Comprehensive insights into fluoroquinolones removal: A review of nanosorbent-based approaches

The increasing prevalence and persistence of antibiotics in the environment is a worldwide issue owing to their potential to promote antimicrobial resistance, which poses significant hazards to human health and natural systems. Fluoroquinolones (FQs) emerged as a significant class of pharmacological contaminants widely used in human and veterinary medical care. Due to their significant chemical stability and poor metabolism, FQs are often found in wastewater, industrial discharges, and diverse aquatic ecosystems, even at trace levels, thus promoting antibiotic resistance in various environmental matrices. Primary sources of FQs contamination include effluents from pharmaceutical production facilities, hospitals, and residential sewage, with wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) acting as essential interception sites. Nevertheless, conventional treatment methods often do not effectively remove these micropollutants. This paper critically assesses current progress in the removal of FQs from aquatic environments through nanotechnology-based adsorbents (nanosorbents). Various nanosorbents such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs), nano clays, nano zero-valent iron (nZVI), nano zeolites, nanofibers, and nanocomposites are systematically analyzed regarding their adsorption efficacy, fundamental mechanisms, and environmental consequences. This review examines the impact of critical physicochemical factors on adsorption efficacy and offers mechanistic insights on FQs-nanosorbent interactions. This review provides a thorough and current evaluation of nanosorbents for reducing FQs contamination in water systems by combining results from recent research.