Nature-based solutions for emerging contaminants removal

The unprecedented pervasiveness of emerging contaminants (ECs), encompassing pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs), pesticides, endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), and more, in aquatic ecosystems, has elicited significant concern due to their potential implications for human health and ecological integrity. Traditional centralized effluent treatment pales in comparison to nature-based solutions (NBS), which assert their superiority through cost-effective nutrient removal strategies, simultaneously curtailing maintenance and energy expenditure. This chapter provides a comprehensive review of several NBS for ECs abatement, including constructed wetlands, phytoremediation, and microalgae systems. While various technologies have been explored and implemented for water treatment against emerging pollutants, each bears its own limitations and necessitates further investigation. The urgent need to propel in-depth investigation and engineering practices targeting treatment technologies for waterborne emerging pollutants is underscored, offering promise for safeguarding water ecological security and bolstering ecological civilization construction.