Global Warming and Emerging Contaminants: Impacts on Aquatic Organisms and Their Responses

Climate change is significantly increasing the average temperature of the Earth’s surface. This leads to a rise in the temperature of the water bodies worldwide, intensifying the threats posed by emerging contaminants (ECs) such as nanoplastics, heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons etc. Global warming not only exacerbates the toxicity of these pollutants but also alters their absorption and interactions within aquatic organisms. This can cause heightened oxidative stress, DNA damage and physiological disruptions ultimately impairing growth, development and survival. These cascading effects disrupt population dynamics and ecosystem balance, yet current risk assessments often overlook the combined impacts of rising temperatures and multiple contaminants. This review integrates research on how global warming and ECs jointly affect aquatic life-, from molecular and cellular responses to broader ecological consequences. While the exact mechanisms remain unclear, evidence suggests that warming amplifies contaminant toxicity, bioaccumulation and biomagnification, threatening biodiversity and ecosystem services. Addressing these challenges requires urgent advancements in ecotoxicology, particularly in understanding species-specific vulnerabilities and long-term exposure effects. By integrating climate science and pollution research, this work highlights the need for holistic management strategies to protect aquatic ecosystems and ensure their resilience in a rapidly changing environment.