A review of emerging contaminants of concern and how we might deal with them

In this IIL casualty webinar, Dr Jon Burton provides an overview of new and emerging contaminants of concern with respect to risks to health and the environment with a focus on persistent chemicals and microplastics.

Description

The term ’emerging contaminant’ is used to describe a substance that is not yet regulated but may be of environmental or human health concern. These compounds are typically present in the environment at low concentrations and are often able to pass through traditional water treatment processes and can accumulate in the environment and enter food chains.

This presentation details some of the established monitoring regimes which aid the identification of emerging contaminants of concern in surface waters and groundwater and will discuss the potential impacts that these contaminants can have on human health and the water environment. Options for treatment of some of the emerging contaminants of concern will be discussed and the potential liabilities associated with these contaminants will also be considered.

Learning objectives

• Have an awareness of the emerging contaminants of concern in the water environment in the UK
• Understand the potential risks to health and the environment associated with these contaminants
• Learn what can be done to remediate these contaminants and what the potential liabilities are

Speakers

• Dr Jon Burton, Managing Director, Oracle Environmental Experts
• Chair: Richard Lawrence, Head of Environmental, Questgates