Reducing the Discharge of Micropollutants in the Aquatic Environment: The Benefits of Upgrading Wastewater Treatment Plants
Reducing the Discharge of Micropollutants in the Aquatic Environment: The Benefits of Upgrading Wastewater Treatment Plants
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DOI：
10.1021/es500907n
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发表时间：
2014-07-15
影响因子：
11.4
通讯作者：
Stamm, Christian
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Eggen, Rik I. L.;Hollender, Juliane;Stamm, Christian
微污染物（MP）作为单独的化合物或复杂的混合物与水质有关，并可能引发不必要的生态效应。MP来自不同的点源和扩散源，通过不同的流动路径进入水体。来自传统废水处理厂（WWTPs）的流出物是一个主要来源，其中各种MP没有或没有完全去除。为了改善水质，避免微污染物潜在的生态负面效应，应采取各种措施减少排放。在这篇文章中，我们将讨论其中一项措施;以最近决定的瑞士战略为例，对污水处理厂进行升级，以减少污水排放的MP负荷和毒性。基于（i）使用分区或粉末活性炭处理的全面案例研究，显示出MP排放量的大幅减少以及随之而来的毒性降低，（ii）社会和政治接受度，（iii）技术可行性和足够的成本效益，瑞士当局最近决定实施额外的废水处理步骤，作为改善水质的缓解战略。由于国会议员日益受到全球关注，瑞士战略背后的概念和考虑因素在本专题中得到了解释，这也可能对其他国家有用。应该认识到，污水处理厂的升级改造并不是减少进入环境的MP排放的唯一解决方案，而是更广泛的多管齐下的缓解战略的一部分。
Micropollutants (MPs) as individual compounds or in complex mixtures are relevant for water quality and may trigger unwanted ecological effects. MPs originate from different point and diffuse sources and enter water bodies via different flow paths. Effluents from conventional wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), in which various MPs are not or not completely removed, is one major source. To improve the water quality and avoid potential negative ecological effects by micropollutants, various measures to reduce the discharge should be taken. In this feature we discuss one of these measures; the benefits of upgrading WWTPs toward reduced MP loads and toxicities from wastewater effluents, using the recently decided Swiss strategy as an example. Based on (i) full-scale case studies using zonation or powder activated carbon treatment, showing substantial reduction of MP discharges and concomitant reduced toxicities, (ii) social and political acceptance, (iii) technical feasibility and sufficient cost-effectiveness, the Swiss authorities recently decided to implement additional wastewater treatment steps as mitigation strategy to improve water quality. Since MPs are of growing global concern, the concepts and considerations behind the Swiss strategy are explained in this feature, which could be of use for other countries as well. It should be realized that upgrading WWTPs is not the only solution to reduce the discharge of MPs entering the environment, but is part of a broader, multipronged mitigation strategy.