A planetary health model for addressing emerging contaminants in developing countries: Challenges and perspectives

Emerging contaminants (ECs) including pharmaceuticals, endocrine disruptors, PFAS, microplastics and antimicrobial-resistance genes are increasingly detected across water, soil and food chains, yet governance and monitoring remain fragmented in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This review synthesizes the most recent evidence on EC sources, exposure pathways and health-ecological risks, and identifies practical bottlenecks in surveillance, risk prioritisation and policy implementation. This review propose a planetary health-informed, systems-thinking model that links source mapping, targeted monitoring, risk ranking, adaptive governance and community co-production to support decision-making. Case examples illustrate context-appropriate interventions, including constructed wetlands for wastewater polishing and regulatory controls for PFAS to reduce population exposure. The model offers an implementation-oriented roadmap to align EC management with equity, resilience and sustainable development goals in LMIC settings.