Emerging Micropollutants in Water and Wastewater: Recent Tendencies, Treatment Options and Perspectives

Dear Colleagues,

Emerging micropollutants (EMPs) also called as contaminants of emerging concern are discharged into the environment from a diverse range of sources and are of special concern to scientific researchers around the world. EMPs are synthetic or natural compounds derived from point and nonpoint resources and are characterized by trace amounts usually ranging from μg/L to less than ng/L among different environmental matrices and living organisms. Commonly known groups of EMPs are pesticides, persistent organic pollutants, pharmaceuticals, personal care products, detergents, stimulants, steroid hormones, trace metals, micro- and nanoplastics, industrial chemicals, pesticides and many other contaminants that might pose possible threats to ecological environments. Although the effects of EMPs in the aquatic environments are not very yet well known, there are clear indications considering their negative impacts on the ecosystem. Toxicity, ability to bioaccumulation and resistance to degradation are the main reasons for their potential risks.

Novel and emerging micropollutants in water or wastewater have made traditional treatment strategies ineffective in meeting environmental standards. The treatment processes of EMPs comprise several approaches such as physico-chemical, biological and advanced oxidation processes. Most of the conventional known wastewater treatment methods are not designed to completely remove EMPs but employ a combination of different treatment methods that can enhance the removal efficiency of emerging micropollutants. The selection of a suitable treatment method depends, among others, on the type of emerging micropollutants present, the contaminated water or wastewater source and the requirements of environment standards. 

This Special Issue aims to encourage researchers working with the questions of emerging micropollutants to publish their scientific articles, reviews or short communications in this area to make progress in the field and in the implementation of practical solutions. Therefore, we are pleased to invite specialists and researchers closely related to this area to cooperate and encourage them to share their knowledge and experience not only in the removal of EMPs but also in their toxicity impacts and migration in the aquatic environments.

This Special Issue of Water will collect the results of the newest research trends, technologies and perspectives in the field of emerging micropollutants removal and will provide the current state of the art in the area.

Dr. Anna Wołowicz
Dr. Monika Wawrzkiewicz
Guest Editors

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• emerging micropollutants (heavy metals; dyes; surfactants; pharmaceuticals; pesticides; hormones; organic compounds; detergents etc.)
• advanced water treatment
• membrane processes
• advanced oxidation processes
• pollution control
• wastewater treatment
• removal strategies
• adsorption
• health risk