Emerging organic pollutants in waste waters and sludge Over the past fifteen years regulatory agencies have relied on their approaches to characterise and control the release of toxic substances into the aquatic environment: a GC MS analysis for U.S. EPA designated 126 priority pollutants and 132 dangerous substances according to the European 76 464 CEE Directive and on the bioassays with aquatic bioorganisms. Emerging Contaminants correspond in most cases to irregulated contaminants e.g. surfactants pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCP) or gasoline additives. These two volumes 5 I and 5 O of this Handbook deal with the analytical toxicological and environmental issues of these toxicants. Based on results of up to date research they give the reader a balanced view on this rapidly developing and complex subject. M. Petrovic and D. Barceló: Surfactants and related pollutants in waste waters sediments and sludges J.G. Lo: Volatile organic compounds in wastewaters during treatment E. Benfenati M. Negri: Organic contaminants in leachates from industrial waste landfills E. Eljarrat: Toxicity potency assessment of persistent organic pollutants in sediments and sludges A.R. Blanch and J. Jofre: Pathogens in wastewaters J. Philp: Wastewater toxicity assessment by whole cell biosensor S. Diaz Cruz D Barceló: Occurrence and analysis of selected pharmaceuticals in wastewaters and sludges.