Next Article in Journal
Pedo-Climatic Conditions and Drying Shape the Bioactive Profile and Antioxidant Capacity of Herzegovinian Rosehip Fruits (Rosa canina L.)
Previous Article in Journal
Integrated Energy System in the Context of Carbon Neutrality: A Review of Typical Structures and Key Technologies
Previous Article in Special Issue
Aristolochic Acid I Adsorption onto Activated Carbon: Kinetics, Equilibrium, and Thermodynamic Studies
 
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
Journals
Processes
Volume 14
Issue 11
10.3390/pr14111713
processes-logo
Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Propose a Special Issue
► Article Menu

Article Menu

share Share announcement Help format_quote Cite question_answer Discuss in SciProfiles
first_page
settings
Order Article Reprints
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Review

Removal of Metformin from Wastewater: A Review on Physical, Chemical and Biological Processes

by
Claudia Victoria
1,
Deysi Amado-Piña
1,
Rubi Romero
1,*,
Sandra Luz Martínez-Vargas
2,
Alejandro Regalado-Méndez
3,
Patricio J. Espinoza-Montero
4 and
Reyna Natividad
1,*
1
Chemical Engineering Laboratory, Centro Conjunto de Investigación en Química Sustentable, UAEM-UNAM, Autonomous University of the State of Mexico, Km 14.5 Toluca-Atlacomulco Road, Toluca 50200, Mexico
2
Faculty of Chemistry, Autonomous University of the State of Mexico, Paseo Colón esq. Paseo Tollocan, Colonia Residencial Colón, Toluca 50120, Mexico
3
Research Laboratories, Universidad del Mar, Campus Puerto Ángel, Puerto Angel, Oaxaca 70902, Mexico
4
Escuela de Ciencias Químicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Quito 170525, Ecuador
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Processes 2026, 14(11), 1713; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr14111713
Submission received: 24 April 2026 / Revised: 20 May 2026 / Accepted: 22 May 2026 / Published: 25 May 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical and Chemical Removal of Recalcitrant Pollutants Using Novel Solids: Nanomaterials, Biochar, and Waste-Derived Biomaterials)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Metformin (MET) is a widely prescribed pharmaceutical compound used for the management of glucose levels and body weight. However, it is only partially metabolized in the human body, and a significant fraction is excreted unchanged, leading to its frequent detection in aquatic environments. Consequently, the removal of MET from wastewater has become a matter of increasing concern due to its potential impact on aquatic ecosystems. Furthermore, as a nitrogen-containing compound, MET has been extensively employed as a model pollutant to evaluate the performance of physical and chemical treatment technologies for pharmaceutical contaminants. This review aims to critically assess and summarize the efficiency and key limitations of various processes applied for MET removal. The reviewed approaches include physical–chemical treatments such as adsorption; biological treatments (activated sludge, biofiltration and phytoremediation), which rely on microbial metabolic activities or plant uptake to degrade or sequester metformin; and advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), such as ozonation, photolysis, photocatalysis, Fenton, and photo-Fenton systems. The efficiency of MET removal and mineralization is strongly dependent on the treatment method employed. Among the evaluated processes, the photo-Fenton reaction emerges as one of the most promising technologies, achieving high removal efficiencies under both ultraviolet (UV) and visible (Vis) irradiation.
Keywords: advanced oxidation processes; contaminants of emerging concern; photocatalysis; metformin advanced oxidation processes; contaminants of emerging concern; photocatalysis; metformin

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Victoria, C.; Amado-Piña, D.; Romero, R.; Martínez-Vargas, S.L.; Regalado-Méndez, A.; Espinoza-Montero, P.J.; Natividad, R. Removal of Metformin from Wastewater: A Review on Physical, Chemical and Biological Processes. Processes 2026, 14, 1713. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr14111713

AMA Style

Victoria C, Amado-Piña D, Romero R, Martínez-Vargas SL, Regalado-Méndez A, Espinoza-Montero PJ, Natividad R. Removal of Metformin from Wastewater: A Review on Physical, Chemical and Biological Processes. Processes. 2026; 14(11):1713. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr14111713

Chicago/Turabian Style

Victoria, Claudia, Deysi Amado-Piña, Rubi Romero, Sandra Luz Martínez-Vargas, Alejandro Regalado-Méndez, Patricio J. Espinoza-Montero, and Reyna Natividad. 2026. "Removal of Metformin from Wastewater: A Review on Physical, Chemical and Biological Processes" Processes 14, no. 11: 1713. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr14111713

APA Style

Victoria, C., Amado-Piña, D., Romero, R., Martínez-Vargas, S. L., Regalado-Méndez, A., Espinoza-Montero, P. J., & Natividad, R. (2026). Removal of Metformin from Wastewater: A Review on Physical, Chemical and Biological Processes. Processes, 14(11), 1713. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr14111713

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop