Maria PAIU1, Lidia FAVIER2, Maria GAVRILESCU3
Abstract. Emerging pollutants (EPs), including pharmaceuticals, personal care products, endocrine-disrupting chemicals, pesticides, industrial compounds, and microplastics, have raised growing concerns due to their persistence, bioaccumulation potential, and insufficient regulation. Although often present at trace levels, these substances pose significant risks to ecosystems and human health, particularly due to their chronic toxicity, endocrine-disrupting properties, and contribution to antimicrobial resistance. This review provides an in-depth assessment of the ecological and human health implications of EPs, highlighting their disruptive effects on biodiversity, microbial communities, reproductive systems, neurological health, and the development of antibiotic resistance. Special emphasis is placed on the synergistic interactions between EPs and climate change, which can amplify their dispersion and toxicity. The study further explores major exposure pathways, including contaminated drinking water and food chains, underscoring the urgent need for integrated monitoring and risk mitigation frameworks. Current removal technologies, such as advanced oxidation processes, membrane filtration, adsorption, and biological treatments are critically examined for their efficiency, scalability, and limitations. Nature-based solutions, including constructed wetlands, biofiltration, and phytoremediation, are discussed as sustainable alternatives offering multiple co-benefits. Finally, the paper advocates for coordinated regulatory action, innovation in green chemistry, and investment in advanced and nature-based treatment systems to address the complex challenges posed by EPs and to ensure long-term environmental and public health protection.
Keywords: adsorption, antimicrobial resistance, biodiversity, emerging pollutants, phytoremediation, risk
DOI https://doi.org/10.56082/annalsarsciphyschem.2024.2.74
1Department of Environmental Engineering and Management, “Cristofor Simionescu” Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Protection, “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iasi, Romania
2École Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Rennes ENSCR – Rennes, France
3Department of Environmental Engineering and Management, “Cristofor Simionescu” Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Protection, “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iasi, Romania, Full member of the Academy of Romanian Scientists
PUBLISHED in Annals of the Academy of Romanian Scientists Series on Physics and Chemistry, Volume 9, No2