A unified approach to SimpleTreat input and settings for wastewater treatment removal predictions

A collaboration between ECETOC, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), and the Netherlands National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) has developed a unified approach for using the SimpleTreat model to predict how chemicals are removed during wastewater treatment.

The study found that different methods for selecting key model parameters, such as certain chemical properties and treatment plant settings, led to varying predictions. The study makes recommendations to improve the consistency, including a hierarchical framework for selecting data input, careful consideration of the ionic or dissociation state of chemicals and selecting the appropriate aeration settings for the wastewater treatment plant. The goal of these recommendations is to improve the reliability and reproducibility of chemical risk assessments, facilitating more informed decisions in chemical management.