Selected Emerging Contaminants in Water: Global Occurrence, Existing Treatment Technologies, Regulations and Associated Risk

Abstract

Emerging contaminants (ECs) in aquatic environments have recently attracted the attention of researchers due to their ubiquitous occurrence and the potential risk they may pose to life. While advance analytical methods have improved global reporting in water matrices, additional information is needed to compile data on their occurrence, existing legislation, treatment technologies and associated human health risks. Therefore, the present study provides an overview of the occurrence of selected ECs, including personal care product, antibiotics, NSAIDs, EDCs and psychiatric drugs, the existing regulatory framework and their toxicological effects on human health. The water matrices under review are the treated wastewater, surface water, groundwater and, in a few cases, drinking water. The study also highlights different treatment technologies available, and evaluates their performance based on the removal efficiency for different classes of ECs. For removal of almost all ECs considered, ozonation integrated with gamma radiation was reported highly efficient. Risk analysis was also performed for selected ECs including diclofenac, ibuprofen, naproxen, carbamazepine, estrone, 17 β-estradiol, bisphenol A, sulfamethoxazole, erythromycin and triclosan. The human health risk analysis indicated the highest number of locations with potential risk due to the EDCs, with South America, Europe and Asia having multiple risks due to estrone and Bisphenol A. The results of this study will give a better insight into the current situation of ECs in the global water matrices, the performance assessment of treatment technologies and the risk analysis will describe the need for more robust regulatory structures around the world to prevent the occurrence of such contaminants in the aquatic environment.

Environmental Implications

The research underscores the pressing environmental implications of emerging contaminants (ECs) in aquatic systems. The compilation of global data on the occurrence of ECs provides insight into their extensive presence and facilitates the identification of regions and water matrices most affected. This information can inform targeted monitoring and management strategies in areas with raised contamination levels. The study also emphasises need for more generalised and robust regulatory framework to mitigate the presence of emerging contaminants in environmental water. Moreover, with the risk assessment the study also supports the development of targeted risk management strategies.