Emerging contaminants in water- A future challenge

Abstract- The pollutants which are harmful for the health but are not still regulated are considered as ‘emerging contaminants’ (ECs). These include personal care products, pesticides, plasticisers and other chemicals that get mixed with the environment as effluents from agriculture, livestock farming, industries, waste disposal plants, hospitals etc. They lead to bioaccumulation and may cause endocrine disruption, mutation and work as causative agents for different diseases in animals. This leads to malignancy, infections and also will show teratogenic effects in animals; in turn it affects the country's economic condition. The common waste water treatments are proven to be less effective as they fail to remove ECs completely. Nanomaterials work successfully in this scenario. There is a continuous surge in the amount of ECs because of an ever-increasing population. Society alertness, control related to its spread at the source, and effective water management methods may minimize pollution caused due to ECs in future