**8. Removal of micropollutants using BES**

Micropollutants are natural or anthropogenic residue organic refractory compounds such as pharmaceutical compounds and their metabolic intermediates, antibiotics, personal care products, pesticides and industrial chemicals. These micropollutant compounds are present in polluted water in sub-microgram per liter levels [62]. In addition to their refractory nature, their presence such low concentrations in affected environments pose additional challenges for conventional biodegradation processes. Furthermore, some micropollutants such as endocrine disrupting chemicals (i.e. estradiols and their derivatives, antibiotic residues) can exert their undesirable effects on the receiving water bodies even at sub-microgram per liter concentrations [62]. Presence of antibiotics and their residues in natural waterways also promotes the development of undesired antibiotic resistance mechanisms

