Remediation of Emerging Pollutants by Using Advanced Biological Wastewater Treatments

Rapid industrialization and urbanization involve the emission and disposal of large variety of wastewater into the fresh water bodies. Presence of broad spectrum emerging pollutants in the wastewater is an alarming environmental concern. Emerging pollutants include various chemicals and compounds like pharmaceuticals, endocrine disrupters, pesticides, insecticides, surfactants, microbeads, microplastics etc. Chemicals which impose potential threat to the environment but not yet widely regulated by national or international laws of standards are generally classified as 'emerging pollutants'. The term 'emerging' is implemented for not only they are very new to the environment but also for their rising level of concerns. Apart from the expensive physicochemical techniques, environmentally viable biological wastewater treatments were also undertaken for emerging pollutants. Use of advanced processes like biofilm or fluidized bed reactors, membrane bioreactors, activated sludge process, aerobic granular sludge and constructed wetlands were widely reported for successful bioremediation of antibiotics, pesticides, surfactants and other chemical contaminated wastewater. This chapter focuses on the source, classification and threats of different emerging pollutants to human and environment along with efficient biological treatments like aerobic granulation, constructed wetland and other bioreactor mediated techniques.