Heads up: U.S. researchers found all sorts of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) across the country. Think pharmaceuticals, stuff from personal care products, and chemicals that mess with hormones. They showed up in both raw water and the water that’s already been treated. While the amounts were usually small, finding them everywhere tells us one thing: we really need advanced water purification like reverse osmosis and activated carbon filtration.
Glassmeyer, S.T., et al., Science of The Total Environment, 581-582:909-922, March 2017
When we’re checking out chemicals or tiny bugs in our water, trying to figure out if they’re a problem or if we need to regulate them, the first step is always the same. Are they there? And are they in amounts that could hurt people or the environment? To answer that, researchers analyzed water samples from 29 drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs). This was a two-phase study to see if certain chemicals and microbes, many of them “contaminants of emerging concern,” were showing up. In Phase I, they looked at 84 chemicals in 9 DWTPs. They found 27 of them at least once in the raw water and 21 in the treated water. Then came Phase II, a much bigger look. They measured 247 different chemicals and microbes in 25 DWTPs. They detected 148 of them in raw water and 121 in treated drinking water. How often they found something often depended on what kind of contaminant it was. For example, pharmaceuticals and signs of human waste didn’t show up much and were easier to get rid of during treatment. But PFAS chemicals and other inorganic stuff were found more often and were generally harder to treat. All this data will help us better understand unregulated contaminants in surface water, groundwater, and our drinking water.
Source: Water Feed
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs)?
Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs) are a diverse category of chemical substances and microbial constituents not traditionally monitored but recognized as potential risks to human health and aquatic ecosystems. This includes compounds like pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Their ’emerging’ status refers to new detection methods, increased awareness, or newly identified health impacts.
Were Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs) detected in treated drinking water across the U.S.?
Yes, a nationwide reconnaissance study detected a broad range of CECs in treated drinking waters across the United States. In Phase I, 21 out of 84 monitored chemicals were found, and in the more comprehensive Phase II, 121 out of 247 analytes were detected at least once. While concentrations were generally low, their widespread presence underscores a critical need for advanced purification.
What types of contaminants were most resistant to standard drinking water treatment in the U.S. study?
The study found that per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and inorganic constituents were both more frequently detected and, overall, more resistant to conventional drinking water treatment processes. In contrast, pharmaceuticals and anthropogenic waste indicators tended to be less frequently detected and more easily removed. This highlights the challenge of treating persistent CECs.
What advanced water purification technologies are recommended for removing CECs?
To effectively remove a broad range of CECs, advanced water purification technologies such as reverse osmosis (RO) and activated carbon filtration are critically important. AMPAC USA, with over 30 years of experience, designs and manufactures commercial and industrial RO systems that can effectively target and remove these emerging contaminants, ensuring safer drinking water.
How many drinking water treatment plants were included in the U.S. CEC reconnaissance study?
The nationwide reconnaissance study on CECs in U.S. drinking water involved a total of 29 drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs) across two phases. Phase I included 9 DWTPs, while the broader and more comprehensive Phase II assessed 25 DWTPs. This extensive sampling provided a wide geographical scope for the contaminant analysis.
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