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

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 May 2025 | Viewed by 5890

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Anna Wołowicz

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Institute of Chemical Science, Faculty of Chemistry, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Maria Curie-Sklodowska Square 2, 20-031 Lublin, Poland
Interests: emerging micropollutions; heavy metals; noble metals; dyes; phenols; adsorption; ion exchange; photochemistry; wastewater treatment; removal of inorganic and organic pollution from wastewaters; adsorbents for wastewater treatment; ion exchangers; synthesis and characterization of hybrid adsorbents and composites; environmental protection
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Monika Wawrzkiewicz

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Institute of Chemical Science, Faculty of Chemistry, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Maria Curie-Sklodowska Square 2, 20-031 Lublin, Poland
Interests: sorption; separation of inorganic and organic compounds; heavy metal ions; dyes; phenols; textile wastewater treatment; chemical modification of synthetic and natural polymers; adsorbents for water treatment; photochemistry; synthesis and characterization of hybrid adsorbents containing biocomponents and composites; environmental protection
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

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

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Water is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • 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

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 1803 KiB  
Article
Acute Toxicity Assessment of Textile Wastewater Treated with Pinus patula Biochar Using Daphnia pulex
by Carolina Gallego-Ramírez, Yuri García-Zapata, Néstor Aguirre, Edwin Chica and Ainhoa Rubio-Clemente
Water 2025, 17(8), 1143; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17081143 - 11 Apr 2025
Viewed by 285
Abstract
The discharge of textile wastewater (TWW) into the environment releases multiple toxic substances that pose a significant threat to aquatic life. Most studies evaluating wastewater treatment efficiency focus on the removal of parameters, such as chemical oxygen demand (COD), total organic carbon (TOC), [...] Read more.
The discharge of textile wastewater (TWW) into the environment releases multiple toxic substances that pose a significant threat to aquatic life. Most studies evaluating wastewater treatment efficiency focus on the removal of parameters, such as chemical oxygen demand (COD), total organic carbon (TOC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), and colour. One of the processes that has presented high efficiencies in the treatment of TWW is the use of biochar (BC) as an adsorbing material. BC has shown a high ability to remove complex organic substances from water since it is able to decrease the content of COD, TOC, and DOC. However, the toxicity of treated effluents has not been widely studied. In this regard, it is essential to focus not only on the efficiency of treatments in removing organic matter but also on their ability to reduce WW toxicity. This research evaluates the acute toxicity of real TWW treated with Pinus patula BC by using Daphnia pulex as a sentinel species. For this purpose, D. pulex individuals were exposed to TWW and BC-treated TWW for 48 h, with mortality defined as the absence of movement in the limbs and antennas. It was found that although the treatment with P. patula BC for 120 min eliminated 72.8% of the initial DOC under optimal conditions (pH 3 and 13.5 g/L BC dose), the textile effluent remained toxic, inducing 85.7% and 71.4% mortality rates on D. pulex for 100% (v/v) and 50% (v/v) dilutions. Despite the increase in the survival rate of D. pulex individuals due to the protective effect achieved by the constituents contained in the reconstituted 50% (v/v) samples, these findings emphasize the necessity of conducting toxicity studies before considering the discharge of TWW effluents after having been treated. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Micropollutants in Water and Wastewater: Recent Tendencies, Treatment Options and Perspectives)
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8 pages, 1596 KiB  
Article
Qualitative Assessment of Hazardous Gas Emissions from Sewage Sludge-Derived Biochar
by Ewa Syguła, Małgorzata Leśniak, Łukasz Bobak, Jacek A. Koziel and Andrzej Białowiec
Water 2025, 17(1), 58; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17010058 - 29 Dec 2024
Viewed by 824
Abstract
Approximately 10 million megagrams of sewage sludge is produced each year in the European Union alone. To date, options to utilize sewage sludge are limited. Local regulations and sludge characteristics strictly determine waste management options. Thermal disposal methods are recommended for highly contaminated [...] Read more.
Approximately 10 million megagrams of sewage sludge is produced each year in the European Union alone. To date, options to utilize sewage sludge are limited. Local regulations and sludge characteristics strictly determine waste management options. Thermal disposal methods are recommended for highly contaminated sludge. Pyrolyzed sewage sludge generates biochar that can be used as a value-added agricultural product or as an alternative fuel. The biochar production itself carries the risk of emitting harmful compounds. Unfortunately, these important safety considerations are rarely addressed in the literature. This research investigates the mechanistic effects of the storage headspace-to-biochar volume ratio and stored biochar headspace ventilation on hazardous gas emissions. Five hazardous organic compounds were emitted by biochar. However, based on this initial proof-of-the-concept research, we could not derive conclusive trends for the effects of the headspace-to-biochar volume ratio or air exchanges in the biochar headspace. Further research, which is broader in scope (feedstock type, pyrolysis conditions), should be carried out. Nevertheless, caution should be exercised when designing biochar storage, aiming to lower the risk of occupational exposure to hazardous gas emissions. Monitoring air pollutants, tracking the highest permissible concentrations and workers’ exposure, and using personal protective equipment are recommended. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Micropollutants in Water and Wastewater: Recent Tendencies, Treatment Options and Perspectives)
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Review

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16 pages, 8964 KiB  
Review
Comprehensive Review of Global Perspectives on Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Compounds: Occurrence, Fate, and Remediation in Groundwater Systems
by Mohammed Benaafi and Abdullah Bafaqeer
Water 2024, 16(11), 1583; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16111583 - 31 May 2024
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3824
Abstract
Groundwater contamination with per- and polyfluoroalkyl compounds (PFASs) has become a growing worldwide environmental issue. The current review comprehensively evaluates the global perspective of PFAS pollution in groundwater. Data from 224 recent research articles covering various land use and source types were reviewed, [...] Read more.
Groundwater contamination with per- and polyfluoroalkyl compounds (PFASs) has become a growing worldwide environmental issue. The current review comprehensively evaluates the global perspective of PFAS pollution in groundwater. Data from 224 recent research articles covering various land use and source types were reviewed, including industrial facilities, landfills, biosolids applications, and firefighting training sites. The bibliographic analysis shows an exponential increase in publications on PFAS pollution in groundwater in the last five years, with more than 50% coming from the USA, followed by Australia, Canada, China, and Sweden. The recent groundwater PFAS pollution research provides insight into the analytical techniques, absorbing materials, treatment strategies, field tests, and enhanced natural attenuation. Nevertheless, the current review identified significant research gaps in the areas of precursor characterization, subsurface behavior, model validation with field data, and long-term and sustainable solutions. Moreover, a global cross-disciplinary approach is required to reduce and regulate PFASs’ risks to humans and the ecological system. This review presents a case study of PFASs in Saudi Arabian groundwater, revealing elevated levels of PFOA and PFOS and highlighting the need for region-specific studies and remediation strategies. The review results will guide global efforts to protect drinking water supplies from life-threatening contaminants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Micropollutants in Water and Wastewater: Recent Tendencies, Treatment Options and Perspectives)
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