Xenobiotics in the Urban Water Cycle: Sources, Distribution and Health Impacts

Xenobiotics in urban water are an indicator substance of anthropogenic impact on urban water systems. The most common xenobiotics reported in urban water system are xenobiotics in personal care products, industrial products, pesticide formulations, heavy metals, petroleum products, perfluorinated compounds, etc. These xenobiotics are highly toxic in nature and bioaccumulate in the human body and other biotic forms. The highest media transfer of xenobiotics to urban water is from household waste/wastewater, which is followed by wastes from construction and agricultural activities, vehicular emissions, and industrial discharges. Xenobiotics in urban water are one of the major contributors for xenobiotic contamination of surface water, groundwater, and even soil. Hence, there is a need for assessing the different sources, types, concentration, and destiny of xenobiotics in urban water cycle for suggesting a proper mitigation measures. This chapter explores the various sources of xenobiotics in water cycle and its types, concentration, and destiny in the urban water cycle. This chapter discusses the source and translocation of xenobiotics in urban water cycle under the different categories of xenobiotics like pharmaceutical and personal care products, pesticides, petroleum hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, and other xenobiotics, such as perfluorinated compounds, brominated flame retardants (BFRs), phthalates, perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), benzophenones, and some phenols (such as bisphenol A and parabens). This chapter also explores the toxicological effect of xenobiotics and finally the future research prospective.