IWRA 2023 Online Conference - Emerging Pollutants: Protecting Water Quality for the Health of People and the Environment
Theme 2: Emerging pollutants and groundwater
Author(s): Malcolm J. Gander, Ph.D.
Malcolm J. Gander, Ph.D. Consultant in Earth Sciences
Oral: PDFAbstract
MAIN POINTS
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CECs are: Toxic – the nature & severity of the toxicity is variably undefined Unregulated – no environmental laws CECs are not monitored – periodic sampling & lab testing needed
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A literature review indicates there are 6 main categories of CECs in groundwater: Pharmaceuticals, personal care or household cleaning products, industrial chemicals, flame retardants, cyanotoxins and nanomaterials.
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Of all CECs, PFAS has the highest certainty of causing human health problems. Countries need to take immediate action to control the release and dispersal of PFAS. Countries should follow the European Commission: Identify & control sources of PFAS; finalize legislation to eliminate the widespread release of PFAS compounds in biosolids (from WWTPs) that are used as soil amendments for agricultural areas, as the PFAS compounds currently continue to leach into underlying groundwater.
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Aside from PFAS, more sustained groundwater monitoring is needed for certain toxic pharmaceuticals & common toxic compounds in cosmetics/personal care products;
17 January 2023/17:15 CET