii, Pseudomonas stutzeri and Bosea genosp. after IBP degradation, with a special increase in abundance of S. wittichii, probably the main potential bacterial specie responsible for IBP mineralization. Thirteen bacterial strains were isolated from C7 consortium. All of them degraded IBP in presence of glucose, especially Labrys neptuniae. Eight of these bacterial strains (B. tritici, L. neptuniae, S. zoogloeoides, B. petrii, A. denitrificans, S. acidaminiphila, P. nitroreducens, C. flaccumfaciens) had not been previously described as IBP-degraders. The bacterial community that makes up the indigenous consortium C7 appears to have a highly efficient biotic degradation potential to facilitate bioremediation of ibuprofen in contaminated effluents as well as in sewage sludge generated in WWTPs.

Laccases as Effective Tools in the Removal of Pharmaceutical Products from Aquatic Systems

This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the application of bacterial and fungal laccases for the removal of pharmaceuticals from the environment. Laccases were evaluated for their efficacy in degrading pharmaceutical substances across various categories, including analgesics, antibiotics, antiepileptics, antirheumatic drugs, cytostatics, hormones, anxiolytics, and sympatholytics. The capability of laccases to degrade or biotransform these drugs was found to be dependent on their structural characteristics. The formation of di-, oligo- and polymers of the parent compound has been observed using the laccase mediator system (LMS), which is advantageous in terms of their removal via commonly used processes in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Notably, certain pharmaceuticals such as tetracycline antibiotics or estrogen hormones exhibited degradation or even mineralization when subjected to laccase treatment. Employing enzyme pretreatment mitigated the toxic effects of degradation products compared to the parent drug. However, when utilizing the LMS, careful mediator selection is essential to prevent potential increases in environment toxicity. Laccases demonstrate efficiency in pharmaceutical removal within WWTPs, operating efficiently under WWTP conditions without necessitating isolation.

Hydroquinone Ecotoxicity: Unveiling Risks in Soil and River Ecosystems with Insights into Microbial Resilience

Despite widespread industrial use, the environmental safety of hydroquinone (HQ), a benzene compound from plants used in processes like cosmetics, remains uncertain. This study evaluated the ecotoxicological impact of HQ on soil and river environments, utilizing non-target indicator organisms from diverse trophic levels: Daphnia magna, Aliivibrio fischeri, Allium cepa, and Eisenia fetida. For a more environmentally realistic assessment, microbial communities from a river and untreated soil underwent 16S rRNA gene sequencing, with growth and changes in community-level physiological profiling assessed using Biolog EcoPlate™ assays. The water indicator D. magna exhibited the highest sensitivity to HQ (EC50 = 0.142 µg/mL), followed by A. fischeri (EC50 = 1.446 µg/mL), and A. cepa (LC50 = 7.631 µg/mL), while E. fetida showed the highest resistance (EC50 = 234 mg/Kg). Remarkably, microbial communities mitigated HQ impact in both aquatic and terrestrial environments. River microorganisms displayed minimal inhibition, except for a significant reduction in polymer metabolism at the highest concentration (100 µg/mL). Soil communities demonstrated resilience up to 100 µg/mL, beyond which there was a significant decrease in population growth and the capacity to metabolize carbohydrates and polymers. Despite microbial mitigation, HQ remains highly toxic to various trophic levels, emphasizing the necessity for environmental regulations.

The contemporary nexus of medicines security and bioprospecting: a future perspective for prioritizing the patient

Reacting to the challenges presented by the evolving nexus of environmental change, defossilization, and diversified natural product bioprospecting is vitally important for advancing global healthcare and placing patient benefit as the most important consideration. This overview emphasizes the importance of natural and synthetic medicines security and proposes areas for global research action to enhance the quality, safety, and effectiveness of sustainable natural medicines. Following a discussion of some contemporary factors influencing natural products, a rethinking of the paradigms in natural products research is presented in the interwoven contexts of the Fourth and Fifth Industrial Revolutions and based on the optimization of the valuable assets of Earth. Following COP28, bioprospecting is necessary to seek new classes of bioactive metabolites and enzymes for chemoenzymatic synthesis. Focus is placed on those performance and practice modifications which, in a sustainable manner, establish the patient, and the maintenance of their prophylactic and treatment needs, as the priority. Forty initiatives for natural products in healthcare are offered for the patient and the practitioner promoting global action to address issues of sustainability, environmental change, defossilization, quality control, product consistency, and neglected diseases to assure that quality natural medicinal agents will be accessible for future generations.

Dendrimer Coated Silica as a Sorbent for Dispersive Solid-Phase Extraction of Select Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs from Water

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have been recognized as a potentially serious threat to the natural environment. NSAIDs are popular painkillers, and the main pathway for them to reach natural water is via discharge from wastewater and sewage treatment plants. In order to monitor contamination caused by these drugs, as well as their impact on the environment, a new material based on Silica Gel 60, functionalized with a dendrimeric copolymer of methylamine and 1,4-butanediol diglycidyl ether (named MA-BDDE), was prepared. Initial physicochemical characterization of the MA-BDDE material was carried out using ATR FT-IR spectroscopy as well as solid-state carbon-13 NMR spectroscopy. Its effectiveness at NSAID extraction was evaluated by the application of five select drugs in dispersive solid-phase extraction (dSPE): aspirin, ketoprofen, naproxen, diclofenac and ibuprofen. This was followed by their simultaneous determination using the HPLC-UV/Vis system demonstrating good sensitivity, with limits of detection values within the 63-265 ng mL-1 range. A comparison of the sorption capacity of each pharmaceutical with unmodified base silica showed an at least tenfold increase in capacity after modification. Initial MA-BDDE application in a quick, low-waste extraction procedure of those select NSAIDs from spiked surface water samples yielded promising results for its use as a sorbent, as recovery values of analytes adsorbed from various samples were found to exceed 72%.

Reswellable alginate/activated carbon/carboxymethyl cellulose hydrogel beads for ibuprofen adsorption from aqueous solutions

In this study, alginate (Alg) composite beads were prepared by blending with activated carbon (AC) to enhance adsorption capacity for ibuprofen and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) to create a reswellable hydrogel. The dried Alg/AC/CMC composite beads could be recovered to sizes and morphologies similar to the initial hydrogel states via a simple reswelling process; however, the dried Alg/AC composite beads without CMC could not be recovered to the initial hydrogel state. Following the reswelling process, the dried Alg/AC/CMC beads demonstrated an 86 % recovery (qe = 34.0 mg/g) in the adsorption capacity for ibuprofen compared to the initial hydrogel beads (qe = 39.6). In contrast, the reswelled Alg/AC beads exhibited only 18 % (qe = 8.6) of the initial adsorption capacity (qe = 48.1). We elucidated the effects of the substitution degree of CMC, AC content, and solution pH on the reswelling property and ibuprofen adsorption capacity of the Alg/AC/CMC composite beads. The adsorption kinetics and isotherms of the prepared composite beads in the hydrogel and reswelled states fit the pseudo-second-order and Langmuir models, respectively. Furthermore, the reswelled Alg composite beads exhibited high adsorption capacity (>93 %) after 10 cycles. Taken together, our findings indicate that the Alg/AC/CMC composite beads can be used as adsorbents without a considerable decrease in adsorption performance by reswelling the beads with distilled water after long-term storage in a dry state.

The use of agro-waste-based adsorbents as sustainable, renewable, and low-cost alternatives for the removal of ibuprofen and carbamazepine from water

The occurrence of residual pharmaceuticals in the aquatic environment poses major toxicological impacts and adds to the increasing pressure on water resources. Many countries are already suffering from water scarcity, and with the burdening costs of water and wastewater treatment, the race towards innovative sustainable strategies for pharmaceutical remediation is ongoing. Out of the available treatment methods, adsorption proved to be a promising, environmentally friendly technique, particularly when efficient waste-based adsorbents are produced from agricultural residues, thus maximizing the value of wastes, minimizing production costs, and saving natural resources from depletion. Among the residual pharmaceuticals, ibuprofen and carbamazepine are heavily consumed and highly occurring in the environment. This paper aims to review the most recent literature on the application of agro-waste-based adsorbents as sustainable alternatives for the removal of ibuprofen and carbamazepine from contaminated waters. Highlights on the major mechanisms implicated in the adsorption of ibuprofen and carbamazepine are presented, and light is shed on multiple operational parameters that hold a key role in the adsorption process. This review also highlights the effects of different production parameters on adsorption efficiency and discusses many limitations currently encountered. Finally, an analysis is included to compare the efficiency of agro-waste-based adsorbents relative to other green and synthetic adsorbents.

