Emerging Contaminants in Water: Detection, Treatment, and Regulation

A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Wastewater Treatment and Reuse".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 November 2019) | Viewed by 42517

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Special Issue Editor

Department of Civil Engineering and Construction Management, Gordon and Jill Bourns College of Engineering, California Baptist University, Riverside, CA, USA
Interests: water quality; water treatment; membrane processes; climate changes
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

An ongoing challenge in the years to come will be to better understand emerging contaminants in water. A contaminant of emerging concern, generally referred to as an “emerging contaminant”, is a naturally occurring or synthetic chemical or substance recently detected or suspected to be present in water and whose toxicity or persistence pose some risk to human health or the environment. Emerging contaminants are usually not regulated or have no established health goals. The lack of scientific information on their detection, treatment and risk prevents evaluation for regulatory action. An already-regulated contaminant could also become an emerging contaminant if new scientific information becomes available necessitating a change to existing regulations or guidelines.

This Special Issue is devoted solely to emerging contaminants in water, bringing together recent research findings from leading scientists, the practical experiences of operators and engineers, as well as from water regulators. The goal is to assemble contributions on the detection, treatment, or regulatory experiences regarding emerging contaminants in water. Contributions reporting the results of applied research to solve real-world emerging contaminant problems are especially desired.

Prof. Dr. Frederick W. Pontius
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • Emerging contaminants
  • Water quality
  • Water treatment
  • Monitoring and analysis
  • Water quality control
  • Drinking water
  • Waste water
  • Recycled water
  • Source water
  • Sediments and soils related to water

Published Papers (8 papers)

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Editorial

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2 pages, 160 KiB  
Editorial
Emerging Contaminants in Water: Detection, Treatment, and Regulation
by Frederick Wendell Pontius
Water 2021, 13(11), 1470; https://doi.org/10.3390/w13111470 - 24 May 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1862
Abstract
Contaminants of emerging concern in water are an ongoing challenge globally [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Contaminants in Water: Detection, Treatment, and Regulation)

