{"id":3473,"date":"2025-09-23T11:28:54","date_gmt":"2025-09-23T11:28:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.setapht.com\/en\/?p=3473"},"modified":"2025-09-23T12:58:48","modified_gmt":"2025-09-23T12:58:48","slug":"what-we-dont-see-in-water-the-role-of-technology-in-removing-emerging-contaminants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.setapht.com\/en\/setapht\/what-we-dont-see-in-water-the-role-of-technology-in-removing-emerging-contaminants\/","title":{"rendered":"What We Don\u2019t See in Water: The Role of Technology in Removing Emerging Contaminants"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"3473\" class=\"elementor elementor-3473\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-0be38c3 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"0be38c3\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-8d35b2d\" data-id=\"8d35b2d\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-eb502a8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"eb502a8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4992\" src=\"https:\/\/www.setapht.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Agua-EDAR-Punta-Umbria-scaled-e1758547322796.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1000\" height=\"579\" \/><\/h2><h2><b>Introduction<\/b><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Water management faces a silent but growing challenge: <\/span><b>emerging pollutants<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. These compounds, also known as <\/span><b>emerging concern pollutants (ECPs)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, are not new to the environment, but their detection and study are. Thanks to advances in detection and analytical techniques, we now know that our waters contain traces of pharmaceuticals, microplastics, cosmetics, pesticides, hormones, and even antimicrobial resistance genes.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although present in very low concentrations, these pollutants can have significant effects on aquatic ecosystems and human health. And the most worrying part: <\/span><b>conventional wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are not designed to remove them.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Faced with this scenario, membrane separation technologies such as <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.setapht.com\/blog\/ultrafiltracion-tratamiento-de-agua-con-membranas\/\"><b>ultrafiltration<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.setapht.com\/blog\/osmosis-inversa-para-el-sector-industrial\/\"><b>reverse osmosis<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are becoming essential to tackle this challenge.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this article, we explore what emerging pollutants are, why they pose a growing problem, and how these technologies can help remove them effectively.<\/span><\/p><h2><b>What are Emerging Pollutants?<\/b><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Emerging pollutants are chemical or biological substances that are not yet officially regulated but are increasingly detected in surface, groundwater, and wastewater. Their origins are diverse:<\/span><\/p><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Pharmaceuticals<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: antibiotics, painkillers, antidepressants.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Personal care products<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: creams, shampoos, sunscreens.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Microplastics<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: plastic fragments smaller than 5 mm.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Hormones<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: natural or synthetic, such as those found in contraceptives.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Pesticides and herbicides<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: used in agriculture.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Antimicrobial resistance genes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: generated by excessive antibiotic use.<\/span><\/li><\/ul><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These compounds enter water through multiple routes: domestic, industrial, hospital, agricultural, and urban runoff. Although their concentrations are usually very low (nanograms or micrograms per liter), their persistence and bioaccumulation potential make them a silent threat.<\/span><\/p><p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4993\" src=\"https:\/\/www.setapht.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Recoleccion-de-Microplasticos.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" \/><\/p><h2><b>Why are they a Problem?<\/b><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Emerging pollutants can have harmful effects on the environment and human health. Key risks include:<\/span><\/p><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Endocrine disruption<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: some substances interfere with the hormonal system of animals and humans, altering biological functions.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Chronic toxicity<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: even at low doses, they can cause long-term harmful effects.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Antimicrobial resistance<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: resistance genes can spread, making infection treatment harder and reducing antibiotic effectiveness.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Biodiversity impact<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: they alter behavior, reproduction, and survival of aquatic species; a clear example is microplastic accumulation in marine ecosystems.<\/span><\/li><\/ul><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The main problem is that many of these compounds are not fully removed by conventional wastewater treatments, allowing them to enter rivers, groundwater, and eventually drinking water.<\/span><\/p><h2><b>Limitations of Conventional Treatments<\/b><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Conventional WWTPs are primarily designed to remove organic matter, nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus), suspended solids, and pathogenic microorganisms. However, <\/span><b>they are not prepared to remove emerging pollutants<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which require more sophisticated processes.