Characterization and biodegradation of paracetamol by biomass of Bacillus licheniformis strain PPY-2 isolated from wastewater

Industrialization leads to the entry of diverse xenobiotic compounds into the environment. One such compound is paracetamol (APAP), which is emerging as a pharmaceutical and personal care pollutant (PPCP). In this study, the APAP degrading bacterium was isolated by enrichment culture method from the sewage sample. The microscopy, biochemical, and 16S rRNA gene sequence analyzed the isolate PPY-2, which belongs to Bacillus licheniformis, and GenBank assigned accession number MN744328. Physiological and batch culture degradation studies have indicated that the strain involved in the degradation of APAP. The optimum pH for degradation of the PPY-2 was 7.7, whereas the temperature was 25 °C, agitation speed was 142 rpm, and concentration of APAP was 621 mg/L reported, and the optimum temperatures were 42 °C and 32 °C, respectively. Biomass kinetic was studied at optimal physical conditions, which suggested that the specific growth rate (μ) was 721 mg/L. The GC-MS chromatogram peaks have detected metabolites, viz., oxalic acid, 2-isopropyl-5-methyl cyclohexanone, and phenothiazine. The study confirmed that Bacillus licheniformis strain PPY-2 exhibits metabolic potential to biodegradation APAP and can be further deployed in bioremediation.

Ibuprofen: Toxicology and Biodegradation of an Emerging Contaminant

The anti-inflammatory drug ibuprofen is considered to be an emerging contaminant because of its presence in different environments (from water bodies to soils) at concentrations with adverse effects on aquatic organisms due to cytotoxic and genotoxic damage, high oxidative cell stress, and detrimental effects on growth, reproduction, and behavior. Because of its high human consumption rate and low environmental degradation rate, ibuprofen represents an emerging environmental problem. Ibuprofen enters the environment from different sources and accumulates in natural environmental matrices. The problem of drugs, particularly ibuprofen, as contaminants is complicated because few strategies consider them or apply successful technologies to remove them in a controlled and efficient manner. In several countries, ibuprofen's entry into the environment is an unattended contamination problem. It is a concern for our environmental health system that requires more attention. Due to its physicochemical characteristics, ibuprofen degradation is difficult in the environment or by microorganisms. There are experimental studies that are currently focused on the problem of drugs as potential environmental contaminants. However, these studies are insufficient to address this ecological issue worldwide. This review focuses on deepening and updating the information concerning ibuprofen as a potential emerging environmental contaminant and the potential for using bacteria for its biodegradation as an alternative technology.

Electroanalysis of Ibuprofen and Its Interaction with Bovine Serum Albumin

The current work presents a sensitive, selective, cost-effective, and environmentally benign protocol for the detection of ibuprofen (IBP) by an electrochemical probe made of a glassy carbon electrode modified with Ag-ZnO and MWCNTs. Under optimized conditions, the designed sensing platform was found to sense IBP up to a 28 nM limit of detection. The interaction of IBP with bovine serum albumin (BSA) was investigated by differential pulse voltammetry. IBP-BSA binding parameters such as the binding constant and the stoichiometry of complexation were calculated. The results revealed that IBP and BSA form a single strong complex with a binding constant value of 8.7 × 10¹³. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first example that reports not only IBP detection but also its BSA complexation.

