With populations increasing, there is an increased likelihood of the need for intensive water reuse, according to experts. August’s txH2O highlight is Safe water = Secure water, an article about Texas A&M University researchers studying ways to remove more chemicals from water during the treatment process.
Ingredients found inside everyday items such as Starbucks coffee, Chanel No. 5 perfume and Benadryl antihistamine are considered pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs). PPCPs and certain components of PPCPs are part of another category of chemicals called endocrine disruptor compounds (EDCs), which can disrupt endocrine systems in animals and humans when they are present in water reuse.
Scientists are studying how these chemicals can be eliminated from wastewater treatment systems before the treated wastewater is released back into the world, impacting public health and the environment.
Certain chemicals being researched can decrease reproductive success in fish, interrupt thyroid function in humans and contribute to making bacteria resistant to antibiotics.
Read the full article in the Water Security issue of txH2O to learn more about the research helping to make water safer.
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