AbstractsEngineering

The presence of pollutants known as emerging contaminants in water and wastewater is a topic of growing interest. Emerging contaminants, which include endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs), are compounds that remain relatively unknown, although their adverse effects have been proven. Emerging contaminants are not satisfactorily removed by traditional treatment methods; therefore, there is a need for innovative techniques. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have been recognized as successful removal methods for these problematic pollutants. However, technical success is not the only factor that must be considered. Process engineering, environmental, and economic and social parameters were considered. A holistic analysis was completed using a ranking system to determine the performance of several AOPs (ozonation, UV, photocatalysis, the Fenton reaction, and integrated processes). Ultimately, H₂O₂/O₃ presented the highest average ranking (3.45), with the other processes showing similar performance, with the exception of TiO₂ photocatalysis (2.11).