A Performance-Based Comparison of Advanced Oxidation Processes, Biochar Adsorption, and Membrane Filtration for Removing Pharmaceuticals from Municipal Wastewater

Abstract: Pharmaceutical residues in municipal wastewater pose a critical environmental and public health challenge, as conventional activated sludge treatment removes less than 50% of many pharmaceutical compounds. This systematic review compares three advanced tertiary treatment technologies: advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), biochar adsorption, and membrane filtration. The comparison evaluates removal efficiency, energy consumption, capital and operational costs, technology readiness level, and transformation product risks. Reverse osmosis and photo-Fenton oxidation achieve the highest removal efficiencies, exceeding 95% across diverse pharmaceutical classes. However, they require substantial energy inputs (1.5 to 6.0 and 0.5 to 2.0 kWh/m³, respectively) and significant capital investment. Biochar adsorption offers the most cost-effective solution for moderate removal targets (70 to 90%) with minimal energy requirements (less than 0.1 kWh/m³), making it particularly valuable for resource-limited settings. Hybrid systems that combine oxidation with biological treatment or adsorption consistently outperform standalone technologies by 10 to 20 percentage points. No single technology dominates across all decision criteria. Technology selection should incorporate treatment objectives, regulatory requirements, budget constraints, and local implementation capacity based on specific context. Future municipal wastewater systems will likely use combinations of technologies rather than relying on single universal solutions.

Keywords: advanced oxidation processes, biochar, pharmaceutical removal, membrane filtration, municipal wastewater treatment, technology comparison.

Title: A Performance-Based Comparison of Advanced Oxidation Processes, Biochar Adsorption, and Membrane Filtration for Removing Pharmaceuticals from Municipal Wastewater

Author: Patrick E. Okose

International Journal of Novel Research in Physics Chemistry & Mathematics

ISSN 2394-9651

Vol. 13, Issue 1, January 2026 - April 2026

Page No: 1-18

Novelty Journals

Website: www.noveltyjournals.com

Published Date: 07-February-2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18518763

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