Research

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14 pages, 2628 KiB  
Article
Removal Effectiveness of Nanoplastics (<400 nm) with Separation Processes Used for Water and Wastewater Treatment
by Audrey Murray and Banu Örmeci
Water 2020, 12(3), 635; https://doi.org/10.3390/w12030635 - 26 Feb 2020
Cited by 54 | Viewed by 7358
Abstract
Microplastics and nanoplastics are abundant in the environment, and the fate and impact of nanoplastics are of particular interest because of their small size. Wastewater treatment plants are a sink for nanoplastics, and large quantities of nanoplastics are discharged into surface waters through [...] Read more.
Microplastics and nanoplastics are abundant in the environment, and the fate and impact of nanoplastics are of particular interest because of their small size. Wastewater treatment plants are a sink for nanoplastics, and large quantities of nanoplastics are discharged into surface waters through wastewater as well as stormwater effluents. There is a need to understand the fate and removal of nanoplastics during water, wastewater, and stormwater treatment, and this study investigated their removal on a bench-scale using synthesized nanoplastics (<400 nm) to allow controlled experiments. Plastic particles were created in the lab to control their size, and bench-scale dewatering devices were tested for their ability to remove these particles. Filtration with a 0.22 μm filter removed 92 ± 3% of the particles, centrifugation at 10,000 rpm (670,800 g) for 10 min removed 99 ± 1% of the particles, and ballasted flocculation removed 88 ± 3%. These results provide a general idea of the magnitude of the removal of nanoplastics with separation processes, and more work is recommended to determine the degree of removal with full-scale unit processes. Even though the removal was good using all three treatments, smaller particles escaping treatment may increase the nanoplastics concentration of receiving water bodies and impact aquatic ecosystems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Contaminants in Water: Detection, Treatment, and Regulation)
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17 pages, 2329 KiB  
Article
Occurrence of Micropollutants in Wastewater and Evaluation of Their Removal Efficiency in Treatment Trains: The Influence of the Adopted Sampling Mode
by Paola Verlicchi and Andrea Ghirardini
Water 2019, 11(6), 1152; https://doi.org/10.3390/w11061152 - 31 May 2019
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3750
Abstract
The monitoring of micropollutants in water compartments, in particular pharmaceuticals and personal care products, has become an issue of increasing concern over the last decade. Their occurrence in surface and groundwater, raw wastewater and treated effluents, along with the removal efficiency achieved by [...] Read more.
The monitoring of micropollutants in water compartments, in particular pharmaceuticals and personal care products, has become an issue of increasing concern over the last decade. Their occurrence in surface and groundwater, raw wastewater and treated effluents, along with the removal efficiency achieved by different technologies, have been the subjects of many studies published recently. The concentrations of these contaminants may vary widely over a given time period (day, week, month, or year). In this context, this paper investigates the average concentration and removal efficiency obtained by adopting four different sampling modes: grab sampling, 24-h time proportional, flow proportional and volume proportional composite sampling. This analysis is carried out by considering three ideal micropollutants presenting different concentration curves versus time (day). It compares the percentage deviations between the ideal concentration (and removal efficiencies) and the differently measured concentrations (removal efficiencies) and provides hints as to the best sampling mode to adopt when planning a monitoring campaign depending on the substances under study. It concludes that the flow proportional composite sampling mode is, in general, the approach which leads to the most reliable measurement of concentrations and removal efficiencies even though, in specific cases, the other modes can also be correctly adopted. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Contaminants in Water: Detection, Treatment, and Regulation)
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14 pages, 1493 KiB  
Article
Spectrophotometric Detection of Glyphosate in Water by Complex Formation between Bis 5-Phenyldipyrrinate of Nickel (II) and Glyphosate
by Aline Romero-Natale, Ilaria Palchetti, Mayra Avelar, Enrique González-Vergara, José Luis Garate-Morales and Eduardo Torres
Water 2019, 11(4), 719; https://doi.org/10.3390/w11040719 - 06 Apr 2019
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 4504
Abstract
A spectrophotometric method for the determination of glyphosate based on the monitoring of a complex formation between bis 5-phenyldipyrrinate of nickel (II) and the herbicide was developed. The method showed a short response time (10 s), high selectivity (very low interference from other [...] Read more.
A spectrophotometric method for the determination of glyphosate based on the monitoring of a complex formation between bis 5-phenyldipyrrinate of nickel (II) and the herbicide was developed. The method showed a short response time (10 s), high selectivity (very low interference from other pesticides and salts), and high sensitivity (LOD 2.07 × 10−7 mol/L, LOQ 9.87 × 10−7 mol/L, and a Kd from 1.75 × 10−6 to 6.95 × 10−6 mol/L). The Job plot showed that complex formation occurs with a 1:1 stoichiometry. The method was successfully applied in potable, urban, groundwater, and residual-treated water samples, showing high precision (0.34–2.9%) and accuracy (87.20–119.04%). The structure of the complex was elucidated through theoretical studies demonstrating that the nickel in the bis 5-phenyldipyrrinate forms a distorted octahedral molecular geometry by expanding its coordination number through one bond with the nitrogen and another with the oxygen of the glyphosate’ carboxyl group, at distances between 1.89–2.08 Å. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Contaminants in Water: Detection, Treatment, and Regulation)
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10 pages, 714 KiB  
Article
Oxazepam Alters the Behavior of Crayfish at Diluted Concentrations, Venlafaxine Does Not
by Jan Kubec, Md Shakhawate Hossain, Kateřina Grabicová, Tomáš Randák, Antonín Kouba, Roman Grabic, Sara Roje and Miloš Buřič
Water 2019, 11(2), 196; https://doi.org/10.3390/w11020196 - 24 Jan 2019
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3449
Abstract
Pharmaceutically active compounds are only partially removed from wastewaters and hence may be major contaminants of freshwaters. Direct and indirect effects on aquatic organisms are reported at dilute concentrations. This study was focused on the possible effects of environmentally relevant concentrations (~1 µg [...] Read more.
Pharmaceutically active compounds are only partially removed from wastewaters and hence may be major contaminants of freshwaters. Direct and indirect effects on aquatic organisms are reported at dilute concentrations. This study was focused on the possible effects of environmentally relevant concentrations (~1 µg L−1) of two psychoactive compounds on the behavior of freshwater crayfish. Experimental animals exposed to venlafaxine did not show any behavioral alteration. Crayfish exposed to the benzodiazepine oxazepam exhibited a significant alteration in the distance moved and activity, and the effects were different when individuals were ready for reproduction. Results suggested that even the low concentration of selected psychoactive pharmaceuticals could alter the behavioral patterns of crayfish, as reported for other pharmaceuticals. These results provide new information about the possible adverse effects of pharmaceuticals at dilute concentrations. From previous knowledge and our results, it is obvious that different compounds have different effects and the effects are even specific for different taxa. Detailed studies are therefore needed to assess the possible ecological consequences of particular substances, as well as for their mixtures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Contaminants in Water: Detection, Treatment, and Regulation)
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13 pages, 5653 KiB  
Article
PPCP Monitoring in Drinking Water Supply Systems: The Example of Káraný Waterworks in Central Bohemia
by Zbyněk Hrkal, Pavel Eckhardt, Anna Hrabánková, Eva Novotná and David Rozman
Water 2018, 10(12), 1852; https://doi.org/10.3390/w10121852 - 13 Dec 2018
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 5658
Abstract
The Káraný waterworks supplies drinking water to about one-third of Prague, the capital city of the Czech Republic with a population of more than 1 million. The combination of two technologies—bank infiltration and artificial recharge—are used for production of drinking water. The two-year [...] Read more.
The Káraný waterworks supplies drinking water to about one-third of Prague, the capital city of the Czech Republic with a population of more than 1 million. The combination of two technologies—bank infiltration and artificial recharge—are used for production of drinking water. The two-year monitoring of PPCPs (pharmaceuticals and personal care products) at monthly intervals observed temporal changes in 81 substances in the source river and groundwater, and the efficacy of contamination removal depended on the treatment technology used. The results showed a very wide range of PPCPs discharged from the waste water treatment plant at Mladá Boleslav into the Jizera River at concentrations ranging from ng/L to μg/L. Acesulfame and oxypurinol in concentrations exceeding 100 ng/L systematically occurred, and then a few tens of ng/L of carbamazepine, sulfamethoxazole, primidone, and lamotrigine were regularly detected at the water outlet using the artificial recharge for production of drinking water. Bank infiltration was found more efficient in removing PPCP substances at the Káraný locality where none of the monitored substances was systematically detected in the mixed sample. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Contaminants in Water: Detection, Treatment, and Regulation)
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17 pages, 3069 KiB  
Article
Long-Term River Water Quality Trends and Pollution Source Apportionment in Taiwan
by Marsha Savira Agatha Putri, Chao-Hsun Lou, Mat Syai’in, Shang-Hsin Ou and Yu-Chun Wang
Water 2018, 10(10), 1394; https://doi.org/10.3390/w10101394 - 08 Oct 2018
Cited by 42 | Viewed by 6649
Abstract
The application of multivariate statistical techniques including cluster analysis and principal component analysis-multiple linear regression (PCA-MLR) was successfully used to classify the river pollution level in Taiwan and identify possible pollution sources. Water quality and heavy metal monitoring data from the Taiwan Environmental [...] Read more.
The application of multivariate statistical techniques including cluster analysis and principal component analysis-multiple linear regression (PCA-MLR) was successfully used to classify the river pollution level in Taiwan and identify possible pollution sources. Water quality and heavy metal monitoring data from the Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) was evaluated for 14 major rivers in four regions of Taiwan with the Erren River classified as the most polluted river in the country. Biochemical oxygen demand (6.1 ± 2.38), ammonia (3.48 ± 3.23), and total phosphate (0.65 ± 0.38) mg/L concentration in this river was the highest of the 14 rivers evaluated. In addition, heavy metal levels in the following rivers exceeded the Taiwan EPA standard limit (lead: 0.01, copper: 0.03, and manganese: 0.03) mg/L concentration: lead-in the Dongshan (0.02 ± 0.09), Jhuoshuei (0.03 ± 0.03), and Xinhuwei Rivers (0.02 ± 0.02) mg/L; copper: in the Dahan (0.036 ± 0.097), Laojie (0.06 ± 1.77), and Erren Rivers are (0.05 ± 0.158) mg/L; manganese: in all rivers. A total 72% of the water pollution in the Erren River was estimated to originate from industrial sources, 16% from domestic black water, and 12% from natural sources and runoff from other tributaries. Our research demonstrated that applying PCA-MLR and cluster analysis on long-term monitoring water quality would provide integrated information for river water pollution management and future policy making. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Contaminants in Water: Detection, Treatment, and Regulation)
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Review

