Filamentous fungi for pharmaceutical compounds degradation in the environment: A sustainable approach

Pharmaceutical compounds play an important role in enhancing the quality of human life. They substantially increase the life expectancy of humans and the well-being of livestock. The expansion in the global human population has increased the usage of pharmaceuticals in an enormous way. This has led to the emergence of pharmaceutical compounds as environmental pollutants because these components are continuously released to various water sources and terrestrial ecosystems. The pharmaceutical components are released during their synthesis, as waste from human and veterinary healthcare sectors, and dumping of drugs that are not used. Pharmaceutical components are known to persist in their potential even at lower concentrations and can create serious issues for ecosystems, especially aquatic systems. Various efforts are being made to remove or reduce the toxicity of pharmaceutical components in aquatic systems.
Bioremediation using fungi is one of the most secure and sustainable ways of decontaminating polluted environments. With their strong morphology and diverse metabolic abilities, Fungi employ different methods including fungal enzymes to clear pollutants. Studies have proven that fungi and fungal enzymes can transform these pharmaceutical compounds into less toxic components. This review highlights the role of fungi in the bioremediation of pharmaceutical compounds. © 2023 The Author(s).