Journal ArticleDOI
The Challenge of Micropollutants in Aquatic Systems
René P. Schwarzenbach,Beate I. Escher,Kathrin Fenner,Thomas B. Hofstetter,C. Annette Johnson,Urs von Gunten,Bernhard Wehrli +6 more
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TLDR
There are three scientific challenges in addressing water-quality problems caused by micropollutants, and usage and disposal strategies should aim to minimize introduction of critical pollutants into the aquatic environment.Abstract:
The increasing worldwide contamination of freshwater systems with thousands of industrial and natural chemical compounds is one of the key environmental problems facing humanity. Although most of these compounds are present at low concentrations, many of them raise considerable toxicological concerns, particularly when present as components of complex mixtures. Here we review three scientific challenges in addressing water-quality problems caused by such micropollutants. First, tools to assess the impact of these pollutants on aquatic life and human health must be further developed and refined. Second, cost-effective and appropriate remediation and water-treatment technologies must be explored and implemented. Third, usage and disposal strategies, coupled with the search for environmentally more benign products and processes, should aim to minimize introduction of critical pollutants into the aquatic environment.read more
Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
Science and technology for water purification in the coming decades
Mark A. Shannon,Paul W. Bohn,Paul W. Bohn,Menachem Elimelech,Menachem Elimelech,John G. Georgiadis,Benito J. Mariñas,Anne M. Mayes,Anne M. Mayes +8 more
TL;DR: Some of the science and technology being developed to improve the disinfection and decontamination of water, as well as efforts to increase water supplies through the safe re-use of wastewater and efficient desalination of sea and brackish water are highlighted.
Journal ArticleDOI
Materials for next-generation desalination and water purification membranes
TL;DR: In this article, molecular-level design approaches for membrane materials, focusing on how these materials address the urgent requirements of water treatment applications, are reviewed for water scarcity and the pollution of aquatic environments.
Journal ArticleDOI
Global Water Pollution and Human Health
TL;DR: In this paper, the main groups of aquatic contaminants, their effects on human health, and approaches to mitigate pollution of freshwater resources are reviewed, particularly on inorganic and organic micropollutants including toxic metals and metalloids as well as a large variety of synthetic organic chemicals.
Journal ArticleDOI
Emerging organic contaminants in groundwater: A review of sources, fate and occurrence
TL;DR: Nanogram-microgram per litre concentrations are present in groundwater for a large range of EOCs as well as metabolites and transformation products and under certain conditions may pose a threat to freshwater bodies for decades due to relatively long groundwater residence times.
Journal ArticleDOI
Rapid removal of organic micropollutants from water by a porous β-cyclodextrin polymer
Alaaeddin Alsbaiee,Brian J. Smith,Leilei Xiao,Yuhan Ling,Damian E. Helbling,William R. Dichtel +5 more
TL;DR: The findings demonstrate the promise of porous cyclodextrin-based polymers for rapid, flow-through water treatment and outperformed a leading activated carbon for the rapid removal of a complex mixture of organic micropollutants at environmentally relevant concentrations.
References
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Journal ArticleDOI
Pharmaceuticals, hormones, and other organic wastewater contaminants in U.S. streams, 1999-2000: a national reconnaissance.
Dana W. Kolpin,Edward T. Furlong,Michael T. Meyer,E. Michael Thurman,Steven D. Zaugg,Larry B. Barber,Herbert T. Buxton +6 more
TL;DR: The U.S. Geological Survey used five newly developed analytical methods to measure concentrations of 95 organic wastewater contaminants (OWCs) in water samples from a network of 139 streams across 30 states during 1999 and 2000 as mentioned in this paper.
Journal ArticleDOI
A review of the source, behaviour and distribution of arsenic in natural waters
TL;DR: The scale of the problem in terms of population exposed to high As concentrations is greatest in the Bengal Basin with more than 40 million people drinking water containing ‘excessive’ As as mentioned in this paper.
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Environmental organic chemistry
TL;DR: An Introduction to Environmental Organic Chemicals is given in this article, where the authors present an overview of the main steps in the development of these processes, including the following: Sorption I: General Introduction and Sorption Processes Involving Organic Matter. Sorption II: Partitioning to Living Media - Bioaccumulation and Baseline Toxicity.
Journal ArticleDOI
Pharmaceuticals and personal care products in the environment: agents of subtle change?
TL;DR: This review attempts to synthesize the literature on environmental origin, distribution/occurrence, and effects and to catalyze a more focused discussion in the environmental science community.
Journal ArticleDOI
Quantitative assessment of worldwide contamination of air, water and soils by trace metals
Jerome O. Nriagu,Jozef M. Pacyna +1 more
TL;DR: Calculated loading rates of trace metals into the three environmental compartments demonstrate that human activities now have major impacts on the global and regional cycles of most of the trace elements.