Abstract
Over the years, the persistent occurrence of superfluous endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) (sub µg L−1) in water has led to serious health disorders in human and aquatic lives, as well as undermined the water quality. At present, there are no generally accepted regulatory discharge limits for the EDCs to avert their possible negative impacts. Moreover, the conventional treatment processes have reportedly failed to remove the persistent EDC pollutants, and this has led researchers to develop alternative treatment methods. Comprehensive information on the recent advances in the existing novel treatment processes and their peculiar limitations is still lacking. In this regard, the various treatment methods for the removal of EDCs are critically studied and reported in this paper. Initially, the occurrences of the EDCs and their attributed effects on humans, aquatic life, and wildlife are systematically reviewed, as well as the applied treatments. The most noticeable advances in the treatment methods include adsorption, catalytic degradation, ozonation, membrane separation, and advanced oxidation processes (AOP), as well as hybrid processes. The recent advances in the treatment technologies available for the elimination of EDCs from various water resources alongside with their associated drawbacks are discussed critically. Besides, the application of hybrid adsorption–membrane treatment using several novel nano-precursors is carefully reviewed. The operating factors influencing the EDCs’ remediations via adsorption is also briefly examined. Interestingly, research findings have indicated that some of the contemporary techniques could achieve more than 99% EDCs removal.
Highlights
The detection of endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) as contaminants in the environment has drawn the significant interest of researchers during the past few years, owing to their potential human and environmental threats [1]
Results revealed that 30 to 90% of EDCs could be eliminated through the NF membrane, compared to only less than 30% observed in the UF membrane
Effluent released from wastewater treatment facilities have been reported and identified as the main root of several EDC contaminants, owing to their diverse properties even at low concentrations
Summary
The detection of endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) as contaminants in the environment has drawn the significant interest of researchers during the past few years, owing to their potential human and environmental threats [1]. The increasing accumulation of more EDC micro-contaminants in natural waters is mainly attributable to the advancement and rapid expansion of chemical technologies for organic production and processing [3]. These contaminants can infiltrate directly into the aquatic environment via effluent outflow and indirectly as runoff, yet the main carrier of EDC contaminants to the freshwater bodies is via treated and raw urban effluent release into water bodies [4,5]. Even most of the treated potable water resources may be polluted through deep-well injection of the effluent and surface water outflow [6] This shows that even treated water is not absolutely free from the EDC contaminants [7,8]. The persistence of EDCs in water even at a trace concentration is notably dangerous to the health because of its ability to cause metabolic and reproductive disorders; the need for efficient management of EDCs contained in effluent before discharge is indispensable [9,10]
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