Risk control technologies for emerging contaminants in drinking water: A review and perspective.
Baiwen Ma1,2, Jing Qi1,2, Huiyu Dong1,2
1Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Regional Environment and Sustainability, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China.
Fundamental Research
|April 13, 2026
Summary
Emerging contaminants (ECs) in drinking water pose risks due to persistence and toxicity. Advanced treatment strategies are crucial for effective removal, enhancing water safety and infrastructure resilience.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Water Treatment Technology
- Public Health
Background:
- Industrial activity increases emerging contaminants (ECs) in drinking water, posing significant environmental and health risks.
- Conventional water treatment methods are often ineffective against persistent, toxic ECs and can create harmful byproducts.
- ECs exhibit persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity, necessitating advanced removal solutions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review recent advances in ECs removal from drinking water.
- To outline strategies for augmenting conventional water treatment systems for ECs.
- To elucidate synergistic mechanisms of integrated treatment trains for mitigating ECs risks.
Main Methods:
- Consolidation of recent advances in coagulation, adsorption, filtration, and oxidation for ECs removal.
- Analysis of strategies to enhance conventional water treatment systems.
- Evaluation of synergistic mechanisms in integrated, full-scale treatment trains.
Main Results:
- Advanced strategies like material modifications and oxidation processes show enhanced ECs removal efficiency.
- Integrated treatment trains demonstrate synergistic mechanisms for comprehensive ECs mitigation.
- Critical correlations between contaminant properties and removal mechanisms are established.
Conclusions:
- Advanced and integrated water treatment approaches are essential for effective ECs removal.
- This review provides a scientific foundation for developing safer drinking water infrastructure.
- Future research should focus on optimizing full-process treatment systems for resilient water safety.
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