Emerging pollutants: Protecting water quality for the health of people and the environment.
Water quality is declining worldwide, threatening human health, food security, ecosystems, and biodiversity.
Water quality management has historically focused on pathogens, nutrients, and heavy metals. A new class of pollutants known as emerging pollutants has garnered increasing attention due to potential risks to human health and ecosystems. Emerging pollutants, which include pharmaceuticals, personal care products, endocrine-disrupting compounds, chemicals, microorganisms, and micro- and nano-plastics, are found in water resources and known to cause chronic toxicity and endocrine disruption in humans and aquatic wildlife, and the development of bacterial pathogen resistance. Limited knowledge about emerging pollutants hinders the development of appropriate regulatory, monitoring, prevention, and control measures.UNESCO promotes research, knowledge generation and dissemination, capacity building, and awareness of emerging water pollutants. This book presents state-of-the-art research findings and proposes science-based policy recommendations on managing emerging pollutants toward sustainable water management and healthy ecosystems in the face of global changes and evolving environmental threats.
