Fate of Organic Micropollutants in Aquatic Environment: Policies and Regulatory Measures

Aquatic environments are pervasively contaminated with organic micropollutants (OMPs), a wide array of substances encompassing pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and pesticides. These contaminants have the potential to cause harm to aquatic organisms and pose risks to human health. This chapter comprehensively overviews OMPs’ sources and fates (roots and products) in aquatic environments. The chapter begins by discussing the sources of OMPs, which include point sources such as wastewater treatment plants and industrial discharges as well as non-point sources such as agricultural runoff and atmospheric deposition. Moreover, the fate of OMPs in aquatic environments, including sorption, biodegradation, and photodegradation, was described. Furthermore, this review encompassed the examination of analytical methodologies employed for the identification and quantification of OMPs in aquatic ecosystems, including other methods such as advanced technological and biological methods and newer methods such as passive samplers and high-resolution mass spectrometry. We conclude by highlighting the challenges and future directions in the study of OMPs in aquatic environments, including the need for more comprehensive field and laboratory research, the development of more effective treatment technologies, and the integration of chemical and biological approaches to assess the potential risks of OMPs. Finally, this chapter will provide a valuable resource for researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders interested in understanding the sources and fates of OMPs in aquatic environments.