Circular economy approaches for water reuse and emerging contaminant mitigation: innovations in water treatment

Water scarcity and the presence of emerging contaminants (ECs) pose significant challenges to sustainable water management. Because of the potential harm to human beings and the environment, the presence of new contaminants in water sources, such as medications, personal care products, and microplastics, has received a lot of attention in recent years. This article examines the present level of knowledge about developing pollutants and the different water treatment procedures used to reduce their prevalence. Because of their complicated nature and low concentrations, standard treatment procedures usually utilized to remove ECs frequently fall short of efficiently eliminating ECs. To address these challenges, the article focuses on advanced treatment processes that have shown promise in removing ECs from water sources. In addition, the study delves into the notion of circular economy in water treatment, which seeks to maximize resource efficiency while minimizing waste output. It emphasizes creative ways that match with circular economy ideas, such as recovering useful resources from wastewater (e.g., energy, nutrients) and integrating water treatment systems with other industrial processes. This article seeks to provide insights and guidance for policymakers, researchers, and practitioners involved in sustainable water management by comprehensively examining current research and advancements in water treatment processes for ECs and their integration into circular economy principles.