Table 5.

Advantages and disadvantages of the organic contaminants removal methods.

Treatment	Advantage	Disadvantage	References
Adsorption	• Easy to operate • Highly efficient • Cost-effective • Environmentally friendly	• Surfactants can be only separated from the wastewater but cannot be destroyed • Need skilled labor	[174,175]
Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs)	• Rapid reaction rates • Small footprint • Mineralization of organics	• Removal of residual peroxide may need to be considered	[176,177]
Biological treatments	• Low cost • Easy application • Can be improved by combining with membranes (membrane bioreactors)	• Sludge generation during the treatment • High retention time	[178,179]
Coagulation and flocculation	• Easy application • High pollutant removal efficiency	• Transferring toxic compounds to the solid phase	[180]