Fate of environmental pollutants: A review

Water Environ Res. 2020 Oct;92(10):1587-1594. doi: 10.1002/wer.1404. Epub 2020 Aug 6.

Abstract

A review of the literature published in 2019 on topics associated with the fate of environmental pollutants is presented. Environmental pollutants covered include pharmaceuticals, antibiotic-resistant bacteria and genes, pesticides and veterinary medicines, personal care products and emerging pollutants, PFAS, microplastics, nanomaterials, heavy metals and radionuclides, nutrients, pathogens and indicator organisms, and oil and hydrocarbons. For each pollutant, the occurrence in the environment and/or their fate in engineered as well as natural systems in matrices including water, soil, wastewater, stormwater, runoff, and/or manure is presented based on the published literature. The review includes current developments in understanding pollutants in natural and engineered systems, and relevant physico-chemical processes, as well as biological processes.

Keywords: PFAS; PFOS; PPCPs; antibiotic resistance; antibiotic-resistant genes; environmental fate; heavy metals; herbicides; microplastics; pollutants; water quality.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Environmental Monitoring
  • Environmental Pollutants* / analysis
  • Plastics
  • Wastewater
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical* / analysis

Substances

  • Environmental Pollutants
  • Plastics
  • Waste Water
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical