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Paracetamol environmental remediation and ecotoxicology: a review

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Abstract

Paracetamol, a common pain reliever, has seen a significant rise in use, particularly during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This widespread consumption has led to increased levels of paracetamol in the environment through wastewater discharge. This raises concerns about its potential impact on aquatic ecosystems. Here, we review the state-of-the-art methods for removing paracetamol from wastewater, focusing on adsorption techniques. We explore how different materials and operational conditions influence the effectiveness of this approach. We also discuss the potential of combining adsorption with oxidative methods for enhanced removal. We further assess the environmental impact by critically examining the ecotoxicological effects of paracetamol on aquatic organisms. This analysis compares established toxicity values with those observed in studies using real wastewater samples. Finally, we highlight the specific needs for further research and development of efficient and sustainable strategies to mitigate paracetamol pollution, ensuring the safety of both human and aquatic life.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the supported provided by the Brazilian funding agencies Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES), Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) and Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos (FINEP).

Funding

This work was funded by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico ( CNPq 303.612/2021-5 and 402.450/2021-3); Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES 001), and Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos (FINEP 044/21/IAP 1942/FAURGS 8638).

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Conceptualization was done by YV. Formal analysis was done by YV. Funding acquisition was done by GLD, GSR, and ECL. Project administration was done by GSR. Resources were done by ECL. Supervision was done by GLD and GSR. Writing—original draft was done by YV, JES, JG, DSPF, and ECL. Writing—reviewing and editing was done by YV, DSPF, and ECL.

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Correspondence to Dison Stracke Pfingsten Franco or Eder Cláudio Lima.

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Vieira, Y., Spode, J.E., Dotto, G.L. et al. Paracetamol environmental remediation and ecotoxicology: a review. Environ Chem Lett (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10311-024-01751-1

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