PFAS, Microplastics, and Pharmaceutical and Personal Care Products (PPCP) Wastewater Treatment

Technology References

Below is a preliminary list of resources referenced in US EPA's January 18, 2023 Clean Water State
Revolving Fund (CWSRF) Emerging Contaminants Water Industry Professionals and Utility Staff Webinar,
which has been recorded and is available online at: https://www.epa.gov/dwsrf/bipartisan-
in frastructure-la w-srf-memoran dum.

EPA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies, technologies, internet applications or
any policies or information expressed by third parties.

PFAS

Engineering and Analysis Division. (2022). 3rd Draft Method 1633 Analysis of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl
Substances (PFAS) in Aqueous, Solid, Biosolids, and Tissue Samples by LC-MS/MS (EPA 821-D-22-003).
Environmental Protection Agency. Office of Water. Office of Science and Technology.
https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2022-

12/3rd%20Draft%20Method%201633%20December%202022%2012-20-22_508.pdf

National Alliance for Water Innovation. (2022). Selective Electrocatalytic Destruction of PFAS using a
Reactive Electrochemical Membrane System. U.S. Department of Energy. Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy Office. Advanced Manufacturing Office, https://www.nawihub.org/wp-
content/uploads/sites/16/2022/10/6.17-Brian-Chaplin-Selective-Electrocatalytic-Destruction-of-PFAS-
using-a-Reactive-Electrochemical-Membrane-System-l.pdf

Office of Research and Development. (2021). Potential PFAS Destruction Technology: Electrochemical
Oxidation. Environmental Protection Agency, https://www.epa.gov/chemical-research/research-brief-
potential-pfas-destruction-technology-electrochemical-oxidation

Office of Research and Development. (2021). Potential PFAS Destruction Technology: Mechanochemical
Degradation. Environmental Protection Agency, https://www.epa.gov/chemical-research/research-
brief-potential-pfas-destruction-technology-mechanochemical-degradation

Office of Research and Development. (2021). Potential PFAS Destruction Technology: Pyrolysis and
Gasification, https://www.epa.gov/chemical-research/research-brief-potential-pfas-destruction-
technology-pyrolysis-and-gasification

Office of Research and Development. (2021). Potential PFAS Destruction Technology: Supercritical
Water Oxidation. Environmental Protection Agency, https://www.epa.gov/chemical-research/research-
brief-potential-pfas-destruction-technology-supercritical-water

Microplastics

Conley, K., Clum, A., Deepe, J., Lane, H., & Beckingham, B. (2019). Wastewater treatment plants as a
source of microplastics to an urban estuary: Removal efficiencies and loading per capita over one year.
Water Research X, 3. https://doi.Org/10.1016/j.wroa.2019.100030

Kang, J., Zhou, L., Duan, X., Sun, H., Ao, Z., & Wang, S. (2019). Degradation of cosmetic microplastics via
functionalized carbon nanosprings. Matter, 1(3), 745-758. https://doi.Org/10.1016/j.matt.2019.06.004


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Kundu, A., Shetti, N. P., Basu, S., Raghava Reddy, K., Nadagouda, M. N., & Aminabhavi, T. M. (2021).
Identification and removal of micro- and nano-plastics: Efficient and cost-effective methods. Chemical
Engineering Journal, 421, 129816. https://doi.Org/10.1016/j.cej.2021.129816

Mason, S. A., Garneau, D., Sutton, R., Chu, Y., Ehmann, K., Barnes, J., Fink, P., Papazissimos, D., & Rogers,
D. L. (2016). Microplastic pollution is widely detected in US municipal wastewater treatment plant
effluent. Environmental Pollution, 218, 1045-1054. https://doi.Org/10.1016/j.envpol.2016.08.056

Ormaniec, P., & Mikosz, J. (2022). A review of methods for the isolation of microplastics in municipal
wastewater treatment. Technical Transactions, 119(1), 1-12.
https://doi.org/10.37705/techtrans/e2022010

Ozdemir, S., Akarsu, C., Acer, O., Fouillaud, M., Dufosse, L., & Dizge, N. (2022). Isolation of thermophilic
bacteria and investigation of their microplastic degradation ability using polyethylene polymers.
Microorganisms, 10(12). https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganismsl0122441

Poerio, T., Piacentini, E., & Mazzei, R. (2019). Membrane processes for microplastic removal. Molecules,
24(22). https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules24224148

