## 5 Conclusions and Perspective  
The widespread use of antibiotics has led to increasingly serious residual issues in the environment, posing potential threats to ecosystems and human health. This article provides a macropperspective on the degradation mechanisms of antibiotics in the natural environment (photolysis, hydrolysis, and biodegradation) and the research progress of various artificial intervention technologies (advanced oxidation processes, physicochemical methods, bioelectrochemical systems, etc.). It summarizes the limitations of natural degradation mechanisms: photolysis and hydrolysis processes are significantly affected by environmental conditions (such as the pH, temperature, and dissolved organic matter (DOM)), resulting in an unstable efficiency and incomplete degradation; biodegradation relies on the diversity of microbial communities, but high concentrations of antibiotics may inhibit microbial activity, and degrading bacteria may become carriers of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Artificial intervention technologies have clear advantages but also face significant challenges: oxidation technologies based on free radicals (such as \(\bullet\)OH, SO\({}_{4}\)\({}^{-}\)) (e.g., Fenton reaction, photocatalysis) have a high degradation efficiency (80-100%) for antibiotics but may produce toxic intermediates and are limited by pH and coexisting substances; adsorption methods and membrane technologies are easy to operate but face issues such as the difficulty in regenerating adsorbents and membrane fouling; bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) and microalgae technologies have potential for degradation and resource recovery, but scaling up requires the optimization of reactor designs and operating parameters; and new catalysts such as nanomaterials, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), and single-atom catalysts enhance the degradation efficiency by modulating active sites, but face challenges related to stability, cost, and ecological safety. We created Table 4 to compare the characteristics of various degradation technologies. The actual status of antibiotic degradation technology is objectively introduced, providing readers with a reference guide. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{p{113.8 pt} p{113.8 pt} p{113.8 pt} p{113.8 pt}} \hline \hline
**Technology** & \begin{tabular}{c} **Applicable** \\ **Environmental Systems** \\ \end{tabular} & **Cost** & **Limitations** \\ \hline \multirow{7}{*}{Natural Degradation Methods (Photolysis, Hydrolysis, and Biodegradation)} & & & Slow degradation rate, limited efficiency, highly influenced by environmental conditions (e.g., light, pH, and temperature). \\  & & Low, relies on natural conditions, no additional equipment required & Unable to handle high-concentration or complex pollutants and may generate secondary pollution such as antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). \\ \hline \multirow{7}{*}{Microbial Degradation process} & \begin{tabular}{c} Wastewater treatment \\ plants (activated sludge process) \\ \end{tabular} & \begin{tabular}{c} Moderate, requires \\ optimization of reaction \\ conditions for non-active \\ substances \\ \end{tabular} & \begin{tabular}{c} Limited degradation capacity for \\ specific antibiotics; may require \\ acclimation. High risk of ARGs dissemination, requiring \\ subsequent monitoring. \\ \end{tabular} \\ \hline \multirow{7}{*}{Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs)} & Industrial wastewater treatment & \
\begin{tabular}{c} High, requires oxidants (e.g., \\ H\({}_{2}\)O\({}_{2}\), ozone), catalysts (e.g., \\ TiO\({}_{2}\)), and energy \\ (UV/electricity) \\ \end{tabular} &
\begin{tabular}{c} Low oxidant utilization, potential \\ generation of toxic intermediates, \\ requiring post-treatment. Harsh \\ reaction conditions (e.g., acidic pH), complex equipment. \\ \end{tabular} \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 4: The applicability, limiting factors, and cost levels of various degradation technologies.