A systematic review on health risks of water pollutants: classification, effects and innovative solutions for conservation

In this developing era, increased anthropogenic activities result in the contamination of natural resources. Different kinds of pollutants threaten the water quality being crucial for the existence of life. There are different sources and routes through which different kinds of pollutants cause health consequences. This systematic review consists of the classification of water pollutants and a particular focus on toxicological studies on aquatic life, soil, plants and humans with a comparative account of conservation technologies. In this study, various databases like Scopus, Science Direct, Google Scholar, Research Gate and Web of Science were used to find the most relevant and recent literature till September 2024. Studies were selected based on their focus on classes of water pollutants, routes, their cumulative effects and remediation technologies. This review successfully managed to classify the different water pollutants and found a significant association between their exposure and disorders shown by aquatic life and human health. There is a number of evidence of neurological disorders, reproductive and endocrine disruptions. However, the effect can also be seen in both aquatic as well as terrestrial ecosystems. Long-term exposure to water pollutants presents significant health risks and indicates degrading quality of drinking water and aquatic life. This review provides insight into the emergence of pollutants in water and the need for strong preventive policies. It also suggests the necessity of developing cost-effective and advanced conservation technologies for the availability of safe water.