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27 pages, 869 KiB  
Review
Regulation of Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctane Sulfonic Acid (PFOS) in Drinking Water: A Comprehensive Review
by Frederick Pontius
Water 2019, 11(10), 2003; https://doi.org/10.3390/w11102003 - 26 Sep 2019
Cited by 40 | Viewed by 8457
Abstract
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) are receiving global attention due to their persistence in the environment through wastewater effluent discharges and past improper industrial waste disposal. They are resistant to biological degradation and if present in wastewater are discharged into [...] Read more.
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) are receiving global attention due to their persistence in the environment through wastewater effluent discharges and past improper industrial waste disposal. They are resistant to biological degradation and if present in wastewater are discharged into the environment. The US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) issued drinking water Health Advisories for PFOA and PFOS at 70 ng/L each and for the sum of the two. The need for an enforceable primary drinking water regulation under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) is currently being assessed. The USEPA faces stringent legal constraints and technical barriers to develop a primary drinking water regulation for PFOA and PFOS. This review synthesizes current knowledge providing a publicly available, comprehensive point of reference for researchers, water utilities, industry, and regulatory agencies to better understand and address cross-cutting issues associated with regulation of PFOA and PFOS contamination of drinking water. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Contaminants in Water: Detection, Treatment, and Regulation)
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