Review of Ozone for Water Reuse Applications: Toxicity, Regulations, and Trace Organic Contaminant Oxidation

Increased public awareness, potential human health effects, and demonstrated impacts on aquatic ecosystems have stimulated recent interest in pharmaceuticals, personal care products (PPCPs), and endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) in water and wastewater. Due to the potential public and environmental health implications, some agencies are taking a proactive approach to controlling trace organic contaminant (TOrC) concentrations in water supplies. This review describes some of the research related to the toxicity and estrogenicity of wastewater-derived TOrCs in addition to regulatory guidance from several international agencies. This review also evaluates pilot- and full-scale studies to characterize the efficacy of ozonation for TOrC mitigation in wastewater applications.