REMOVAL OF PHARMACEUTICALS AND PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS: RESULTS OF THE POSEIDON PROJECT

Municipal wastewater is highly contaminated by pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) and (subtle) effects such as feminization of fish have already been found in the receiving waters of wastewater treatment plants. Due to the wide spread of PPCPs in rivers and groundwater also a contamination of drinking water is known in some cases. The EU project POSEIDON established a basic knowledge on the removal of PPCPs and estrogens in wastewater and drinking water treatment. Both wastewater technology and drinking water technology optimized for the removal of domestic chemicals can be applied world-wide for indirect water reuse. Based on the POSEIDON outcome, a form of BAT (Best Available Technology) for water treatment concerning PPCP removal was proposed and will provide a basis to implement administrative measures with regard to persistent domestic chemicals as contaminants of reclaimed wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) discharges. [...]