AUTHOR=Ferreira Beatriz L. , Ferreira Dionisia P. , Borges Swanny F. , Ferreira Adriana M. , Holanda Fabricio H. , Ucella-Filho João G. M. , Cruz Rodrigo Alves S. , Birolli Willian G. , Luque Rafael , Ferreira Irlon M. 

TITLE=Diclofenac, ibuprofen, and paracetamol biodegradation: overconsumed non-steroidal anti-inflammatories drugs at COVID-19 pandemic

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=14

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2023.1207664

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2023.1207664

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<p>The consumption of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have increased significantly in the last years (2020–2022), especially for patients in COVID-19 treatment. NSAIDs such as diclofenac, ibuprofen, and paracetamol are often available without restrictions, being employed without medical supervision for basic symptoms of inflammatory processes. Furthermore, these compounds are increasingly present in nature constituting complex mixtures discarded at domestic and hospital sewage/wastewater. Therefore, this review emphasizes the biodegradation of diclofenac, ibuprofen, and paracetamol by pure cultures or consortia of fungi and bacteria at <italic>in vitro</italic>, <italic>in situ</italic>, and <italic>ex situ</italic> processes. Considering the influence of different factors (inoculum dose, pH, temperature, co-factors, reaction time, and microbial isolation medium) relevant for the identification of highly efficient alternatives for pharmaceuticals decontamination, since biologically active micropollutants became a worldwide issue that should be carefully addressed. In addition, we present a quantitative bibliometric survey, which reinforces that the consumption of these drugs and consequently their impact on the environment goes beyond the epidemiological control of COVID-19.</p>