Emerging substances in the watercycleEmerging substances enter the water cycle through point sources

such as effluent discharges from wastewater treatment plants and

industries, and from diffuse sources as agriculture and urban storm

water runoff. The diffuse sources are through their nature difficult to

monitor and control. In the TAPES project the control and management

of emerging substances is addressed through a concerted action. Key

players responsible for surface water and groundwater bodies, those

responsible for the treatment of wastewater and those responsible for

the production of drinking water work together to jointly address the

control of emerging substances.

Photo 1: Various pharmaceuticals and lifestyle products enter the watercycle

DDDID approachTAPES partners operate on the basis of the DDDID approach: design,

develop, decide, implement and disseminate. A short list of substances,

to be studied in TAPES, was developed on the basis of their relevance

for the participating regions in TAPES and their representativeness for

groups of emerging substances (human pharmaceuticals, personal care

and life style products , pesticides, herbicides X-ray contrast media and

flame retardants). Secondly the DDDID was used to jointly decide on

the research issues and develop the research program.

Research on the short-listed emerging substances is carried out by the

different players in the water cycle and results are entered in the TAPES

decision support system (DSS). The DSS will use existing and newly

generated knowledge on sources of emerging substances (sources),

fate of emerging substances in the water cycle (pathways) and on

the potential impact on human health and on the aquatic environment

(receptors). The DSS will support problem-owners/end-users in their

decision-making process on where in the water cycle to most efficiently

and effectively address the problem of emerging substances.

Research on wastewater treatment Research is carried out on the occurrence and monitoring of emerging

substances in surface water and wastewater as well as the removal of

such substances in various wastewater treatment processes. Fourth step

technologies in wastewater treatment include amongst others: one step

total effluent polishing filter, removal of micro-pollutants through the

use of retention soil filters and dissolved air flotation (DAF) as pre-treat-

ment. The positive effects of the advanced treatment processes on the

water quality in the catchment areas are determined with the DWA wa-

ter quality model.

Photo 2: Soil retention filter removal of micro-pollutants at Erftverband Germany

Photo 3: One step

total effluent polish-

ing filter at Waternet

the Netherlands

Research on drinking water productionResearch on the control of emerging substances in drinking water focusses

on both new analytical methods for the detection and quantification of

emerging substances (organic micro-pollutants) and on advanced re-

moval processes. The removal processes studied and improved are new

and innovative adsorbents, affinity adsorption, ion-exchange, advanced

oxidation processes

in combination with

activated carbon,

and membrane fil-

tration.

Photo 4: Drinking wa-

ter production at the

Watergroep Belgium

THE TAPES PROJECT Transnational Action Program on Emerging Substances

The TAPES project runs from 2012-2015. The project has received European Regional Development Funding through INTERREG IV B.

Website: www.interreg-TAPES.eu

Contact:

Prof. Dr. Ir Jan Peter van der Hoek jan.peter.van.der.hoek@waternet.nl

Dr. Ir. Adriana Hulsmann adriana.hulsmann@kwrwater.nl