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A Comprehensive Approach Addressing the Most Chronic and Emerging Contaminants Along the Egyptian Mediterranean Coast
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This review examined a broad range of emerging contaminants (ECs) — including pharmaceuticals, pesticides, industrial wastes, and microplastics — and assessed their environmental and public health impacts. The study highlighted the need for improved regulatory frameworks and monitoring strategies given the limited understanding of many ECs.
Newly identified substances known as emerging contaminants (ECs) are harmful to the environment and public health, frequently because limited regulation and incomplete understanding of their impacts. They comprise a broad variety of materials, such as insecticides, industrial wastes, personal care items, and medications. Persistent pollutants (POPs) are organic compounds that have remained in the environment for an extended period of time. They tend to move through the atmosphere over enormous distances making them a chronic contaminant and may harm ecology and humanity over time. In Egypt, particularly within its Mediterranean Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), heavy metal (HM) contamination is increasingly recognized, though there is not enough information about its sources, distribution, and ecological risks. Further endangering environmental ecosystems is the continuous creation and usage of synthetic plastics, particularly microplastics (MPs). Egypt's Mediterranean Sea ecosystem is unique in its richness. It is widely acknowledged that it is a significant hotspot for the buildup of MPs in the Nile River that enters the eastern Mediterranean basin. This review aims to identify and characterize the major POPs, HMs, and MPs, their origins, environmental effects, and hazards in aquatic systems. It also compiles and synthesizes the current state of research regarding their abundance and distribution within Egypt's Mediterranean coastal ecosystems.
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Emerging contaminants in the water bodies of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA): A critical review
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This review surveys emerging contaminants in water bodies across the Middle East and North Africa region, including pharmaceuticals, personal care products, pesticides, and microplastics. Researchers found that data on these contaminants is sparse and unevenly distributed across the region, with some countries having almost no monitoring data. The study emphasizes the urgent need for comprehensive water quality monitoring programs to assess the environmental and health risks posed by these pollutants in MENA water resources.
Emerging Pollutants in Moroccan Wastewater: Occurrence, Impact, and Removal Technologies
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This review examines the occurrence and environmental impact of emerging pollutants in Moroccan wastewater, including pharmaceuticals, pesticides, endocrine disruptors, and microplastics. Researchers found that these contaminants are widely present in wastewater systems but are not yet adequately regulated or monitored in the region. The study highlights the need for improved wastewater treatment technologies and regulatory frameworks to address these emerging contaminants.
Microplastics Pollution in Aquatic Environment: A Review of Abundance, Distribution, and Composition in the Egyptian Coastal Waters
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This review compiles data on microplastic pollution across Egypt's Mediterranean coast, the Nile River, and the Red Sea, all of which face significant plastic contamination. Researchers found that the Mediterranean is a global hotspot for marine plastic accumulation, while the Nile acts as a major conduit for plastics entering the eastern Mediterranean basin. The study calls for more systematic monitoring to understand the full scope of microplastic pollution in Egyptian waters.
Environmental Pollutants and Contaminants of Emerging Concern: An African Perspective
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This review examines contaminants of emerging concern in Africa — including pharmaceuticals, plastics, pesticides, and personal care products — documenting their presence in sediments, sludge, drinking water, and surface water across the continent. The authors highlight growing evidence of ecotoxicological impacts and call for stronger monitoring and regulatory responses in African contexts.
Contaminants and their ecological risk assessment in beach sediments and water along the Maharashtra coast of India: A comprehensive approach using microplastics, heavy metal(loid)s, pharmaceuticals, personal care products and plasticisers
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Researchers conducted a comprehensive survey of multiple contaminant types along India's Maharashtra coast, including microplastics, heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, and plasticizers in both water and sediment. They found widespread contamination with microplastics present at all 17 sampling stations, alongside concerning levels of other pollutants. The study highlights how coastal communities face exposure to a cocktail of emerging contaminants, with microplastics potentially acting as carriers for other harmful substances.
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