Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry

4.08 - From Innovative Treatment to Impact: Integrating Advanced and Nature-Based Water Treatment Technologies with Risk-Based Monitoring

Track:  4. Ecological and Human Health Risk Assessment of Chemicals, Mixtures and Stressors and Risk Mitigation Strategies

Description

The water cycle is increasingly exposed to complex mixtures of chemical stressors, including emerging organic micropollutants (OMPs) such as pesticides, pharmaceuticals, industrial additives and PFAS, alongside “traditional” inorganic contaminants such as metals, metalloids, and nutrients. These contaminants enter water resources through wastewater discharges, industrial effluents, stormwater runoff and combined sewer overflows, potentially posing public and environmental health risks. Climate change, population growth, and industrial activities are intensifying pressures on water infrastructure, while conventional centralized and decentralized treatment systems often provide only a partial barrier to many pollutants. Advanced treatment technologies, including advanced oxidation processes such as photo(electro)catalytic processes, membrane filtration and adsorption, offer approaches to reduce contaminant concentrations in polluted water streams. Nature-based solutions (green infrastructure) provide complementary strategies for contaminant abatement. However, treatment should be evaluated not only through removal efficiencies, but also through monitoring of transformation products, residual toxicity and biological effects to ensure measurable risk reduction. This session welcomes studies exploring how monitoring, risk assessment and treatment can be integrated to prioritize contaminants and support mixture risk assessment and mitigation strategies. In the context of the EU Water Framework Directive, revised Industrial Emissions Directive and Green Deal ambitions, it will focus on pragmatic approaches to selecting substances, endpoints and monitoring tools that provide decision-relevant evidence for routine assessment in effluents. Contributions may address chemical and effect-based monitoring, whole-effluent toxicity, bioassays, new approach methodologies (NAMs), mixture toxicity and transformation products, including weight-of-evidence approaches. This translational session brings together fundamental laboratory, pilot- and field-scale studies, monitoring, risk assessment, and implementation and policy perspectives across wastewater, industrial effluents, stormwater runoff, drinking water and groundwater. Overall, we encourage contributions addressing innovative engineered and nature-based treatment strategies, including hybrid technologies, as well as connecting contaminant removal, residual toxicity and environmental and human health risks.