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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.
Emerging contaminants (ECs) in drinking water (DW) is a major escalating concern globally for public health and the environment. These contaminants include a diverse spectrum of both and synthetic chemicals that are not monitored routinely but are increasingly identified in water supplies. Key sources of ECs in DW include insufficiently treated municipal wastewater, runoffs of agriculture loaded with veterinary drugs and pesticides, industrial effluents, leachate from landfill leachate, and discharges from personal care products, pharmaceuticals, and domestic chemicals. Increase urbanization and growth in population enhance the release of these pollutants, while aging water system and inadequate regulatory enforcement retain their presence in drinking water supplies. Major types of ECs include endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), pharmaceuticals, microplastics, personal care products (PPCPs), per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), disinfection by-products (DBPs), engineered nanomaterials, and natural toxins (algal metabolites). Although these contaminants typically appear at very small concentrations, these substances can bioaccumulate and result in long-term health risks, such as antimicrobial resistance, hormonal disruption, carcinogenicity, and developmental toxicity. Recent research indicates the importance of advanced detection techniques, most especially high-resolution mass spectrometry, in detecting trace pollutants. Effective management of ECs demands integrated strategies that include improved sewage treatment, source control measures, improved regulations, and ongoing monitoring. Public awareness campaigns and cooperative efforts of stakeholders are essential to reduce the risks, guarantee water quality, and support global initiatives such as the UN Sustainable Development Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation). This chapter reviews the sources, types origins, and impacts of ECs in DW, outlining recent challenges and future directions for sustainable water resource management.
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