Emerging Compounds in Mexico: Challenges for Their Identification and Elimination in Wastewater

Abstract

In recent years, the presence of organic pollutants has received great attention due to their effects on public health and biota. Within this set of compounds, a new range of compounds that are characterized by their high persistence and low degradation have been identified, called Emerging Compounds. Emerging pollutants include a wide variety of products for daily use of different structures, domestic and industrial applications, such as: pesticides, industrial and personal hygiene products, hormones, and drugs, most of which are toxic, persistent and bioaccumulative. A characteristic of these types of pollutants is that current wastewater treatment plants are unable to remove them; they are designed to remove organic matter and nutrients in higher concentrations. In Mexico there is little information on the concentration levels of these compounds, due to the lack of public policies aimed at providing resources to institutions and researchers trained to carry out this type of study. On the other hand, the technological infrastructure of the wastewater treatment plants is insufficient for the country’s demand. This situation represents one of the greatest challenges for the authorities responsible for the management of water resources, in the immediate time if it is intended to preserve said resource and therefore take care of the health of the population.