Occurrence, statutory guideline values and removal of contaminants of emerging concern by Electrochemical Advanced Oxidation Processes: A review

Daiana Seibert; Camila F Zorzo; Fernando H Borba; Renata M de Souza; Heloise B Quesada; Rosângela Bergamasco; Aline T Baptista; Jonas J Inticher

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141527

Occurrence, statutory guideline values and removal of contaminants of emerging concern by Electrochemical Advanced Oxidation Processes: A review

Sci Total Environ. 2020 Dec 15:748:141527. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141527. Epub 2020 Aug 11.

Authors

Daiana Seibert¹, Camila F Zorzo², Fernando H Borba², Renata M de Souza³, Heloise B Quesada³, Rosângela Bergamasco³, Aline T Baptista⁴, Jonas J Inticher²

Affiliations

¹ Postgraduate Program of Chemical Engineering, State University of Maringa - UEM, Av. Colombo, 5790, Maringa, Parana CEP: 87020-900, Brazil. Electronic address: daiaseibert@hotmail.com.
² Postgraduate Program of Environment and Sustainable Technologies, Federal University of Fronteira Sul, Rua Jacob Reinaldo Haupenthal 1580, 97900-00 Cerro Largo, RS, Brazil.
³ Postgraduate Program of Chemical Engineering, State University of Maringa - UEM, Av. Colombo, 5790, Maringa, Parana CEP: 87020-900, Brazil.
⁴ Academic Department of Food and Chemical Engineering, Federal Technology University of Parana - UTFPR, Via Rosalina Maria dos Santos, 1233.CEP 87301-899 - Caixa Postal: 271, Campo Mourão, PR, Brazil.

PMID: 33113672
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141527

Abstract

A wide variety of chemical compounds are used in human activities; however, part of these compounds reach surface water, groundwater and even water considered for potable uses. Due to the limited efficiency of water treatment by the Water and Wastewater Treatment Plants, the presence of these compounds in natural and human consumption waters can be very harmful due to their high persistence and adverse effects; these characteristics define the contaminants of emerging concern (CECs). Water treatment by Electrochemical Advanced Oxidation Processes (EAOPs) has been evaluated as a promising process for the removal of persistent and recalcitrant organic contaminants. With this background, the present review aims to gather studies and information published between 2015 and 2020 regarding the occurrence of CECs in surface, potable and groundwater, its treatment by EAOPs, the main operating conditions and by-product generation of EAOPs, contaminant toxicity assessments and international statutory guideline values concerning CEC standards and allowable concentrations in the environment and treated drinking water. Therefore, in this review it was found that the compounds bisphenol A (BPA), diethyltoluamide (DEET), 17α-ethinyl estradiol (EE2), perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA), carbamazepine, caffeine and atrazine were the most frequently detected in water sources, with concentrations ranging from 35.54-4800, 1.21-98, 0.005-38.5, 5-742.904, 0.0071-586, 0.89-1040, and 100-323 (ng L-1), respectively. Among the operational conditions of EAOPs, current density, pH and oxidant concentration are the main operational parameters that have an influence on these treatment technologies, besides the by-products generated, which might be removed by the integration of EAOPs with biological digestion treatments. Regarding the values of water quality standards, many CECs do not have established standard allowable concentration values, which represents a concern toward the possible toxic effects of these compounds on non-target organisms.

Keywords: Combined treatments; Contaminated water; Electro-oxidative systems; Legislation assessment; Operational conditions.

Publication types

Review