Contaminants of Emerging Environmental Concern

Abstract

• Prepared by the Technical Committee on Hazardous, Toxic, and Radioactive Waste Management of the Environmental and Water Resources Institute of ASCE.

  This volume reports on anthropogenic chemicals, a new category of environmental contaminant that is predominantly unregulated and human-made. Occurring in air, soil, water, food, and human and animal tissues in trace concentrations, these chemical compounds persist in the environment and are capable of altering the physiology of target receptors.

  This report considers specific pollutants, such as pharmaceuticals, personal care products, antimicrobials and antibiotics, hormones, plasticizers, surfactants, fire retardants, pesticides, and nanoparticles. It also summarizes the analytical methods used for separation and quantification of emerging contaminants and describes molecular biology approaches to identify organisms capable of degrading these chemicals. The report contains extensive illustrations and tables with current references.

  This book is a must-have for both undergraduate and graduate students in environmental engineering and resources; teachers; researchers; and practicing environmental engineers.