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Typically, these conventional treatments include:<\/span><\/p><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Pretreatment<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: removal of large solids.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Primary treatment<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: sedimentation of solids.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Secondary treatment<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: biological processes to degrade organic matter.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Tertiary treatment<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: disinfection and nutrient removal.<\/span><\/li><\/ul><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While effective for conventional pollutants, these processes do not fully remove ECPs, which can pass through physical and biological barriers and reach the environment. Therefore, implementing a quaternary treatment capable of <\/span><b>removing emerging pollutants<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is increasingly necessary.<\/span><\/p><p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4994\" src=\"https:\/\/www.setapht.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/EDAR-Punta-Umbria.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1000\" height=\"631\" \/><\/p><h2><b>TARU Directive: A New European Framework<\/b><\/h2><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.boe.es\/buscar\/doc.php?id=DOUE-L-2024-81831\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>Urban Wastewater Treatment (TARU) Directive<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a European regulation aimed at modernizing water management in cities. Key points include:<\/span><\/p><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Integration of technologies capable of removing microcontaminants is required, meaning <\/span><b>advanced treatments<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are necessary.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">WWTPs must become more efficient and sustainable.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Manufacturers generating emerging pollutants must help fund their removal, implying an <\/span><b>extended producer responsibility<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li><\/ul><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The TARU directive represents a paradigm shift in European water management, setting stricter requirements for urban wastewater treatment, including quaternary treatments, energy neutrality, and extended producer responsibility.<\/span><\/p><h2><b>Advanced Technologies to Remove Emerging Pollutants<\/b><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Given growing concerns over emerging pollutants and the limitations of conventional treatments, integrating more effective specific solutions is essential.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Technological evolution has developed processes capable of removing previously undetectable compounds. Among these, membrane separation technologies such as <\/span><b>ultrafiltration<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (UF) and <\/span><b>reverse osmosis<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (RO) have proven highly effective at removing microcontaminants.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These technologies not only help meet new regulatory requirements, such as the TARU directive, but also pave the way for safer, more sustainable, and resilient water management.<\/span><\/p><h2><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4268\" src=\"https:\/\/www.setapht.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Tratamiento-de-Agua-SETApht.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"900\" height=\"675\" \/><\/h2><h2><b>Ultrafiltration (UF)<\/b><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ultrafiltration (UF) is a physical process using membranes with pores of 0.01 to 0.1 microns. It can retain suspended particles, bacteria, viruses, and some organic compounds, making it an effective tool to improve water quality.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Its main advantages include high efficiency in removing solids and microorganisms and low energy consumption, making it particularly suitable as a pretreatment step in more complex systems.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, UF alone cannot remove all emerging pollutants and is often combined with more specific technologies.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4717\" src=\"https:\/\/www.setapht.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/P\u5116.-2-scaled.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1440\" \/><\/span><\/p><h2><b>Reverse Osmosis (RO)<\/b><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reverse osmosis (RO) is one of the most effective water purification technologies. It uses semi-permeable membranes capable of retaining virtually all types of pollutants, including <\/span><b>salts, heavy metals, pesticides, pharmaceuticals<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and other emerging concern pollutants (ECPs). With the ability to remove up to 99% of these substances, RO produces very high-quality water suitable for demanding industrial and human consumption uses.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">RO has become the dominant water treatment technology due to continuous advances that overcome initial limitations such as high energy consumption and concentrate management. Today, it is an effective, reliable, and widely adopted solution worldwide.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Integration of <\/span><b>energy recovery systems<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, development of <\/span><b>more efficient and durable membranes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and process optimization have significantly reduced energy and economic impacts. Efficient concentrate management allows reuse or complementary treatment, making RO a sustainable, accessible, and robust option for tackling emerging pollutants.<\/span><\/p><h2><b>UF + RO Combination<\/b><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the most effective strategies for removing emerging pollutants is combining <\/span><b>ultrafiltration (UF)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>reverse osmosis (RO)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in an integrated system. UF acts as a pretreatment step, retaining <\/span><b>suspended solids, microorganisms<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>large particles<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. This improves water quality before RO and protects RO membranes, reducing fouling and extending their lifespan.