Pharmaceutical and Personal Care Product Monitoring and Removal: From Analytical Detection to Hybrid Treatment Systems Within a Circular Chemical–Water Nexus Framework

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) have emerged as pseudo-persistent contaminants of global concern due to continuous discharge, incomplete removal in conventional treatment systems, and inherent bioactivity. Their widespread occurrence in effluents, surface waters, sediments, and groundwater poses chronic ecological and human health risks, including endocrine disruption and antimicrobial resistance. Trace-level detection in complex matrices remains challenging; however, recent advances in high-resolution mass spectrometry, liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry workflows, and nano-enabled extraction have significantly improved detection limits (sub-ng/L) and enabled the identification of transformation products. Yet, the lack of analytical standardization limits cross-regional comparability and regulatory harmonization. Hybrid advanced oxidation–biological–membrane systems have demonstrated synergistic PPCP degradation, achieving removal efficiencies exceeding 80–95%, while nanostructured catalysts and biomaterial-derived adsorbents enhance reactivity, fouling resistance, and regeneration potential. Emerging sustainability frameworks, including One Health and the Circular Chemical–Water Nexus (CCWN), advocate integrated approaches to detection, treatment, and resource recovery; however, operational implementation remains fragmented. This review consolidates state-of-the-art nano-enabled analytical and hybrid treatment technologies. It proposes a mechanistic CCWN framework that uniquely translates monitoring outputs into treatment-train selection and resource-recovery decisions by linking detection, degradation pathways, and valorization within an operational circular wastewater management strategy. Future research priorities and policy pathways are outlined to advance scalable, energy-efficient, and equitable strategies for mitigating PPCPs.