We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
A planetary health model for addressing emerging contaminants in developing countries: Challenges and perspectives
AI summary Read the abstract
This review examines how emerging contaminants including microplastics, pharmaceuticals, and PFAS are increasingly detected in water, soil, and food chains in low- and middle-income countries, yet monitoring and governance remain fragmented. The authors propose a planetary health-informed model that links source mapping, targeted monitoring, risk ranking, and adaptive governance to help these nations manage contamination more effectively.
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.
More Papers Like This
From global north to south: governing contaminants of emerging concern in water systems
AI summary Read the abstract
This scoping review examined the occurrence of contaminants of emerging concern, including PFAS, pharmaceuticals, and microplastics, in water systems across the Global North and South. The study found that contamination levels in low- to middle-income countries can be 5 to 20 times higher than in wealthier nations, and proposes a phased roadmap for establishing monitoring standards and targeted treatment in underserved regions.
Emerging contaminants in Africa: A unifying challenge and the path to sustainable management
AI summary Read the abstract
This review pulls together what we know about "emerging contaminants" — everyday pollutants like drug residues, pesticides, industrial chemicals, and microplastics — building up in Africa's air, water, and soil faster than they can be tracked or regulated. The problem: there's not enough monitoring or research happening to know how much of this stuff is out there or how it's affecting people's health, which makes it hard to protect communities from potential risks. The authors suggest a roadmap — better testing tools, stronger regulations, and treating human, animal, and environmental health as connected — to close this gap before it becomes a bigger public health issue.
Global Occurrence and Impact of Emerging Contaminants in Drinking Water: A Comparative Analysis of Environmental and Health Effects
AI summary Read the abstract
This comparative analysis reviews the global occurrence of emerging drinking water contaminants — including pharmaceuticals, pesticides, microplastics, and PFAS — across different regions and evaluates their associated health and environmental risks.
Detecting Emerging Contaminants in Groundwater: Risks to Ecosystems and Human Health
AI summary Read the abstract
This review examines how emerging contaminants including pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and microplastics infiltrate groundwater through landfill leaching, septic systems, and agricultural runoff. Researchers highlight the challenges of detecting these pollutants at low concentrations and their ability to persist and spread through groundwater systems. The study emphasizes the urgent need for advanced detection technologies and stronger regulatory frameworks to protect groundwater resources.
Global Regulations on Emerging Contaminants
AI summary Read the abstract
This review surveys global regulations on emerging contaminants in water and soils, finding that international and national frameworks are beginning to address microplastics, PFAS, and pharmaceuticals but that regulatory coverage remains incomplete and enforcement inconsistent across jurisdictions.
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.