Characteristics and growth kinetics of biomass of Citrobacter freundii strains PYI-2 and Citrobacter portucalensis strain YPI-2 during the biodegradation of Ibuprofen

Ibuprofen (IBU) is the third most commonly used analgesic drug in the world. It enters the water system as a result of human excretion-based wastewater discharges. Hence, it attracts the attention of environmentalists for its ecological fate and degradation behavior. In this study, the two IBU degrading bacterial strains, Citrobacter freundii strain PYI-2 (MT039504) and Citrobacter portucalensis strain YPI-2 (MN744335), were isolated from industrial wastewater samples using an enrichment culture method, identified, and characterized. Physiological and batch culture degradation studies have indicated that these strains involved in IBU degradation and the intermediates produced during the process were analyzed. These strains degrade IBU in the batch culture. The optimum pH was reported for degradation of the PYI2 strain (6.9) and YPI2 strain (5.8), and the optimum temperatures were 42°C and 32°C, respectively. Biomass kinetic analysis of these strains was performed based on physical parameters (temperature, pH, and rpm) and confirmed by the experimental study. As indicated in the GC-MS chromatogram peaks, viz., hydroxyibuprofen, 2-(4-hydroxyphenylpropionic acid), 1,4-hydroquinone, and 2-hydroxy-1,4-quinol various intermediates compounds of degradation pathway were observed. Finally, through the GC-MS data, the metabolic pathway for degradation was predicted. In the study, it was confirmed that Citrobacter freundii strain PYI-2 and Citrobacter portucalensis strain YPI-2 exhibit metabolic potential for the biodegradation of IBU and can be further deployed in bioremediation.

Xylitol as a Hydrophilization Moiety for a Biocatalytically Synthesized Ibuprofen Prodrug

Biocatalyzed synthesis can be exploited to produce high-value products, such as prodrugs. The replacement of chemical approaches with biocatalytic processes is advantageous in terms of environmental prevention, embracing the principles of green chemistry. In this work, we propose the covalent attachment of xylitol to ibuprofen to produce an IBU-xylitol ester prodrug. Xylitol was chosen as a hydrophilizer for the final prodrug, enhancing the water solubility of ibuprofen. Ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) extensively used as an analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic. Despite being the third-most-prescribed medicine in the world, the aqueous solubility of ibuprofen is just 21 mg/L. This poor water solubility greatly limits the bioavailability of ibuprofen. We aimed to functionalize ibuprofen with xylitol using the reusable immobilized N435 biocatalyst. Instead of a biphasic media, we proposed a monophasic reaction environment. The characterization of the IBU-xylitol ester was performed by ¹H, ¹³C-NMR, DEPT, COSY, HMQC, HMBC, FTIR, and MS spectroscopy. Preliminary in vitro tests showed that this enzymatically synthesized prodrug of ibuprofen reduced the expression of the interleukin 8 genes in human bronchial epithelial cells (IB3-1) from cystic fibrosis (CF) patients.

Chronic levels of ibuprofen induces haematoxic and histopathology damage in the gills, liver, and kidney of the African sharptooth catfish (Clarias gariepinus)

Numerous active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) have been detected in various environmental matrices. Thus, their potential to elicit their toxic effect on non-target organisms is a growing concern, especially in the aquatic environment. This study aimed to investigate the potential toxicity of ibuprofen (IBU) at environmentally relevant concentration on the haematology and histology of the gill, liver, and kidney over 30 days. The 96-h acute toxicity data showed that IBU was moderately toxic to C. gariepinus with an LC50 value of 3.78 mg/L. After 15 and 30 days of exposure, there was a significant alteration in haematological indices in the treated fishes when compared to the control group. Throughout the experimental duration, the level of the mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) were consistently lower significantly, in contrast to the control group. IBU induced histopathological deformities in the gills, liver, and kidney of the exposed fishes, with alterations such as showing severe secondary lamella necrosis (SLN), epithelial lifting (EL), mild deformity of the secondary lamella (DSL), mild secondary lamella necrosis (MLN), and mild vascular congestion in the liver and kidney, respectively. This study has demonstrated that IBU at environmentally relevant concentrations can significantly impact the haematology, gills, liver, and kidney of C. gariepinus. This study's results can provide baseline info for regulatory agencies to set safe limits for NSAIDs as a safeguard for the aquatic environment.