Raju, S., Carbery, M., Kuttykattil, A., Senathirajah, K., Subashchandrabose, S. R., Evans, G., &Thavamani,
P. (2018). Transport and fate of microplastics in wastewater treatment plants: Implications to
environmental health. Reviews in Environmental Science and Bio/Technology, 17, 637-653.
https://doi.org/10.1007/slll57-018-9480-3

Reddy, A. S., & Nair, A. T. (2022). The fate of microplastics in wastewater treatment plants: An overview
of source and remediation technologies. Environmental Technology & Innovation, 28.
https://doi.Org/10.1016/j.eti.2022.102815

Sun, J., Dai, X., Wang, Q., van Loosdrecht, M. C. M., & Ni, B.J. (2019). Microplastics in wastewater
treatment plants: Detection, occurrence and removal. Water Research, 152, 21-37.
https://doi.Org/10.1016/j.watres.2018.12.050

Werbowski, L. M., Gilbreath, A. N., Munno, K., Zhu, X., Grbic, J., Wu, T., Sutton, R., Sedlak, M. D.,
Deshpande, A. D., & Rochman, C. M. (2021). Urban stormwater runoff: A major pathway for
anthropogenic particles, black rubbery fragments, and other types of microplastics to urban receiving
waters. ACS EST Water, 1(6), 1420-1428. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.lc00017

PPCPs

Al-Baldawi, I. A., Mohammed, A. A., Mutar, Z. H., Abdullah, S. R., Jasim, S. S., Almansoory, A. F., & Ismail,
N. I. (2021). Application of phytotechnology in alleviating pharmaceuticals and personal care products
(PPCPs) in wastewater: Source, impacts, treatment, mechanisms, fate, and SWOT analysis. Journal of
Cleaner Production, 319. https://doi.Org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.128584

Dhangar, K., & Kumar, M. (2020). Tricks and tracks in removal of emerging contaminants from the
wastewater through hybrid treatment systems: A Review. Science of The Total Environment, 738.
https://doi.Org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140320

Kumar, M., Sridharan, S., Sawarkar, A. D., Shakeel, A., Anerao, P., Mannina, G., Sharma, P., & Pandey, A.
(2023). Current research trends on emerging contaminants pharmaceutical and personal care products


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(PPCPs): A comprehensive review. Science of The Total Environment, 859.
https://doi.Org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160031

Madadian, E., & Simakov, D. S. A. (2022). Thermal degradation of emerging contaminants in municipal
biosolids: The case of pharmaceuticals and personal care products. Chemosphere, 303.
https://doi.Org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.135008

Paucar, N. E., Kim, I., Tanaka, H., & Sato, C. (2018). Ozone treatment process for the removal of
pharmaceuticals and personal care products in wastewater. Ozone: Science & Engineering, 41(1), 3-16.
https://doi.org/10.1080/01919512.2018.1482456

Snyder, S. A., Adham, S., Redding, A. M., Cannon, F. S., DeCarolis, J., Oppenheimer, J., Wert, E. C., &
Yoon, Y. (2007). Role of membranes and activated carbon in the removal of endocrine disruptors and
pharmaceuticals. Desalination, 202(1-3), 156-181. https://doi.Org/10.1016/j.desal.2005.12.052

Suarez, S., Carballa, M., Omil, F., & Lema, J. M. (2008). How are pharmaceutical and personal care
products (PPCPs) removed from urban wastewaters? Reviews in Environmental Science and
Bio/Technology, 7, 125-138. https://doi.org/10.1007/slll57-008-9130-2

Sui, Q., Huang, J., Lu, S., Deng, S., Wang, B., Zhao, W., Qiu, Z., & Yu, G. (2013). Removal of
pharmaceutical and personal care products by sequential ultraviolet and ozonation process in a full-
scale wastewater treatment plant. Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering, 8, 62-68.
https://doi.org/10.1007/sll783-013-0518-z

US EPA. (2009). Occurrence of contaminants of emerging concern in wastewater from nine publicly
owned treatment works. Washington, DC: EPA-821-R-09-009.

Wang, Y., Wang, X., Li, M., Dong, J., Sun, C., & Chen, G. (2018). Removal of pharmaceutical and personal
care products (PPCPs) from municipal waste water with integrated membrane systems, MBR-RO/NF.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(2), 269.
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerphl5020269

Zepon Tarpani, R. R., & Azapagic, A. (2018). Life cycle environmental impacts of advanced
wastewater treatment techniques for removal of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs).
Journal of Environmental Management, 215, 258-272. https://doi.Org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2018.03.047


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