Emerging Environmental Contaminants: Sources, Effects on Biodiversity and Humans, Remediation, and Conservation Implications
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Date
2024
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Publisher
Sage
Abstract
Ecosystems, biodiversity, and the human population all depend on a quality or uncontaminated envir
onment. Quality environment provides people and wildlife access to nutrition, medications, dietary sup
plements, and other ecosystem services. The conservation of biodiversity—that is, species richness,
abundance, heredities, and diversity—as well as the control of climate change are facilitated by such
an uncontaminated environment. However, these advantages are jeopardized by newly emerging envir
onmental chemical contaminants (EECCs) brought on by increased industrialization and urbanization. In
developing countries, inadequate or poor environmental policies, infrastructure, and national standards
concerning the usage, recycling, remediation, control, and management of EECCs hasten their effects.
EECCs in these countries negatively affect biodiversity, ecological services and functions, and human
health. This review reveals that the most deprived or vulnerable local communities in developing coun
tries are those residing near mining or industrial areas and cultivating their crops and vegetables on
contaminated soils, as is wildlife that forages or drinks in EECC-contaminated water bodies. Yet, people
in these countries have limited knowledge about EECCs, their threats to human well-being, ecosystem
safety, and the environment, as well as remediation technologies. Besides, efforts to efficiently control,
combat, regulate, and monitor EECCs are limited. Thus, the review aims to increase public knowledge
concerning EECCs in developing countries and present a comprehensive overview of the current status
of EECCs. It also explores the sources and advancements in remediation techniques and the threats of
EECCs to humans, ecosystems, and biodiversity.