Environmental contamination is of great importance to industrial wastewater. Industries consume huge amounts of water and toxic chemicals during product formation and generate a large amount of wastewater which is loaded with various types of micropollutants, toxic and lethal pollutants that discharge into the environment without proper treatment and cause a major threat to animals, plant and human health. Biological treatment systems are renowned and eco-friendly methods used for the detoxification of wastewater having micropollutants, and organic and inorganic toxins, using microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, algae, enzymes, and hybrid systems. Thus, there is an urgent need to cope with this challenge and develop sustainable methods for the treatment of emerging pollutants from wastewaters for the safety of the environment.
Because of the toxicity of the emerging pollutants to biotic ecosystems, environmental contamination related to these developing pollutants has been recognized as a global environmental concern. Rare earth elements, micro and nano plastics, nanoparticles, antibiotics, PFASs, medicines, and personal care items, and illegal substances are among the rising pollutants. The majority of these new contaminants are released into wastewater, because of partially or inadequate wastewater treatment systems. Indeed, many of these pollutants can have hazardous effects at extremely low concentrations, and their presence in the environment may be difficult to detect. Physical pollutants at the micro-and nanoscale make this much more difficult. The fate, transport, and toxicity of many pollutants are yet unknown, particularly for emerging contaminants. Understanding environmental behaviors, toxicity, and further developing remediation methods to limit the exposure hazards of these contaminants in ecosystems is therefore extremely important.
Emerging pollutants including nano and micropollutants are mostly unregulated or inadequately regulated. These emerging pollutants are found mostly in the drainage systems (detergents, surfactants, additives), medicinal residues (steroids, hormones, antibiotics, protein supplements) exerted with human feces/urine, household products (plastics, flame retardants), commodities used for personal hygiene and sanitation (cosmetics and toiletries); and agricultural leachates from crop harvesting sites (pesticides). The emerging pollutants are mainly organic compounds with a few inorganic anions and metalloids and are classified into distinguished categories according to their molecular structure, behavior, and applications. To date, the fate, transport, toxicity, and remediation still remain unclear. This Research Topic would provide a window to show the occurrence, fate, and source of emerging pollutants through various industrial wastewaters and their treatment through conventional and advanced treatment technologies. The contributions include original articles, perspectives, and mini-reviews.
Potential topics for this collection include, but are not limited to:
• Biological treatment of emerging pollutants and associated mechanisms.
• Occurrence, Fate, transport, and measurements techniques of the emerging pollutants
• Environmental risk assessments of the emerging pollutants
• Toxicology studies associated with the pollutants
• Remediation technologies involved the treatment and removal of the emerging pollutants
• Metagenomics approaches in the degradation of emerging pollutants
• Use of Biosensors for detection of emerging pollutants in wastewater
Environmental contamination is of great importance to industrial wastewater. Industries consume huge amounts of water and toxic chemicals during product formation and generate a large amount of wastewater which is loaded with various types of micropollutants, toxic and lethal pollutants that discharge into the environment without proper treatment and cause a major threat to animals, plant and human health. Biological treatment systems are renowned and eco-friendly methods used for the detoxification of wastewater having micropollutants, and organic and inorganic toxins, using microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, algae, enzymes, and hybrid systems. Thus, there is an urgent need to cope with this challenge and develop sustainable methods for the treatment of emerging pollutants from wastewaters for the safety of the environment.
Because of the toxicity of the emerging pollutants to biotic ecosystems, environmental contamination related to these developing pollutants has been recognized as a global environmental concern. Rare earth elements, micro and nano plastics, nanoparticles, antibiotics, PFASs, medicines, and personal care items, and illegal substances are among the rising pollutants. The majority of these new contaminants are released into wastewater, because of partially or inadequate wastewater treatment systems. Indeed, many of these pollutants can have hazardous effects at extremely low concentrations, and their presence in the environment may be difficult to detect. Physical pollutants at the micro-and nanoscale make this much more difficult. The fate, transport, and toxicity of many pollutants are yet unknown, particularly for emerging contaminants. Understanding environmental behaviors, toxicity, and further developing remediation methods to limit the exposure hazards of these contaminants in ecosystems is therefore extremely important.
Emerging pollutants including nano and micropollutants are mostly unregulated or inadequately regulated. These emerging pollutants are found mostly in the drainage systems (detergents, surfactants, additives), medicinal residues (steroids, hormones, antibiotics, protein supplements) exerted with human feces/urine, household products (plastics, flame retardants), commodities used for personal hygiene and sanitation (cosmetics and toiletries); and agricultural leachates from crop harvesting sites (pesticides). The emerging pollutants are mainly organic compounds with a few inorganic anions and metalloids and are classified into distinguished categories according to their molecular structure, behavior, and applications. To date, the fate, transport, toxicity, and remediation still remain unclear. This Research Topic would provide a window to show the occurrence, fate, and source of emerging pollutants through various industrial wastewaters and their treatment through conventional and advanced treatment technologies. The contributions include original articles, perspectives, and mini-reviews.
Potential topics for this collection include, but are not limited to:
• Biological treatment of emerging pollutants and associated mechanisms.
• Occurrence, Fate, transport, and measurements techniques of the emerging pollutants
• Environmental risk assessments of the emerging pollutants
• Toxicology studies associated with the pollutants
• Remediation technologies involved the treatment and removal of the emerging pollutants
• Metagenomics approaches in the degradation of emerging pollutants
• Use of Biosensors for detection of emerging pollutants in wastewater
