Extraction and Analytical Techniques for Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products in Sediments: A Critical Review Towards Environmental Sustainability

Alia D. Aouant () and Dimitra Hela ()
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Alia D. Aouant: Department of Chemistry, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
Dimitra Hela: Department of Chemistry, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 22, 1-48

Abstract: Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are among the most frequently detected emerging pollutants in aquatic sediments, raising increasing concerns due to their persistence, bioaccumulation potential, and ecological impact. As sediments act both as reservoirs and secondary sources of contamination, effective and environmentally responsible analytical methodologies are essential for accurate environmental monitoring and risk assessment. This review presents a critical evaluation of extraction-based workflows for PPCP determination in sediment matrices, covering literature published from 2015 to 2025. We systematically analyze each step of the analytical pipeline, including sample pre-treatment, extraction, clean-up, and instrumental analysis, while emphasizing how method selection and optimization affect recovery rates, sensitivity, and detection limits. Special attention is paid to the physicochemical characteristics of PPCPs that govern extraction behavior, as well as to the trade-offs between analytical efficiency and environmental sustainability, such as solvent type, energy demand, and method greenness. By consolidating current knowledge, this work aims to lay a theoretical foundation for researchers and practitioners in selecting suitable, robust, and sustainable analytical strategies for effective environmental protection.

Keywords: pharmaceuticals; personal care products (PPCPs); aquatic sediments; analytical workflows; extraction methods; clean-up techniques; instrumental analysis; green analytical chemistry (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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