Detection and Treatment of Emerging Contaminants in WastewaterOpen Access
Detection and Treatment of Emerging Contaminants in Wastewater addresses the critical and pressing need for effective strategies to detect and treat emerging contaminants, thereby mitigating risks associated with their presence in wastewater. This comprehensive book features contributions from prominent experts in the field of wastewater, providing an up-to-date and in-depth collection of chapters dedicated to tackling this pressing issue.
Highlights:
The book serves as an invaluable resource for identifying, assessing, and comprehensively addressing emerging contaminants in wastewater and/or sludges. It delves into the assessment, mitigation, and treatment of various contaminants, including microplastics, antibiotic-resistant genes, pharmaceuticals, personal care products and industrial chemicals.
An exploration of the behavior of microplastics in different wastewater treatment plants and their accumulation in sludge, shedding light on their potential impact on the environment.
An introduction to the key mechanisms for the removal of emerging pollutants from sludge through fungal-mediated processes, offering innovative solutions for effective treatment.
An investigation into the fate and behavior of pharmaceutically-active compounds in wastewater, along with their potential environmental impacts. Additionally, accurate quantification procedures for these compounds are discussed.
The book covers new trends in the development of greener nanomaterials, evaluating their performance for abating emerging contaminants from wastewater.
With its comprehensive insights and diverse perspectives, this book is an essential guide for researchers, professionals, and policymakers engaged in wastewater management and environmental protection. The practical solutions and scientific knowledge presented herein will contribute significantly to safeguarding our water resources and ensuring a cleaner and healthier future.
ISBN: 9781789063745 (paperback)
ISBN: 9781789063752 (ebook)
ISBN: 9781789063752 (ePub)
Chapter 1: Fate and behavior of microplastics in wastewater, accumulation in organisms and effects Open Access
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Published:April 2024
Agata Egea-Corbacho, Ana Amelia Franco, Ana Pilar Martín-García, José María Quiroga, María Dolores Coello, 2024. "Fate and behavior of microplastics in wastewater, accumulation in organisms and effects", Detection and Treatment of Emerging Contaminants in Wastewater, Sartaj Ahmad Bhat, Vineet Kumar, Fusheng Li, Pradeep Verma
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Abstract
Studies on how microplastics (MPs) behave in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are increasing day by day. Although conventional WWTPs can efficiently remove MPs (64–99%), when considering the daily discharge rate, this percentage would not be sufficient. The total amount of MPs would still be discharged daily into the environment; therefore, the final effluent can act as one of the main routes of entry of MPs into aquatic environments. This chapter reviews the behavior of MPs in the different WWTP units, as well as their accumulation in the sludge. Subsequently, a discussion on how the MPs from the WWTP can reach the receiving media, such as aquatic or terrestrial media (water line and sludge line), to finally discuss how the fauna is affected by the entry of the MPs into the environment. These MPs can be ingested by aquatic life forms, leading to their bioaccumulation and biomagnification along the food chain, and causing negative effects on tissues, organs, and metabolism. MPs can also act as transport vehicles for other emerging pollutants such as pharmaceuticals and pesticides, increasing their hazardousness.