ABSTRACT
A huge number of pharmaceuticals are manufactured worldwide and a considerable amount enters the environment after its use. Numerous pharmaceuticals persist and accumulate in the environment and show harmful effects on organisms such as animals and humans. Most of these pollutants interfere with the endocrine system of the affected animals and thus are called endocrine-disrupting chemicals. They act at nano-micro gram level and are considered as micropollutants, and their removal from the environment is of utmost importance. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals are removed by physical, chemical, and biological methods. The first two are efficient but are costly and can lead to secondary pollution. Therefore, the biological method using microorganisms has gained considerable attention. Among microorganisms, microalgae have emerged as suitable organisms in biodegradation due to their minimal growth requirements and robustness. In this chapter, we review recent trends in microalgal-based removal of endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as hormones, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics, and pesticides.
