Remediation of Emerging Contaminants

Water pollution by emerging contaminants has become a major source of concern and priority for society public authorities. Emerging are group natural synthetic chemicals biological agents that not routinely monitored or regulated in the environment may have known suspected adverse effects on human health. The list these substances is particularly long includes pharmaceuticals, personal care products cosmetics, pesticides, surfactants, industrial additives, nanoparticles nanomaterials, pathogens. Many released continuously into can cause chronic toxicity even at low concentrations, endocrine disruption humans aquatic life, development antibiotic resistant bacteria. It therefore necessary to mobilize efforts protect health biodiversity.Two main sources wastewater treatment discharges agricultural practices. However, conventional plants been designed remove such contaminants. important develop effective methods capable eliminating parent molecules their metabolites. This difficult challenging task because most recalcitrant substances. must also target only water but microbiols order reduce eliminate impact treated wastewater.During past two decades, several physical, chemical technologies proposed contaminant removal. Each technology its own advantages constraints terms cost, efficiency, feasibility, environmental impact. among various processes currently cited treatment, few commonly employed sector technological economic reasons. Extensive research this topic highlights growing interest scientists developing systems increasingly removing mixtures trace pollutants, simple implement from point view, economically viable environmentally friendly, with little no environment.The objective chapter present recent state knowledge advanced treatments removal when they amounts wastewater. After general considerations plant, first part focused adsorption-oriented using (activated carbon, clays) non-conventional (cyclodextrin polymers, metal-organic frameworks, molecularly imprinted chitosan, nanocellulose) adsorbents. Biosorbents as cyclodextrin bead polymers great potential applications although still laboratory study stage. second presents examples biological-based degradation elimination Selected approaches include constructed wetlands, biomembrane reactors, strategies based use algae, fungi bacteria, enzymatic degradation. third briefly membrane filtration strategy already used tertiary treatment. final oxidation represent one promising simplicity efficiency.