14
A. A. Inyinbor et al.
Water quality deterioration is not the only result obtained from water pollution, but
this act also threatens human health and the balance of aquatic ecosystems, economic
development and social prosperity [1].
Pollutants threatening the water sanctity are of a wide range. These include heavy
metals and dyes of many kinds, domestic wastes, such as oil, salts, soaps, detergents,
surfactants, nutrients, organic matter and chemical oxygen demand that is able to
produce energy as high as 130 kJ/g-COD [2]. Wastewater from various industrial
activities also contain pollutants of a wide range. Since water bodies are considered
a convenient route of wastewater disposal, their accompany pollutants becomes a
threat to water bodies. Indiscriminate disposal of solid wastes, as well as runoff
from agricultural activities, contribute serious pollution to the water environment.
Discharges of grey and/or grey water coupled with sewage disposal into water bodies
also create great threats to the water environment. These threats from various quarters
have left about 67% of the world population in water scarcity at least once in a month
while 1.6 billion people currently face economic water shortage [3, 4].
In recent times, another category of pollutants classed the contaminants of
emerging concerns (CECs) have become a subject of concerns to environmentalists. CECs may have been released into the environment over a period of time
without traces or notice until new technologies for their determination were developed. Other categories of CECs were recently identified as threatening to human and
the ecosystem [5]. Many CECs are also biodegradation products of some chemicals. CECs include pharmaceutical and personal care product wastes (PPCPs)
such as antibiotics, antihypertensives, analgesics, anticonvulsant, and antidepressant
amongst others; Endocrine disruptive Chemicals (ECs), such as hormones, flame
retardants, artificial sweetener, plasticizers and insects’ repellants [6].
CECs have been established as a great threat to the aquatic environment and human
health. Their high toxicity, non-degradation characteristics and sneaky behavior make
them a serious risk in the environment. Pharmaceuticals, such as antibiotics that have
very wide usage and are not completely absorbed in the body may enter the water
environment through various routes (Fig. 1). Their impact in the water environment
ranges from accumulation in water and sediment through bioaccumulation in aquatic
organisms to antibiotics resistant bacteria and gene breeding. High production and
usage of various CECs result in the continuous and ready release of the same into
water bodies [7].
Categories of other pollutants, such as the classical water pollutants, nanoparticles
and nanoplastics amongst others, have also been of great threat to water availability.
Hence, in addition to discussing selected pollutants types, this chapter highlights
their associated risks, methods of screening and tackling various pollutants.
A. A. Inyinbor et al.
Water quality deterioration is not the only result obtained from water pollution, but
this act also threatens human health and the balance of aquatic ecosystems, economic
development and social prosperity [1].
Pollutants threatening the water sanctity are of a wide range. These include heavy
metals and dyes of many kinds, domestic wastes, such as oil, salts, soaps, detergents,
surfactants, nutrients, organic matter and chemical oxygen demand that is able to
produce energy as high as 130 kJ/g-COD [2]. Wastewater from various industrial
activities also contain pollutants of a wide range. Since water bodies are considered
a convenient route of wastewater disposal, their accompany pollutants becomes a
threat to water bodies. Indiscriminate disposal of solid wastes, as well as runoff
from agricultural activities, contribute serious pollution to the water environment.
Discharges of grey and/or grey water coupled with sewage disposal into water bodies
also create great threats to the water environment. These threats from various quarters
have left about 67% of the world population in water scarcity at least once in a month
while 1.6 billion people currently face economic water shortage [3, 4].
In recent times, another category of pollutants classed the contaminants of
emerging concerns (CECs) have become a subject of concerns to environmentalists. CECs may have been released into the environment over a period of time
without traces or notice until new technologies for their determination were developed. Other categories of CECs were recently identified as threatening to human and
the ecosystem [5]. Many CECs are also biodegradation products of some chemicals. CECs include pharmaceutical and personal care product wastes (PPCPs)
such as antibiotics, antihypertensives, analgesics, anticonvulsant, and antidepressant
amongst others; Endocrine disruptive Chemicals (ECs), such as hormones, flame
retardants, artificial sweetener, plasticizers and insects’ repellants [6].
CECs have been established as a great threat to the aquatic environment and human
health. Their high toxicity, non-degradation characteristics and sneaky behavior make
them a serious risk in the environment. Pharmaceuticals, such as antibiotics that have
very wide usage and are not completely absorbed in the body may enter the water
environment through various routes (Fig. 1). Their impact in the water environment
ranges from accumulation in water and sediment through bioaccumulation in aquatic
organisms to antibiotics resistant bacteria and gene breeding. High production and
usage of various CECs result in the continuous and ready release of the same into
water bodies [7].
Categories of other pollutants, such as the classical water pollutants, nanoparticles
and nanoplastics amongst others, have also been of great threat to water availability.
Hence, in addition to discussing selected pollutants types, this chapter highlights
their associated risks, methods of screening and tackling various pollutants.