Xenobiotic persistent organic pollutants are ubiquitous in the environment (air, water, soil, biota), and this is the origin of the rising concern about their potential impact. Recent advances in chemical analysis at trace levels and a lack of knowledge about the fate and transport of reference compounds lead to a strong research demand in this area. In this context, special attention is focused on control technologies in water and wastewater involving the application of advanced technologies to minimize their environmental release. After presenting the environmental and sanitary impacts associated with the main classes of persistent xenobiotic compounds, this article focuses on endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs), a class of chemicals interfering with the endocrine systems of mammals and lower animals. In the second part of this article, the basic principles of the advanced technologies used for EDC control in water and wastewater are critically discussed with specific reference to their engineering aspects.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.