Introduction to emerging freshwater pollutants.

Abstract

There is a scarce of qualitative and quantitative information regarding the status of emerging pollutants in aquatic bodies within the developing world. Few pieces of literature are available from Africa and South America on emerging pollutants, with countries such as South Africa and Brazil leading the way in terms of research, leaving the rest of the developing world countries with little or no information on their distribution and fate in aquatic environments. This may be because of the lack of instruments and skilled personnel to carry out this research as these emerging pollutants occur in trace amounts. However, the scattered information has been put together comprehensively in this book which will become a reference point to researchers and environmentalists within the developing world. Therefore, the book aims to primarily document what is known and learned on freshwater emerging pollutants from a developing world perspective. The information on the concentration of emerging pollutants is a very important step towards remedial action (removal techniques). In this book, the most toxic and common emerging pollutants are treated separately as chapters, vis a vis, pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs), pesticides, antiretrovirals (ARVs), microplastics and trace inorganic analytes. This book comprises 20 chapters (including this one), divided into three parts that examine (i) monitoring techniques, current analytical approaches, and instrumental analyses, (ii) fate and occurrence of emerging pollutants in aquatic systems, and (iii) management policies and legislations on emerging pollutants which covers challenges and the future directions. This book will allow readers to better understand emerging freshwater pollutants in the developing world, and thereby assist them in responding to the challenge of addressing the problem.