Biodegradation and Kinetic Analysis of Acetaminophen with Co-culture of Bacterial Strains Isolated from Sewage Wastewater

Acetaminophen (paracetamol, APAP) is one of the fastest growing pharmaceutical pollutants in the environment and has been classified under among the emerging organic pollutants (EOPs). The increasing concentration of it in our environment is not only harmful to the ecosystem, but also to the humans as well. In this study, the microscopy, biochemical test and 16S rRNA sequencing the characterization of APAP as the sole degrading stains viz. Staphylococcus sciuri strain DPP1 (MN744326), Bacillus subtilis strain DPP3 (MN744327), Bacillus paralicheniformis strain DKP1 (MN744324), Enterococcus faecium strain DKP2 (MN744325) and DDP2 (MT705211) were performed. Haldane's growth kinetic model was used to identify specific growth rate and observed for DPP1 (485 mg/L), DPP3 (593 mg/L), DKP1 (477 mg/L), DKP2 (702 mg/L) and DDP2 (685 mg/L). The maximum specific growth rate was reported for the stains viz. DPP1, DPP3, DKP1, DKP2, and DDP2, was in order of 0.076, 0.223, 0.259, 0.179, and 0.141, respectively. The Box-Behnken Design (BBD) was used to identify the effect of physical parameters on degradation using mathematical modeling. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that the strains DPP1, DPP3, DKP1, DKP2, and DDP2 had significant F-value and regression coefficient (R²) value of 0.01%, 0.06%, 0.37%, and 0.18%, respectively. The co-culture of the five strains has utilized 1200 mg/L of APAP within 70 h while individual strains took 10 days. The intermediate metabolites like 4-aminophenol, benzamide, (R)-2-methylpentanoic acid, methylene-3-vinyl cyclohexane, and 1,5-hexadiene were identified by GC-MS. The degradation metabolic pathway was predicted by the intermediates by GC-MS, and PathPred based analysis.

Ibuprofen as an emerging organic contaminant in environment, distribution and remediation

Pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) are the one of sub-class under emerging organic contaminants (EOCs). Ibuprofen is the world's third most consumable drug. This drug enters into our water system through human pharmaceutical use. It attracts the attention of environmentalist on the basis of risk associated, presence and transformation in the environment. The detection and removal are the two key area where we need to focus. The concentration of such compounds in waterbodies detected through conventional and also by the advanced methods. This review we described the available technologies including chemical, physical and biological methods, etc used the for removal of Ibuprofen. The pure culture based method, mixed culture approach and activated sludge culture approach focused and pathway of degradation of ibuprofen was deciphered by using the various methods of structure determination. The various degradation methods used for Ibuprofen are discussed. The advanced methods coupled with physical, chemical, biological, chemical methods like ozonolysis, oxidation and adsorption, nanotechnology based methods, nanocatalysis and use of nonosensors to detect the presence of small amount in waterbodies can enhance the future degradation of this drug. It is necessary to develop the new detection methods to enhance the detection of such pollutants. With the developments in new detection methods based on GC-MS//MS, HPLC, LC/MS and nanotechnology based sensors makes easier detection of these compounds which can detect even very minute amount with great sensitivity and in less time. Also, the isolation and characterization of more potent microbial strains and nano-photocatalysis will significantly increase the future degradation of such harmful compounds from the environment.

Ibuprofen at environmentally relevant concentrations alters embryonic development, induces teratogenesis and oxidative stress in Cyprinus carpio

Ibuprofen (IBU) is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAIDs) that is used in various conditions. The prescriptions and the global consumption of this drug are very high and its annual production oscillates in millions of tons, this generates that the IBU is present in many waterbodies because it is discharged through the municipal, hospital and industrial effluents. For the above, the purpose of this work was to determine if IBU at environmentally relevant concentrations was capable of inducing alterations to embryonic development, teratogenic effects and oxidative stress in oocytes and embryos of Cyprinus carpio. Oocytes of common carp were exposed to IBU concentrations between 1.5 and 11.5 μg L^-1 (environmentally relevant). LC₅₀ and EC₅₀ of malformations were determined to calculate the teratogenic index (TI). Also, main alterations to embryonic development and teratogenic effects were evaluated. Oxidative stress was evaluated by determining biomarkers of cellular oxidation and antioxidation using the same concentrations at 72 and 96 hpf in embryos of Cyprinus carpio. The results showed a LC₅₀ of 4.17 μg L^-1, EC₅₀ of 1.39 μg L^-1 and TI of 3.0. The main embryonic development disorders and teratogenic effects were delayed hatching, hypopigmentation, pericardial edema, yolk deformation, and developmental delay. Biomarkers of cellular oxidation and antioxidants were increased with respect to the control in a concentration-dependent manner. The results of the study allow us to conclude that IBU at environmentally relevant concentrations is capable of inducing embryotoxicity and teratogenicity in a fish of commercial interest like Cyprinus carpio.

