Alba Torrents, Professor
Environmental Engineering Program
Civil and Environmental Engineering
University of Maryland, College Park

Date: November 11, 2013
Time: 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Location: TRC 206
Title: Re-Use of Wastewater Effluents: Benefits and Concerns

Through the natural water and nutrient cycle, the earth has recycled and reused water and nutrients for millions of years. Currently, 1.6 billion people live in countries and regions with water and food scarcity and, with population growth and climate change, the number is expected to rise to 2.8 billion people by 2025. Traditional urban wastewater systems need to be transformed in a sustainable, closed-loop urban wastewater management based in the conservation of water and nutrients. There is concern that along with organic matter, nutrients and micronutrients, biosolids could be a source of anthropogenic microconstituents. For over 15 years, our group has been developing methodologies to assess the fate of organic micro pollutants introduced in the environment. We know that many of such micro pollutants are endocrine disruptors and they make their way into the environment, yet many questions remain on their fate and potential risks. A combination of “in-pant”; controlled and field scale studies will be presented and discussed.