Chapter 14 - Water quality and wastewater treatment for human health and environmental safety

Abstract

The global demand for water has increased due to population expansion and increased socioeconomic activities. Consequently, natural water resources are depleted due to the environmental impact of human activity. The remaining water resources are polluted by domestic waste, mining effluents, commercial waste, and agricultural waste. Common water pollutants include organic and inorganic suspended particles, hydrocarbons, nutrients, soluble inorganic and organic compounds, heavy metals, and pathogens. Wastewater treatment is essential to eliminate or neutralize these pollutants and other toxic substances to cater to the increasing demand for water for urban, industrial, and agricultural purposes. This chapter introduces the sources of wastewater released into the environment, different wastewater treatment methods such as chemical, physical, biological, and physicochemical wastewater treatment, the advantages and limitations of water treatment methods, and the water quality parameters. In addition, new trends in wastewater treatment and a multidisciplinary approach for wastewater management to cater to the increasing demand for safe and clean water in the future are discussed.