Polar Organic Micropollutants In The Water Cycle

Abstract

Emerging contaminants such as pharmaceuticals and biocides are released from sewage treatment plants and also from agricultural fields. They are increasingly monitored in surface and groundwater but are not yet included as priority compounds in European guidelines. Analysis of these mostly polar compounds and their sometimes relevant metabolites is more and more carried out by LC-MS-MS. The main elimination processes in sewage treatment plants are sorption and biodegradation. Both processes are difficult to predict in case of polar compounds and therefore fate studies are essential.