In recent years, emerging pollutants have become a major concern for the global population. Emerging pollutants (EPs), also known as micropollutants, are chemical compounds produced by various sources, both synthetic and natural, that are found in various places, such as surface water, food sources, municipal wastewater, groundwater, and even drinking water.

EPs are common chemical compounds in the environment, especially in soil and water. However, recently, EPs were identified as a significant water contaminant. Therefore, one of the researchers from Indonesia, Dr. Marpongahtun, M.Phil., in collaboration with several researchers from Malaysia and Canada, conducted a review related to emerging pollutants (EPs).

Dr. Marpongahtun, M.Phil. said, “Without realizing it, there are many examples of emerging pollutants (EPs) that we use in our daily lives, such as personal care products (PCPs), hormones, flame retardants, industrial additives, endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), pharmaceuticals, nanomaterials, and pesticides.”

In their research, the NORMAN Laboratory Center (NORMAN Network) identified at least 700 substances belonging to 20 classes in the European aquatic environment. Meanwhile, according to the US Geological Survey, EPs are compounds that are usually invisible in their surroundings but can have negative impacts on the environment and human health. These contaminants are usually found in small concentrations, from a few parts per trillion to parts per billion.

“Basically, EPs are compounds that are not directly visible but have a huge impact on the environment and our health,” explains Dr. Marpongahtun, M.Phil.

According to her, EPs have the potential to persist in the environment, bioaccumulate, and threaten human health and ecosystems. Some impacts include abnormal growth, decreased fertility and reproductive health, delayed neurodevelopment, inhibition of wildlife species, degradation of aquatic ecosystems, and potential harm to the human immune system. EPs are concerning because they can cause cancer and endocrine disruption (EDC), which affects hormones and the endocrine system. EPs can also inhibit the sexual development of children and disrupt the human reproductive system.

Meanwhile, EPs, which also include flame retardants, disinfection by-products, and pesticides, have the potential to damage health and the environment. It was further found that EPs gradually impact water resources, which continue to deteriorate due to urbanization, population growth, agricultural activities, and industrial development.

Although many studies are conducted to determine the concentrations and sources of contaminants in water bodies, information on transformation products, metabolites, and drinking water treatment is still limited. In addition, most EP products are not subject to water and wastewater regulations.

Therefore, Dr. Marpongahtun, M.Phil. explained, “Supposedly, policymakers should address this issue more systematically and coherently, such as the European Union, which has established a complex regulatory framework to govern activities involving the commercialization, use, presence, and emission of chemical pollution. In addition to the European Union, we can use the United States as a reference in handling this EP. They have the advantage of monitoring and regulating the maximum limit of use of EP products.”

Dr. Marpongahtun, M.Phil., and her colleagues successfully demonstrated that microalgae can remove or biotransform various EPs. In addition, treatment technologies such as biological oxidation, phase change, and advanced processes were also studied to remove EPs from water. They also highlighted microplastics as a new pollutant and their interaction with EPs. Drugs and antibiotics are considered a major source of environmental pollution, and various treatment technologies, such as photocatalytic degradation and the use of nanomaterials, have been proposed to address this issue.

However, according to her, EPs are not a small problem; there are still many challenges and long-term impacts on human life. Dr. Marpongahtun, M.Phil. advised, “Research related to EPs, especially in Indonesia, is still very much needed. We must immediately protect our environment and health from this threat. Efforts from all of us are needed to address this emerging pollutant problem and maintain water quality for our future generations.”