Comprehensive understanding of fate, transport and consequences of contaminants of emerging concerns (CECs) in urban environment

Abstract

In recent days, contaminants of emerging concerns (CECs) are found in the urban environment at elevated concentrations. A variety of man-made and natural CECs are constantly released from the various point and non-point sources. Improper management of effluents and solid wastes from various institutes like healthcare centres, laboratories, small industries and household levels including public regions in urban regions considerably contributes to the pollution of CECs. Unfortunately, there are no regulatory and management frameworks to assess and monitor such CECs released in developing countries, but the health and ecological impacts of CECs are dangerous. The existing sewage treatment facilities are unable to remove CECs; however, they end up accumulating in various environmental components. Specifically, CECs present in water tends to undergo biotransformation, bioaccumulation, bio-magnifications and ecological partitioning. However, fate, transportation, health and ecological impacts of individual CECs are not well revealed due to the lack of well-established analytic techniques and complexity in environmental samples. Since CECs are emerging pollutants and fewer studies are conducted regarding the same, this chapter attempts to give a broader insight on the various sources of contamination, transportation, ecological pathways and processes, and health and ecological impacts of CECs in urban ecosystems.