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Effects and Global Diversity of Emerging Contaminants in Drinking Water
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Emerging contaminants including microplastics, PFAS, and pharmaceuticals are widely distributed in drinking water globally, with conventional treatment methods inadequate to remove many of them and significant regulatory gaps in low- and middle-income nations. Advanced treatment technologies and sustainable approaches like biochar adsorption and bioremediation show promise but require stronger policy frameworks to achieve meaningful protection.
Emerging contaminants (ECs) in drinking water constitute an escalating global challenge due to their extensive occurrence, persistence, and detrimental impacts on human health and aquatic life. This chapter thoroughly reviews the assessment of the distribution, diversity, and implications of ECs including personal care products, pharmaceuticals, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), pesticides, industrial chemicals, microplastics among others across diverse socio-economical and geographical settings. It draws attention to notable disparities in the regulatory and prevalence mechanisms between developed and developing regions, highlighting the difficulties that are associated with insufficient monitoring systems in many low- and middle-income nations. The chapter also reviews conventional water treatment practices such as coagulation, filtration, and chlorination, noting their shortcomings in effectively removing numerous ECs. It also examines advanced treatment techniques, including oxidation processes, membrane filtration, and biochar adsorption, which show significant potential for improved contaminant mitigation. Policy initiatives from World Health Organization (WHO), European Union (EU), and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) are analyzed to reveal enforcement weaknesses and persistence gaps worldwide. Emerging and sustainable approaches, such as bioremediation, green chemistry, and citizen science-based monitoring, are recognized as essential complements to technological solutions. Moreover, this review identifies essential research needs, including mixture toxicity evaluation, long-term exposure effects, and the harmonization of detection protocols, while advocating for the integration of EC monitoring into comprehensive water safety plans. The chapter aims to guide researchers, decision-makers, and stakeholders in achieving safe and sustainable drinking water amid the complexities posed by emerging contaminants.
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International Policies on Emerging Contaminants in Drinking Water
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Microplastics and other emerging contaminants including PFAS, pharmaceuticals, and endocrine disruptors are increasingly detected in drinking water worldwide, yet existing regulatory frameworks and treatment systems were not designed to address them. This chapter reviews international policies across WHO, EU, and USEPA frameworks and identifies critical enforcement gaps that leave populations exposed to these persistent contaminants.
Future Directions of Research on Emerging Pollutants in Drinking Water
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Emerging pollutants including microplastics and pharmaceuticals are increasingly threatening drinking water security, but traditional treatment methods and regulatory frameworks are insufficient to address them. Closing this gap requires affordable real-time monitoring, advanced treatment technologies, improved mixture-toxicity risk assessments, and coordinated international policy to protect global drinking water quality.
Sources and Types of Emerging Contaminants in Drinking Water
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Microplastics are identified as a major class of emerging drinking water contaminants alongside PFAS, pharmaceuticals, and endocrine disruptors, entering water supplies through inadequately treated wastewater, agricultural runoff, landfill leachate, and aging infrastructure. Even at trace concentrations, these contaminants bioaccumulate and pose long-term health risks including hormonal disruption and carcinogenicity, underscoring the need for advanced detection and treatment standards.
Global Permissible Limits of Emerging Contaminants
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Global regulatory limits for emerging contaminants — including microplastics, PFAS, pharmaceuticals, and endocrine disruptors — remain fragmented and inconsistent across countries, with most lacking enforceable standards despite documented chronic health effects. Harmonizing international thresholds and adopting a One Health framework are identified as essential steps to translate growing scientific evidence on microplastic risks into protective policy.
Environmental Policy and Governance of Emerging Contaminants in Drinking Water: A Comparative Analysis of Global Regulations and Remediation Strategies
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This review compares how different countries and international bodies regulate emerging contaminants in drinking water, including microplastics, pharmaceuticals, and endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Researchers found significant gaps and inconsistencies between regulatory frameworks, with many countries lacking specific standards for these newer pollutants. The study calls for more harmonized global policies and investments in advanced water treatment technologies to address these growing threats to drinking water safety.
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