ABSTRACT
The fast-growing population and the associated increase in industrialisation have led to a significant increase of wastewater containing harmful industrial effluents and sewage. Both the allowable quantity and quality of wastewater are dependent on the underlying industry it serves as well as the standards and regulations for that particular country. Substantial amounts of wastewater effluents and sewage are disposed into rivers, lakes, and groundwater and severely affect human health and the natural ecosystem. N-nitrosamines are organic chemicals found in reclaimed water. These by-product compounds exist at very low concentrations and are basically formed during the disinfection process of secondary-treated wastewater effluent with inhibitors such as chloramines, chlorines, and ozone. Heavy metals are directly and indirectly discharged into water systems as a result of the rapid growth of chemical industries such as metal plating, mining, paper, fertiliser and pesticides. The US Environmental Protection Agency has instituted more stringent regulations for such toxic heavy metals compared to other impurities with low toxicity.
