EMERGING CONTAMINANTS IN AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS: A TOXICOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

Emerging contaminants (ECs), including pharmaceuticals, personal care products, endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), and microplastics, are increasingly being detected in aquatic environments worldwide. Despite their relatively low concentrations, these substances can cause significant sub-lethal effects in aquatic organisms, disrupt ecosystems, and pose long-term risks to human health through bioaccumulation and trophic transfer. This article provides a toxicological overview of ECs in freshwater and marine ecosystems, highlighting the major contaminants, exposure pathways, ecotoxicological effects, detection techniques, and mitigation strategies. Special emphasis is placed on studies conducted in Pakistan, where industrial, agricultural, and urban waste continues to impact aquatic health.