Micropollutants In Water: Treatment Processes

The technologies employed for the treatment of micropollutants in water depend on the physico-chemical characteristics of each compound present in water. In the same family, many varieties of components can be found: hydrophilic or hydrophobic – adsorbable – volatile or semi-volatile – biodegradable – refractory – high or low molecular weight. The treatment processes used are:

• Biological Degradation
• Adsorption
• Oxidation
• The membrane separation technique

The Biological Degradation treatment of micropollutants in water

utilizes a great variety of microorganisms, mainly bacteria. These microorganisms convert matter that is biodegradable by absorption of the soluble or suspended constituents into wastewater into simple products such as carbon dioxide and additional biomass, or nitrate and nitrogen gas if the necessary conditions are present.