Track 3- Contaminated water

Introduction:
The contamination of water bodies
by harmful substances like chemicals
or microorganisms leads to
degraded water quality, making it
toxic for humans and the
environment. This widespread issue
of water pollution puts our health at
grave risk. Unsafe water claims more lives annually than war and all other forms of violence
combined. Meanwhile, our accessible freshwater sources are extremely limited - less than 1
percent of the earth's freshwater is available for our use. Unless action is taken, these
challenges will only escalate by 2050 when global demand for freshwater is projected to be
one-third higher than current levels.

Challenges:

● Emerging chemical contaminants: The predominant utilization of pharmaceutical

drugs and the extensive manufacturing of various industrial chemicals shifted the
main focus of drinking and wastewater treatment towards the eradication of viral or
bacterial pathogens.
● Surfactants: Surfactants constitute a diverse group of organic chemicals
incorporated into soaps, dishwashing liquids, laundry detergents, and shampoos.
Surfactants enter aquatic ecosystems when they are washed down the drain and not
entirely removed by wastewater treatment systems. Alkyl phenol, a commonly
employed category of surfactants, exhibit high toxicity to aquatic organisms and
have demonstrated estrogenic properties in human cell-line experiments.
● Plasticizers: Plasticizers are widely employed low-molecular-weight organic
compounds in the manufacturing of plastics. The most well-known plasticizers that
are also emerging contaminants are bis phenol A (BPA) and its derivative bis phenol
A diglycidyl ether (BADGE).

● Fire Retardants: Brominated fire retardants added to various types of furniture,

vehicle upholstery, and electronic products constitute an emerging contaminant.
Brominated fire risks of Hazardous Waste retardants, particularly Poly Brominated
Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs), are classified as emerging contaminants because they are
extremely stable in the environment and because of increasing health concerns.
 ● Biological Emerging Contaminants: Human faeces and urine contain high viral loads,
resulting in municipal sewage with high concentrations of viruses. Wastewater
treatment only partially removes these viruses, which are now considered an
emerging water contaminant. Prominent emerging viruses found in water supplies
due to this include human polyoma viruses, hepatitis E virus, and human adeno
viruses.
● Lack of Awareness Fuels Water Contamination: Most people are unaware of the
contaminants commonly found in drinking water, including lead, pathogens, nitrates,
and PFAS "forever chemicals." This allows the problem to persist unchecked. Raising
public awareness of water testing, treatment method limitations, health impacts of
contaminants, and better filtration options for homes and municipalities could
significantly improve water quality and reduce the health burdens for millions relying
on contaminated supply systems.
● Climate change: Climate change threatens water quality by increasing
contamination. Higher water temperatures, floods, and droughts expected from
climate change can worsen many types of water pollution - from sediment to
pathogens and pesticides. This exacerbation of contamination poses a serious risk to
already precarious water quality in many areas.

Ways of implementation:

● Nanotechnology: Nanotechnology employs molecular-scale engineering to develop materials and

applications. Applying nanotechnology to water
purification yields modular, highly efficient, and cost-
effective processes compared to traditional methods.
Nanotechnology solutions show great promise for
addressing water quality challenges. The major
applications of nanotechnology in water
treatment processes include silver, copper, and zero-
valent iron (ZVI) nanoparticles, nano structured photo catalysts, nano-membranes,
and nano adsorbents.

● Acoustic nanotube technology: Acoustically driven molecular screening with carbon

nano tubes offers a novel approach to water filtration. This technology selectively
allows water molecules to pass through aligned nano tubes while rejecting larger
contaminants, leading to superior efficiency and minimal energy consumption
compared to traditional methods.

● Aquaporin Inside Technology: Aquaporin bio mimetic membranes leverage the

power of natural aquaporin proteins for highly selective water transport. These
membranes mimic the protein's structure and function, enabling fast and efficient
 water passage while rejecting larger solutes
and contaminants.

● Automatic Variable Filtration (AVF) technology: This automated variable filtration technology utilize

downward media movement to

achieve continuous filtration and
media cleaning. This innovative
design minimizes backwash
requirements and freshwater usage.

● Planting in sea: Sea grasses sway gently, filtering water and capturing carbon, while
towering mangroves form intricate forests, locking away greenhouse gas emissions.

● Conserving wetlands: Wetlands play a crucial role as a protective barrier during

severe weather conditions, as highlighted by the United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP). Acting as a natural defense, they effectively shield against storm
surges while absorbing surplus water and precipitation. Additionally, wetlands
contribute to water storage and purification through the diverse array of plants and
microorganisms they support.

● Chemical methods: Various chemicals and methods like aluminium or iron salts,
chlorine, chlorine dioxide, cholramine, potash alum, activated carbon, oxidation,
neutralization, ion exchange, etc. can be used to clean contaminated water.

Target Sectors:
- Industrial operations: The World Bank has programs supporting industrial pollution
management and waste water treatment upgrades for factories/plants in developing
countries.

- Farms/Agriculture: An OECD report looks at policies and funding programs focused on

agriculture to reduce nutrient contamination of waters from fertilizer runoff.

Financial Approaches:
- Public-private partnerships: The UN Environment looks at public-private partnerships as
an emerging financial model for water infrastructure based on case studies in Brazil and
Africa.

- Green bonds: In 2020, the city of Miami issued a $192 million green bond entirely focused
on upgrading the storm water drainage system to combat contamination.

- Revolving loan funds: The state of Maryland has an ongoing water quality revolving loan
fund since 1987 that has financed over $1 billion in water improvement projects.

References:

● https://www.nrdc.org/stories/water-pollution-everything-you-need-know#whatis

● doi: 10.1016/B978-1-4377-7842-7.00016-7

● https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/science/climate-issues/water?
gclid=CjwKCAiAx_GqBhBQEiwAlDNAZt__n8CfRBhyQvwuBmyaOG3uBmRuSbmPLTws
ecRYmEaVffbjEytdvRoC-hkQAvD_BwE
● https://www.water-technology.net/features/latest-water-purification-technologies-
top-five/#:~:text=CNT-based%20filtration%20systems%20can%20remove%20organic
%2C%20inorganic%20and,of%20nanomaterials%20to%20eliminate%20pollutants
%20during%20the%20treatment.
● https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/science/climate-issues/water?
gclid=CjwKCAiAx_GqBhBQEiwAlDNAZt__n8CfRBhyQvwuBmyaOG3uBmRuSbmPLTws
ecRYmEaVffbjEytdvRoC-hkQAvD_BwE
● https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/water/brief/water-managing-industrial-
pollution
● https://www.oecd.org/

● https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/27686/Water
%20ppp.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
● https://www.climatebonds.net/

● https://2019-mde.maryland.gov/programs/water/Pages/index.aspx