Emerging contaminants in the terrestrial-aquatic-atmosphere continuum: A global perspective

Emerging contaminants (ECs) or contaminants of emerging concern have become a major global concern due to their nature, suspected, and known environmental and public health risks, and the lack of harmonized procedures for their detection and analysis, which all affect their regulation. This chapter presents a global perspective on ECs with respect to their nature and sources, production, applications, and regulation. Furthermore, the use of the life cycle assessment approaches is highlighted. Solid waste and wastewater systems are the major sources of ECs and their metabolites in both high-income and low-income countries. An overview of the detection of ECs in various matrices in the terrestrial-aquatic-atmosphere continuum is presented. Research on ECs appears dominated by high-income countries, and China and India in Asia, whilst the contribution of African countries remains low. There is lack of comprehensive inventories on EC sources and consumption. The chapter argues that ECs and their health risks are a global problem. This is because international trade, travel, and rapid industrialization promote their global production, applications, and disposal. Therefore, addressing ECs and their health risks requires coordinated collaborative efforts at national, regional, and global levels. This collaboration includes sharing of information, lessons and best practices, harmonization of protocols, and joint research and capacity building.