Emerging Contaminants

Emerging Contaminants is a leading platform for research addressing the potential ecological and human health risks associated with environmental contamination from emerging contaminants.

The journal publishes experimental or theoretical work that deepen scientific understanding of the nature, scope and impacts of emerging contaminants in the environment; technologies leveraging novel principles for reducing and controlling or mitigation of their emission and presence; as well as the development, implementation and efficacy of national and international policies aimed at protecting ecosystem and human health from these contaminants.

Current topics considered for publication in Emerging Contaminants include:

I. Environmental Occurrence and Behaviour

• Methodology for identification of emerging contaminants by suspect or non-target analysis

• Screening and prioritisation of emerging contaminants

• Occurrence, fate, transport, and behavior of emerging contaminants in natural and engineered systems

• Biogeochemical cycles of emerging contaminants

II. Ecological and Human Health Impacts

• Toxicology and the underlying mechanisms of emerging contaminants at the cellular, organismal, community or ecosystem level

• Exposure to, effects and risks of emerging contaminants

III. Treatment, Remediation, and Resource Recovery

• Emission reduction of emerging contaminants from various sources

• Degradation and treatment of emerging contaminants in multiple environment

• Remediation of contaminated sites by emerging contaminants

• Resources recovery and disposal of wastes containing emerging contaminants

IV. Risk Mitigation and Policy

• Sustainable strategies for risk mitigation of emerging contaminants

• National and international polices and management practices for emerging contaminants

Emerging contaminants are defined as synthetic or naturally occurring chemicals or biological agents that are not currently (or have been only recently) regulated and about which there exist concerns regarding their impact on ecosystem and/or human health. The risks associated with these contaminants are not fully understood at present.

Examples of emerging contaminants that are of current interest include:

• Persistent organic pollutants (POPs), such as flame retardants, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), UV filters, etc.

• Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs)

• Endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs)

• Micro- and nano-plastics

• Plastic additives, e.g. plasticisers

• Food and feed additives

• Disinfection by-products (DBPs)

• Cyanotoxins

• Nanoparticles

• Mercury

• Radionuclides and nuclear waste

• Antibiotic-resistant bacteria or antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs)

• Pathogenic bacteria, viruses

• Liquid crystal monomers

• Environmentally persistent free radicals

• Organometallic compounds

• Substances of unknown or variable compositions, complex reaction or degradation products

Editorial Board