Porphyrin-functionalized graphene oxide sheets: An efficient nanomaterial for micro solid phase extraction of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs from urine samples

In this work, porphyrin-functionalized graphene oxide nanosheets (GO@meso-tetrakis(4-hydroxyphenyl)porphyrin) were synthesized and employed as the sorbent. Porphyrins owing to their unique structures and tunable terminal functional groups are expected to be promising media for extraction of the desired analytes. Also, GO with a high specific surface area has exhibited good potential for the extraction purposes. Inspired by these intriguing properties, the combination of GO and porphyrin can benefit both of these amazing features. The synthesized sorbent was utilized for micro solid phase extraction of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs followed by HPLC-UV. Optimization of the experimental factors including sorbent amount, sample pH, sample and eluent flowrates, eluent volume, and the number of desorption cycles were performed with the aid of central composite design. Under the optimal conditions, the calibration curves were linear within the range of 2.0-600 ng mL^-1 and limits of detection were found between 0.5-2.0 ng mL^-1. The preconcentration factors and absolute recoveries were obtained in the range of 4.80-9.79 and 29%-59%, respectively. The matrix effect for the urine samples varied between 81.9%-91.6% at two concentrations of 50 and 300 ng mL^-1, respectively. Intra- and inter-day RSD% (n = 3) of the spiked urine samples at three level concentrations of 25, 100, and 300 ng mL^-1 were less than 10%. The relative recoveries of the urine samples were calculated in the range of 85.2-98.6%. Eventually, the method exhibits proper sensitivity, excellent repeatability, high reusability, and acceptable precision and accuracy.

Paracetamol - toxicity and microbial utilization. Pseudomonas moorei KB4 as a case study for exploring degradation pathway

Paracetamol, a widely used analgesic and antipyretic drug, is currently one of the most emerging pollutants worldwide. Besides its wide prevalence in the literature only several bacterial strains able to degrade this compound have been described. In this study, we isolated six new bacterial strains able to remove paracetamol. The isolated strains were identified as the members of Pseudomonas, Bacillus, Acinetobacter and Sphingomonas genera and characterized phenotypically and biochemically using standard methods. From the isolated strains, Pseudomonas moorei KB4 was able to utilize 50 mg L^-1 of paracetamol. As the main degradation products, p-aminophenol and hydroquinone were identified. Based on the measurements of specific activity of acyl amidohydrolase, deaminase and hydroquinone 1,2-dioxygenase and the results of liquid chromatography analyses, we proposed a mechanism of paracetamol degradation by KB4 strain under co-metabolic conditions with glucose. Additionally, toxicity bioassays and the influence of various environmental factors, including pH, temperature, heavy metals at no-observed-effective-concentrations, and the presence of aromatic compounds on the efficiency and mechanism of paracetamol degradation by KB4 strain were determined. This comprehensive study about paracetamol biodegradation will be helpful in designing a treatment systems of wastewaters contaminated with paracetamol.

Organic micropollutants paracetamol and ibuprofen-toxicity, biodegradation, and genetic background of their utilization by bacteria

Currently, analgesics and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are classified as one of the most emerging group of xenobiotics and have been detected in various natural matrices. Among them, monocyclic paracetamol and ibuprofen, widely used to treat mild and moderate pain are the most popular. Since long-term adverse effects of these xenobiotics and their biological and pharmacokinetic activity especially at environmentally relevant concentrations are better understood, degradation of such contaminants has become a major concern. Moreover, to date, conventional wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are not fully adapted to remove that kind of micropollutants. Bioremediation processes, which utilize bacterial strains with increased degradation abilities, seem to be a promising alternative to the chemical methods used so far. Nevertheless, despite the wide prevalence of paracetamol and ibuprofen in the environment, toxicity and mechanism of their microbial degradation as well as genetic background of these processes remain not fully characterized. In this review, we described the current state of knowledge about toxicity and biodegradation mechanisms of paracetamol and ibuprofen and provided bioinformatics analysis concerning the genetic bases of these xenobiotics decomposition.

