Current Developments in Biotechnology and Bioengineering

Emerging Organic Micro-pollutants

Sunita Varjani, Ashok Pandey, R. D. Tyagi, Huu Hao Ngo, Christian Larroche

• Publisher: Elsevier
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN: 9780128195949
• eBook ISBN: 9780128213094
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Chemical & Biochemical Engineering
• Index: Technology & Engineering

Current Developments in Biotechnology and Bioengineering: Emerging Organic Micropollutants summarizes the current knowledge of emerging organic micropollutants in wastewater and the possibilities of their removal/elimination. This book attempts a thorough and exhaustive discussion on ongoing research and future perspectives on advanced treatment methods and future directions to maintain and protect the environment through microbiological, nanotechnological, application of membrane technology, molecular biological and by policymaking means.In addition, the book includes the latest developments in biotechnology and bioengineering pertaining to various aspects in the field of emerging organic micropollutants, including their sources, health effects and environmental impacts.- Includes testing methods for the analysis and characterization of emerging organic micropollutants in wastewater- Discusses the environmental impact and health hazards of emerging organic micropollutants in wastewater- Provides a useful guide to identify priority areas of research demand in the remediation/removal of emerging organic micropollutants

Chapter 1

Sustainable management and treatment technologies for micro-pollutants in wastewater

Huu Hao Ngo^a; Hoang Nhat Phong Vo^a; Wenshan Guo^a; Zhuo Chen^b; Yi Liu^c; Sunita Varjani^{d a} Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
^b School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
^c Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution and Prevention (LAP³), Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
^d Gujarat Pollution Control Board, Gandhinagar, India

Abstract

Micro-pollutants (MPs) are of great concern to public health and the environment because they present as microconcentrations and can accumulate in humans via the food chain and drinking water. Long-term exposure to MPs can result in high-risk health problems such as endocrine disruption and cancer. To cope with this issue, treatment technologies have been developed and applied to wastewater treatment plants to remove MPs. These technologies are diverse, for example, physical, chemical, and biological, such as membrane, advanced oxidation, anaerobic, activated sludge, and adsorption processes. They demonstrate certain efficiencies in removing MPs in both aqueous and solid phases. Another rising concern of MPs relates to metabolites because they can be more toxic than the parent compounds. Understanding the transformation mechanism of MPs and their metabolites is still challenging. Therefore, in addition to treatment technologies, management policies are also a sustainable strategy for alleviating the impact of MPs. Establishing discharge standards and life cycle and health risk assessment for MPs requires integrated MP treatment and management; however, these are time-consuming and methodical procedures.

Keywords

Micro-pollutants; Metabolites; Treatment technology; Management; Life-cycle assessment; Health risk assessment

Chapter Outline

• 1 Introduction
• 2 Occurrence of micro-pollutants in wastewater
• 3 Appropriate technologies for removal of micro-pollutants in wastewater
  • 3.1 Micro-pollutants in aqueous phase
  • 3.2 Micro-pollutants in solid phase
• 4 Transformation and metabolites of micro-pollutants in wastewater
• 5 Management policy for sustainable micro-pollutant treatment
  • 5.1 Current standards for micro-pollutant pollution management
  • 5.2 Life-cycle assessment
  • 5.3 Health risk assessment
• 6 Conclusions and perspectives
• References
• Further reading

1 Introduction

Micro-pollutants (MPs) are discharged increasingly from industrial and domestic activities and several cosmetic and healthcare products. MPs can be classified as pharmaceuticals, personal care products, pesticides, and industrial chemicals. For the last few years, MPs have attracted rising public concern due to their widespread contamination of the environment. MPs are steadily accumulating in drinking water sources and outlets, and in the food chain itself, thus posing a great threat to human health and ecological systems [1]. Long-term exposure to MPs can result in cancer, endocrine disruption, and antibiotic resistance in humans [2]. Consequently, MPs need proper treatment and management to resolve the problems.

MPs are present in wastewater from nano- to microconcentrations and this makes it difficult for detection and treatment processes. Recent removal technologies, such as membrane, advanced oxidation, adsorption, and biological processes, have been researched and applied as full-scale systems. However, their efficiency in removing MPs is still much debated [1]. Moreover, MPs are transformable to metabolites in the environment and even during the removal process. The toxicity and detection of their metabolites—rather than their parent forms—pose a challenge and have attracted the interest of researchers. The sustainable treatment and management of MPs in wastewater is therefore critically important (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1 Sustainable strategy for the management and treatment of micro-pollutants in wastewater.

