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.

Spatio-temporal variation of the microbial community of the coast of Lebanon in response to petroleum hydrocarbon pollution.

In this study, the coast of Lebanon was analyzed for the dynamic changes in sediment microbial communities in response to a major petroleum oil spill and tar contamination that occurred in the summer of 2021. Spatio-temporal variations in the microbial structure along the shores of Lebanon were assessed in comparison to baseline microbial structure determined in 2017. Microbial community structure and diversity were determined using Illumina MiSeq technology and DADA2 pipeline. The results show a significant diversity of microbial populations along the Lebanese shore, and a significant change in the sediment microbial structure within four years. Namely, Woeseia, Blastopirellula, and Muriicola were identified in sediment samples collected in year 2017, while a higher microbial diversity was observed in 2021 with Woeseia, Halogranum, Bacillus, and Vibrio prevailing in beach sediments. In addition, the results demonstrate a significant correlation between certain hydrocarbon degraders, such as Marinobacter and Vibrio, and measured hydrocarbon concentrations.