Advanced Treatments for the Removal of Alkylphenols and Alkylphenol Polyethoxylates from Wastewater

Since the 2000s, among organic contaminants, alkylphenols and alkylphenol polyethoxylates have been listed as hazardous substances by several national, European and international agencies because they are considered endocrine disruptors. Among the molecules classified as priority substances in terms for monitoring and action, nonylphenols and octylphenols and their polyethoxylated derivatives receive particular attention, especially in developing countries. Effluents from treatments plants are considered to be the largest source of alkylphenols in the environment. Although legislation concerning their use has become increasingly strict, these substances are still found in the environment, especially in water resources.The existing water and wastewater treatment plants have not been designated for these emerging contaminants. Conventional treatments such as biodegradation, sand filtration, carbon adsorption and/or chemical oxidation in place are not effective in their elimination removal. No appropriate methods have been developed to deal them at the urban or industrial scale. Thus, alkylphenols have become a relevant research topic for scientists interested in water engineering issues related to their treatment. However, the challenge is not simple, as it is difficult to remove trace contaminants from complex mixtures of substances in a way that is chemically effective, technologically simple, economically viable, and environmentally friendly.The main objective of this chapter is to summarize recent trends in proposed advanced treatment methods for the removal of alkylphenols and alkylphenol polyethoxylates from wastewater. After general and brief considerations on these emerging contaminants, this chapter focuses on adsorption-oriented processes, biotechnological methods, and advanced oxidation processes. Among the advanced methods described and discussed are removal of alkylphenols and alkylphenol polyethoxylates by adsorption onto cyclodextrin polymers, clays or molecularly imprinted polymer, biodegradation using microalgae or constructed wetlands or by sequential anaerobic-aerobic digestion processes, treatments based on ozone-carbon coupling, electrochemical degradation, photocatalysis, zero-valent iron-activated persulfate coupling and catalytic ozonation. Among these technologies, advanced oxidation processes, in association with biodegradation and/or adsorption, seem to be the technique of the future, although their costs still prevent their widespread use.