This review article highlights the significance of removing pharmaceutical compounds, which are considered emerging contaminants, from wastewater and natural water systems. Various advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), including UV-H₂O₂, Fenton and photo-Fenton, ozone-based processes, photocatalysis, and physical processes such as sonolysis, microwave, and electron beam irradiation, are discussed as viable methods to eliminate different categories of pharmaceutical compounds. The catalytic degradation process of emerging contaminants, advantages, and disadvantages of each technique are deliberated. Heterogeneous photocatalysis using metal oxides, particularly anatase TiO₂ nanoparticles activated by UV light irradiation, is reviewed in detail, emphasizing electron-hole separation, migration of charge carriers, and redox potential. The review also highlights the promising role of anatase TiO₂ nanoparticles and TiO₂-based nanomaterials as photocatalysts and the enhanced efficiency of combining photocatalysis with other AOPs. Finally, the challenges of applying anatase TiO₂-based photocatalysis in environmental remediation and wastewater treatment to degrade pharmaceutical compounds are summarized, including mass spectroscopic analysis and biological activity tests of by-products.This review article highlights the significance of removing pharmaceutical compounds, which are considered emerging contaminants, from wastewater and natural water systems. Various advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), including UV-H₂O₂, Fenton and photo-Fenton, ozone-based processes, photocatalysis, and physical processes such as sonolysis, microwave, and electron beam irradiation, are discussed as viable methods to eliminate different categories of pharmaceutical compounds. The catalytic degradation process of emerging contaminants, advantages, and disadvantages of each technique are deliberated. Heterogeneous photocatalysis using metal oxides, particularly anatase TiO₂ nanoparticles activated by UV light irradiation, is reviewed in detail, emphasizing electron-hole separation, migration of charge carriers, and redox potential. The review also highlights the promising role of anatase TiO₂ nanoparticles and TiO₂-based nanomaterials as photocatalysts and the enhanced efficiency of combining photocatalysis with other AOPs. Finally, the challenges of applying anatase TiO₂-based photocatalysis in environmental remediation and wastewater treatment to degrade pharmaceutical compounds are summarized, including mass spectroscopic analysis and biological activity tests of by-products.