Emerging pollutants are present in wastewaters treated by conventional processes. Due to water cycle interactions, these contaminants have been reported in groundwater, surface water, and drinking waters. Since conventional processes cannot guarantee their removal or biotransformation, it is necessary to study processes that comply with complete elimination. The current literature review was conducted to describe and provide an overview of the available information about the most significant groups of emerging pollutants that could potentially be found in the wastewater and the environment. In addition, it describes the main entry and distribution pathways of emerging contaminants into the environment through the water and wastewater cycle, as well as some of the potential effects they may cause to flora, fauna, and humans. Relevant information on the SARS-CoV-2 virus and its potential spread through wastewater is included. Furthermore, it also outlines some of the Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) used for the total or partial emerging pollutants removal, emphasizing the reaction mechanisms and process parameters that need to be considered. As well, some biological processes that, although slow, are effective for the biotransformation of some emerging contaminants and can be used in combination with advanced oxidation processes.

Zeta Potential as a Tool to Evaluate the Optimum Performance of a Coagulation-flocculation Process for Wastewater Internal Treatment for Recirculation in the Pulp and Paper Process

Review of Molecular Techniques for the Identification of Bacterial Communities in Biological Effluent Treatment Facilities at Pulp and Paper Mills

Las plagas representan un efecto negativo en los bosques y a menudo son subestimadas por el hombre. Sus brotes contribuyen directa o indirectamente en la economía y el medioambiente. Uno de los principales problemas en los ecosistemas forestales son las plagas defoliadoras del pino, conocidas como “mosca sierra”. El objetivo de la investigación fue caracterizar extractos de las diferentes partes (hoja, tallo y raíz) de Datura stramonium para evaluar sus propiedades tóxicas y posible uso como insecticida orgánico sobre larvas de Neodiprion autumnalis. Se evaluó en laboratorio a las 0 h, 3 h, 6 h, 12 h y 24 h la repelencia y mortalidad de la mosca sierra en Pinus leiophylla, tratados con extractos hidroalcohólicos. Para llevar a cabo la caracterización se realizó la extracción de alcaloides. Los extractos fueron analizados por cromatografía de gases acoplada a espectrometría de masas lo que permitió identificar los alcaloides presentes que fueron de tipo tropánico. Las medias estadísticas fueron comparadas por la prueba de Tukey a 5% de probabilidad y se encontraron diferencias entre los tratamientos realizados para cada parte vegetal y dosis aplicada (10 mg/L, 30 mg/L y 50 mg/L) con respecto al testigo. Los resultados mostraron porcentajes de mortalidad de 7% hasta 30%, dependiendo de la dosis y del tiempo de exposición sobre las larvas. La estructura vegetal que presentó mejores resultados fue la raíz, seguida por las hojas y el tallo. Los extractos pueden considerarse como parte fundamental de un manejo integrado de plagas.

Pulp and paper mills are a major source of pollution, generating huge amounts of intensely colored effluent that goes to the receiving end of a wastewater treatment plant. The biochemical oxygen demand test (BOD5) relies heavily on the microorganism metabolic capability added to the test as seeding material. The seeding material in the testing is obtained from sewage sampling or from commercial sources. Specific organic pollutants that are present in paper and pulp mill effluent can only be degraded by specific microbes; therefore, common sewage or synthetic seed may lead to erroneous BOD5 estimations. In this study, specific microbial species were selected to evaluate their degradation efficiency, both individually and in combination. The microorganisms selected in the formulated seed exhibit BOD5 in a reproducible and synergistic manner. The formulation of this specific microbial consortium can be used to develop bioremediation strategies.