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After UF, water passes through RO, removing the most difficult pollutants such as <\/span><b>dissolved salts, heavy metals, pesticides, pharmaceuticals<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and other emerging concern pollutants.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This synergy achieves very high purification levels, optimizing system performance and reducing operational costs related to membrane maintenance.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It also offers flexibility in plant design, allowing adaptation to different wastewater types and contamination levels. Under the new TARU directive and current environmental challenges, <\/span><b>UF + RO integration<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a robust, effective, and sustainable solution.<\/span><\/p><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4995\" src=\"https:\/\/www.setapht.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Ultrafiltracion-Osmosis-Inversa-SETApht-scaled-e1758555376252.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1000\" height=\"630\" \/><\/p><h2><b>Other Complementary Treatments<\/b><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In addition to UF and RO, other technologies can complement ECP removal, such as:<\/span><\/p><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Advanced oxidation processes (AOP)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: use ozone, hydrogen peroxide, or UV light to break down resistant pollutants.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Activated carbon adsorption<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: retains organic compounds on its surface.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Membrane bioreactors<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: combine biological and physical processes for greater efficiency.<\/span><\/li><\/ul><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Each technology has advantages and limitations, and selection depends on pollutant type, water volume, and treatment objectives.<\/span><\/p><h2><b>Success Cases and Real Applications<\/b><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UF + RO combination has proven highly effective for removing <\/span><b>emerging pollutants<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in advanced water treatment. It addresses pharmaceuticals, endocrine disruptors, microplastics, and other pollutants not removed by conventional methods.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Applications include:<\/span><\/p><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Hospitals and healthcare centers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: treat wastewater with high loads of drugs, antibiotics, and biological agents, reducing environmental contamination and microbial resistance spread.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Municipalities with water scarcity or high contamination pressure<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: UF + RO produces safe drinking water from highly polluted sources.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Cosmetic and pharmaceutical industry<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: treat effluents containing pharmaceuticals and other compounds, avoiding environmental discharge and meeting strict regulations.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Water reuse projects<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: in urban areas, UF + RO ensures regenerated water quality suitable for municipal, industrial, and agricultural use.<\/span><\/li><\/ul><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These cases show that combining UF and RO provides a robust, scalable, and sustainable solution to the challenges posed by emerging pollutants in the water cycle.<\/span><\/p><h2><b>Conclusion<\/b><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Emerging pollutants are among the greatest current challenges in water management. Their invisible presence can have serious consequences for human health and the environment.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The new TARU directive marks a turning point, requiring a rethink of wastewater treatment. Investing in advanced technologies is not optional but necessary.<\/span><\/p><p>Conventional technologies cannot remove them completely, but <strong>ultrafiltration<\/strong> and <strong>reverse osmosis<\/strong> provide effective, proven solutions. Combining these techniques achieves purification levels meeting current and future requirements.<\/p><p>At <strong>SETA<\/strong>, we have been developing and implementing these solutions for years, positioning ourselves as leaders in designing and manufacturing compact water treatment plants that guarantee maximum efficiency and reliability for our clients.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Introduction Water management faces a silent but growing challenge: emerging pollutants. These compounds, also known as emerging concern pollutants (ECPs), are not new to the environment, but their detection and study are. Thanks to advances in detection and analytical techniques, we now know that our waters contain traces of pharmaceuticals, microplastics, cosmetics, pesticides, hormones, and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":3480,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","_eb_attr":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3473","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-setapht"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>What We Don\u2019t See in Water: The Role of Technology in Removing Emerging Contaminants - SETAPHT En<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Water management faces a silent but growing challenge: emerging contaminants. These compounds, also known as contaminants of emerging concern (CEC), are not new in the environment, but their detection and study are recent. 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These compounds, also known as contaminants of emerging concern (CEC), are not new in the environment, but their detection and study are recent. 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