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We Need a “Keeling Curve” Approach for Contaminants of Emerging Concern
Summary
Researchers argued that contaminants of emerging concern, including microplastics, need sustained long-term monitoring programs similar to the Keeling Curve for CO2, emphasizing that current snapshot sampling approaches are insufficient for understanding environmental contamination trends.
Several chemical and particulate species have been designated as contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) due to their persistence in the environment, their detrimental effects on human health and ecosystems, and their lack of current regulations. According to the definitions provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), CECs encompass various substances, including industrial additives such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), and microplastics. (1) These CECs have been detected around the globe in previously pristine environments that were once considered untouched by human influence, such as remote high-elevation mountain areas, Arctic air, snowpack, and the open ocean. Similar to greenhouse gases, CECs pose a pervasive threat to all regions of the world.