**5. Conclusions**

is included in the EU 7PP [59] project of which approximately 70% are pharmaceutical and personal care products, and 30% are industrial products, including perfluorinated com-

The vast majority of MP in municipal wastewater belongs to the class of personal hygiene drugs and products PPCP, the fate and processes for removing these compounds are dis-

About 70% of the wastewater products come from the household, 20% come from livestock, 5% come from hospital wastewater, and the remaining 5% come from outflows from non-

The removal of micropollutants in wastewater treatment plant depends on their solubility, octanol/water partition coefficient, and Henry's constant. For removing micropollutants in wastewater treatment plants significantly contributes their sorption on suspended particles of primary and secondary sludge. Removal of dissolved organic compounds also involves coagulation, flocculation and biodegradation processes. The majority of conventional wastewater treatment plants do not completely remove these substances. Their removal is influenced significantly by the operational conditions, the biochemical environment (aerobic, anaerobic,

Biosorption and bioaccumulation mechanisms continue to play an important role in newly

The fate of the priority substances and micropollutants that are transported by wastewater to wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) depends on their adsorption on suspended particulates, dissolved humic substances, primary and secondary sludge. Adsorption of insoluble matter in primary and secondary treatment units is an important process of MP removal from wastewater. Adsorption may occur as a result of hydrophobic interactions between aliphatic and aromatic groups of lipid fractions in the primary sludge and the lipophilic cell membrane of the microorganisms in secondary sludge. Interactions also occur between positively

Both the development of the activated sludge process and the increasing wastewater pollution are also developing biosorption applications. It is, for example, hybrid activated sludge process with activated carbon. Interaction of bio-degradation and adsorption on activated carbon benefits from the higher efficiency and performance of the process due to the concentration of organic matter on activated carbon, consequently higher rates of biological oxidation, as well as better conditions for the degradation of resistant substances, especially for industrial

In the 1950s of the last century, the activated sludge process with separate sludge regeneration was put into full-scale operation, where the ability to accumulate a substrate was restored. In addition

charged MP groups and negatively charged microorganisms in secondary sludge.

pounds, pesticides, herbicides, and food additives.

anoxic, sludge age (SRT), temperature, pH, and redox potential.

developed processes and technologies for wastewater treatment.

**4.4. Biosorption in municipal wastewater treatment**

wastewater treatment and groundwater remediation.

*4.4.1. Integrated and hybrid processes*

cussed in detail in this text.

specified sources [60].

12 Biosorption

The past decades brought intensive research leading to an understanding of biosorption processes with the aim of their application in water treatment technology t. Numerous papers were published that significantly contributed to a better characterization of complex phenomena involved in biosorption. Information was gathered on the bioprocess mechanisms and the influence of various factors in the removal of inorganic and organic pollutants by biosorption.

In spite of targeted research on alternative low-cost sorption materials and extensive knowledge and publication results, it was not possible to apply this process practice in great extent, so far.

Further research into the practical use of biosorption to remove specific organic and inorganic pollutants will obviously be geared toward increasing the overall efficiency of the process, not only in terms of cost but also its performance.

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Introductory Chapter: Biosorption

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The importance of sorption and biosorption processes in wastewater treatment processes and technologies, aerobic and anaerobic sludge stabilization is increasing. New development trends include integrated and hybrid processes aimed at minimizing sludge production and preventing the release of priority substances and micropollutants into the environment through the application of sludge to the soil.
