## 4 Engineering Implications  
Adsorption for the removal of multi-component pharmaceuticals holds great potential for treating wastewater contaminated with pharmaceutical substances, with promising large-scale applicability. To ensure the operational and economic viability of this technology, it is crucial to optimize parameters such as flow rate, adsorbent mass, and initial pollutant concentration, along with strict control of the process variables. The scalability will depend on the ability to maintain consistent performance under real operational conditions. In multi-component systems, competition among pollutants for adsorption sites is a challenge, as interactions between pharmaceuticals can compromise process efficiency. A detailed understanding of these interactions is essential. Solutions such as selective modification of the adsorbent or the use of functionalized materials can be adopted to improve process efficiency.  
Although the primary focus of the study has been on the technical understanding of the adsorption process, the economic feasibility of implementing a fixed-bed system for pharmaceutical pollutant removal should be considered in future research. The cost of adsorbents, along with waste generation, can pose limiting factors in large-scale operations. In this context, regeneration and reuse of the adsorbent are important strategies to reduce overall operational costs and improve sustainability. Although regeneration tests were not performed in the present study, their evaluation is strongly recommended in future work, especially to assess long-term viability under real application scenarios. Among the possible regeneration strategies, thermal regeneration, chemical regeneration (e.g., using alkaline or acidic solutions), and solvent washing stand out as effective techniques to restore adsorbent performance. The choice of regeneration method must consider not only efficiency but also environmental impact, in line with the principles of green chemistry. These methods, when optimized, can significantly extend the service life of the adsorbent and reduce the need for raw material consumption, contributing to a more sustainable process. Additionally, in cases where regeneration is not feasible, environmentally responsible disposal methods should be adopted to avoid secondary contamination.  
The use of alternative and sustainable materials, or adsorbent regeneration, can help reduce operational costs. However, the processing costs of these materials, along with a life cycle assessment (LCA), are essential for evaluating the environmental impact and identifying opportunities to optimize resource use. Additionally, operational costs, such as the energy consumption required to maintain flow rates and maintenance and monitoring costs, should be considered to assess the long-term feasibility of the process.  
Future investigations may address these issues and explore the use of alternative adsorption materials, offering more sustainable and cost-effective solutions. The development of real-time monitoring and process automation technologies could also improve control and operational efficiency, optimizing performance and reducing operational costs.  
Finally, although the results of this study are promising, adapting adsorption technology for pharmaceutical removal in industrial wastewater treatment plants will require consideration of operational limitations, such as available space, waste management, and integration with existing infrastructure. The successful large-scale implementation of this technology will depend on modular and scalable solutions, as well as partnerships among academia, industry, and regulatory agencies.