Rhodamine B degradation by nanosized zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8)

Adsorption and photodegradation of rhodamine B by ZIF-8 nanocrystals were studied using spectroscopic techniques coupled with density functional theory (DFT) cluster calculations. A fast adsorption rate was observed in the dark, but upon exposure to visible light or UV irradiation the adsorption rate noticeably increased. Although several studies previously reported this phenomenon involving bulk ZIF-8 powder, this is the first mechanistic study to our knowledge that demonstrates adsorption and degradation of rhodamine B by nanosized ZIF-8 under various light conditions. The combined study of N₂ sorption pore analysis and surface-sensitive X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirmed the surface adsorption was mainly due to the open metal sites and surface groups of nanoporous ZIF-8. The fluorescence studies suggested ZIF-8 nanocrystals were able to generate hydroxyl radicals in water but only under UV illumination. The work presented here provides an insight into understanding nanoscale metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) in the removal of organic molecules from wastewater.

ZIF-8 nanocrystals have exhibited different mechanisms for rhodamine B degradation in water under various circumstances.

Removal of hazardous non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs from aqueous solutions by biosorbent based on chitin and lignin

The use of chitin modified with kraft lignin as an effective sorbent of ibuprofen and acetaminophen is described for the first time. It was determined how the parameters (contact time, pH, mass of sorbent and temperature) influence the effectiveness of the adsorption process. The adsorption kinetics were calculated using pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order (types 1-4) and intra-particle diffusion models, and thermodynamic parameters were determined. The experimental data better correspond to a pseudo-second-order kinetic model of type 1 in the case of both tested pharmaceuticals (r²=0.999). The negative values of ΔH° show the adsorption to be exothermic (-5.515kJ/mol and -5.161kJ/mol for ibuprofen and acetaminophen respectively). Adsorption isotherms, using Langmuir isotherms of types 1-4 and Freundlich model, were also determined. The experimental data better correspond to the Langmuir type 1 model in the case of ibuprofen, and to the Freundlich model in the case of acetaminophen. Desorption tests were carried out to confirm the possibility of reusing the chitin/lignin system. A mechanism of adsorption of ibuprofen and acetaminophen on the chitin/lignin system was also proposed.

Determination of acidic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in aquatic samples by liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry combined with carbon nanotubes-based solid-phase extraction

A solid-phase extraction (SPE) method based on multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNT) was developed for the determination of 12 acidic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in surface waters and tap water. Pristine and functionalised CNTs were evaluated as sorbent materials. Batch experiments were used to optimise sorption and desorption conditions (sorbent type and amount, adsorption time, pH). The adsorption equilibrium was reached after 8 to 48 h duration, which increased with the pH of solution. Non-agglomerated pristine CNTs (20 mg) showed the most optimal adsorption (94 to 100%) for all of the analytes after a 30-min contact period in acidified water solutions (100 mL). The compounds retained at those conditions were recovered by 40 to 95% by using 5% ammonium hydroxide in methanol as the desorbing solution at ambient conditions. A comprehensive liquid chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC-QqQ-MS/MS) was used for the analysis of real water samples. The method showed sufficient recovery (65-125%) and good precision (2-14% relative standard deviation (RSD)). The limits of detection and quantification ranged between 0.01 and 1.3 ng L^-1 and 0.04 and 3.9 ng L^-1. Only diclofenac and ibuprofen were found in the analysed surface water samples from Latvia (n = 10) and Norway (n = 14). Diclofenac was found at 1.7-8.4 ng L^-1 concentration in two samples of surface waters, whereas the concentrations of ibuprofen ranged between 1.0 and 9.2 ng L^-1 in seven samples collected in Norway and 3.9-17 ng L^-1 in three samples from Latvia.