The sustainable way to manage MPs in wastewater is to develop appropriate technologies, monitoring strategies, and apply an integrated management policy so that metabolites are well controlled [3]. A developed management program can overcome any drawbacks in technology and monitoring, and would contribute significantly to reducing the impact of MPs on communities and the environment. The most effective MP management program is to establish a standard for MPs discharge; life-cycle assessment (LCA) and health risk assessment [3,4]. To date, little is known about the sustainable removal and management of MPs. Herein, this chapter discusses the following issues: (1) occurrence of MPs in wastewater, (2) appropriate technologies for MP removal, (3) transformation issues and metabolites of MPs, and (4) management policy for MPs.

2 Occurrence of micro-pollutants in wastewater

Various sources generate MPs in wastewater and these stem from municipal, hospital, and industrial wastewaters and agricultural runoff (Table 1). For municipal wastewater, MPs originate from the use of pharmaceutical and personal care products such as drugs, cosmetics, shampoos, chemicals, etc. People consume drugs and release MPs via excretion and urine, then discharge them into the sewage system. Also, the cosmetics and chemicals released from bathroom and kitchen wastewater will be mixed with human waste and create municipal wastewater. For this reason alone, municipal wastewater is a major primary source of MPs.

Table 1

Occurrence of micro-pollutants (MPs) in different countries.

Typical micro-pollutants	Countries	Sources	Concentration (μg/L)	References
Pharmaceuticals
Acetaminophen (analgesic)	Columbia, United States, Taiwan	Municipal wastewater, hospital wastewater, drug production facility, sewage treatment plant	0.079–417.5	[5–7], [8]
Amoxicillin (antibiotics)	Hongkong	Sewage treatment plant	0.261	[9]
Ampicillin (antibiotics)	Greece	Sewage treatment plant	1.805	[10]
Azithromycin (antibiotic)	Columbia	Municipal wastewater	6.32	[5]
Carbamazepine (antiepileptic)	Columbia, United States, Taiwan	Municipal wastewater, sewage treatment plant	0.07–0.097	[5,7]
Chloramphenicol (antibiotics)	Spain	Sewage treatment plant	11, 67	[7,11]
Ciprofloxacin (antibiotic)	United States, Columbia	Sewage treatment plant, municipal wastewater	2.29–67	[5,7]
Ibuprof...

Table of contents

• Cover image
• Title page
• Table of Contents
• Copyright
• Contributors
• Editors Biography
• Preface
• Chapter 1: Sustainable management and treatment technologies for micro-pollutants in wastewater
• Chapter 2: Occurrence and human health risk of micro-pollutants—A special focus on endocrine disruptor chemicals
• Chapter 3: Micro-pollutants in surface water: Impacts on the aquatic environment and treatment technologies
• Chapter 4: Methods for the analysis of micro-pollutants
• Chapter 5: Constructed wetlands for the removal of organic micro-pollutants
• Chapter 6: Multibarrier approach for the removal of organic micro-pollutants
• Chapter 7: Heterogeneous photocatalysis for the removal of pharmaceutical compounds
• Chapter 8: Biotransformation of organic micro-pollutants in biological wastewater
• Chapter 9: Modeling organic pollutant degradation kinetics
• Chapter 10: Membrane bioreactors for the removal of micro-pollutants
• Chapter 11: Membrane distillation for the removal of micro-pollutants
• Chapter 12: Removal of organic micro-pollutants by membrane filtration
• Chapter 13: Advanced oxidation processes for the removal of pesticides
• Chapter 14: Retention of organic micro-pollutants by sorption processes
• Chapter 15: Removal of organic micro-pollutants using filamentous fungi
• Chapter 16: Removal of organic micro-pollutants by anaerobic microbes and enzymes
• Chapter 17: Degradation of organic micro-pollutants by ultraviolet radiation
• Chapter 18: Removal of emerging micro-pollutants from pharmaceutical industry wastewater
• Chapter 19: Ecotoxicological effects of organic micro-pollutants on the environment
• Chapter 20: Removal of contaminants of emerging concern by microalgae-based wastewater treatments and related analytical techniques
• Chapter 21: Nanofiltration and reverse osmosis processes for the removal of micro-pollutants
• Index