Abstract

not-yet-known not-yet-known not-yet-known unknown Water contamination through ECs is increasingly troublesome because of enhanced urbanization, industrialization, and agricultural practices. ECs are uncontrolled anthropogenic chemicals found primarily in airborne contaminants, soil, water, food, and human/animal tissues. This category includes a wide range of pollutants, consisting of pesticides, pharmaceuticals, pills, cosmetics, personal care products, surfactants, industrial chemical compounds, cleaning agents, food packaging substances, metalloids, food additives, nanomaterials, microplastics, rare earth elements and pathogens. The number one resources of ECs include household discharges, industrial wastewater, agricultural runoff, cattle and aquaculture operations, hospital effluents and landfill leachates. These contaminants can persist in the environment for prolonged intervals, inflicting adverse consequences to human health, flora and fauna and ecosystems. To cope with the challenges posed via ECs, numerous degradation and removal strategies have been investigated, such as physical, chemical, and organic methods. This review paper gives a comprehensive assessment of ECs, detailing their sources, regulatory status, and identity technologies. It also evaluates latest improvements in treatment technologies for EC elimination, highlighting the effectiveness and barriers of different physical, chemical, and biological strategies. By means of consolidating cutting-edge research, this paper objectives to enhance knowledge of EC management and offer insights into future studies to improve treatment tactics and mitigate the dangerous effects of these contaminants.