We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
A systematic review on the current situation of emerging pollutants in Mexico: A perspective on policies, regulation, detection, and elimination in water and wastewater
AI summary Read the abstract
Emerging pollutants including pharmaceuticals, pesticides, dyes, and microplastics have been widely detected across Mexican water sources, but biomonitoring and health-effects data remain almost entirely absent. Available technologies for removing these pollutants have only been tested at laboratory scale.
Emerging pollutants (EPs) emerged as a group of new compounds whose presence in the environment has been widely detected in Mexico. In this country, different concentrations of pharmaceutical compounds, pesticides, dyes, and microplastics have been reported, which vary depending on the region and the analyzed matrix (i.e., wastewater, surface water, groundwater). The evidence of the EPs' presence focuses on the detection of them, but there is a gap in information regarding is biomonitoring and their effects in health in Mexico. The presence of these pollutants in the country associated with lack of proper regulations in the discharge and disposal of EPs. Therefore, this review aims to provide a comprehensive view of the current environmental status, policies, and frameworks regarding Mexico's situation. The review also highlights the lack of information about biomonitoring since EPs are present in water even after their treatment, leading to a critical situation, which is high exposure to humans and animals. Although, technologies to efficiently eliminate EPs are available, their application has been reported only at a laboratory scale thus far. Here, an overview of health and environmental impacts and a summary of the research works reported in Mexico from 2014 to 2023 were presented. This review concludes with a concrete point of view and perspective on the status of the EPs' research in Mexico as an alert for government entities about the necessity of measures to control the EPs disposal and treatment.
More Papers Like This
Revealing Hidden Interrelationships of PFAS-Pesticides-Microplastics in Urban Waters: Integrating Target and Non-Target Chemical Analyses Across Mexico
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers found that Mexican urban water sources contain a dangerous cocktail of chemicals including pesticides, "forever chemicals" (PFAS), and microplastics that work together in ways we don't fully understand. The highest contamination levels were found near farming areas where irrigation water mixes with city sewage, and many of these pollutants aren't removed by current water treatment methods. This matters because millions of people rely on these water sources for drinking water, but we're not monitoring most of these chemical mixtures that could harm human health.
A Review of Global Occurrence of Emerging Pollutants in Wastewater: Present Status, Source/Pathway, Extraction and Detection Techniques
AI summary Read the abstract
This review surveyed global occurrence data for emerging pollutants — including microplastics, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and PFAS — in wastewater from 1998 to 2021, examining detection methods and contamination levels. The review highlights that many of these compounds are inadequately regulated and poorly removed by conventional wastewater treatment, allowing them to persist in water systems.
Emerging Contaminants in Wastewater: Mitigation Approaches for Environmental Management and Future Sustainability
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers synthesized five years of literature on emerging contaminants including microplastics, PFAS, and pharmaceuticals in wastewater, cataloguing detection advances from high-resolution mass spectrometry to AI-assisted sensors, and mapping regulatory gaps that leave most of these compounds unmonitored and untreated at global scale.
Emerging and traditional contaminants in water resources: a review from the perspective of the American continent
AI summary Read the abstract
This systematic review examines emerging contaminants in water resources across the Americas, including microplastics, pharmaceuticals, and personal care products. The findings show that current water treatment systems are often inadequate for removing these pollutants, meaning people may be exposed to microplastics and other harmful substances through their drinking water.
Introduction—Emerging Pollutants in Water: Threats, Challenges, and Research Needs
AI summary Read the abstract
This review examines contaminants of emerging concern in water, including microplastics, pharmaceuticals, and endocrine-disrupting compounds, that are not adequately addressed by current water treatment and regulation. These pollutants enter water through wastewater, industrial discharge, and agricultural runoff and persist in the environment. The authors call for better monitoring and innovative treatment strategies to protect human health and water resources.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.