Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs):
Sources, Types, Impacts, and Their
Remediation
8
Amtul Bari Tabinda Akhtar, Samra Naseem, Abdullah Yasar, and
Zunaira Naseem
Abstract
Persistent organic pollutants are of greater concern due to their toxic, persistent,
carcinogenic, lipophilic nature, ability of long-range transport, and
bioaccumulation in food chain. These organic pollutants include organochlorine
pesticides (OCPs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polyaromatic
hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs), polychlorinated
biphenyls (PCBs) and dechlorane plus (DP), etc. Such pollutant’s exposure
results in negative ecological impacts along with many human health problems
including neurological, immunological, and reproductive disorders. These
pollutants are reported to significantly resist the conventional treatment methods
including filtration, use of flocculants, coagulation, or chemical treatment such as
chlorination. Therefore, various efficient removal methods and technologies are
being analyzed and applied to remove these toxic pollutants from different
environmental compartments such as water, wastewater, and soil. Methods
including bioremediation, reverse osmosis, adsorption process, membrane technology, and advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are documented to efficiently
remove these recalcitrant contaminants. However, removal potential, economic,
and technical feasibilities are important considerations for selection of prime
treatment method. This chapter provides an outlook of various persistent organic
pollutants, their sources, ecological impacts, and treatment methods used for their
removal.
A. B. T. Akhtar (*) · S. Naseem · A. Yasar
Sustainable Development Study Centre, Government College University, Lahore, Pakistan
e-mail: amtulbaritabinda@gcu.edu.pk
Z. Naseem
Department of Civil Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
e-mail: zunaira.naseem@monash.edu
# Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
R. Prasad (ed.), Environmental Pollution and Remediation, Environmental and
Microbial Biotechnology, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-5499-5_8
213
Sources, Types, Impacts, and Their
Remediation
8
Amtul Bari Tabinda Akhtar, Samra Naseem, Abdullah Yasar, and
Zunaira Naseem
Abstract
Persistent organic pollutants are of greater concern due to their toxic, persistent,
carcinogenic, lipophilic nature, ability of long-range transport, and
bioaccumulation in food chain. These organic pollutants include organochlorine
pesticides (OCPs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polyaromatic
hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs), polychlorinated
biphenyls (PCBs) and dechlorane plus (DP), etc. Such pollutant’s exposure
results in negative ecological impacts along with many human health problems
including neurological, immunological, and reproductive disorders. These
pollutants are reported to significantly resist the conventional treatment methods
including filtration, use of flocculants, coagulation, or chemical treatment such as
chlorination. Therefore, various efficient removal methods and technologies are
being analyzed and applied to remove these toxic pollutants from different
environmental compartments such as water, wastewater, and soil. Methods
including bioremediation, reverse osmosis, adsorption process, membrane technology, and advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are documented to efficiently
remove these recalcitrant contaminants. However, removal potential, economic,
and technical feasibilities are important considerations for selection of prime
treatment method. This chapter provides an outlook of various persistent organic
pollutants, their sources, ecological impacts, and treatment methods used for their
removal.
A. B. T. Akhtar (*) · S. Naseem · A. Yasar
Sustainable Development Study Centre, Government College University, Lahore, Pakistan
e-mail: amtulbaritabinda@gcu.edu.pk
Z. Naseem
Department of Civil Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
e-mail: zunaira.naseem@monash.edu
# Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
R. Prasad (ed.), Environmental Pollution and Remediation, Environmental and
Microbial Biotechnology, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-5499-5_8
213