Poly-Amino-β-Cyclodextrin Microparticles for the Reduction of Xenobiotics and Emerging Contaminants, Including Pharmaceuticals, from the Natural Environment

The contamination of the natural environment by xenobiotics and emerging contaminants, including pharmaceuticals, poses significant risks to ecosystems and human health. Among these contaminants, hormones and pharmaceutical compounds are particularly concerning due to their persistence and potential biological effects even at low concentrations. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of poly-amino-β-cyclodextrin (PA-β-CD) microparticles in adsorbing and reducing specific xenobiotics and pharmaceuticals from aqueous solutions. Our research focused on four contaminants: two hormones, testosterone and progesterone, and two pharmaceutical drugs, diclofenac and carbamazepine. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was employed to quantify the adsorption capacity and efficiency of PA-β-CD microparticles.