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Anthropogenic contamination

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lightbulbAbout this topic
Anthropogenic contamination refers to the introduction of harmful substances or pollutants into the environment as a direct result of human activities. This includes the release of chemicals, waste, and other materials that adversely affect ecosystems, human health, and the overall quality of air, water, and soil.
lightbulbAbout this topic
Anthropogenic contamination refers to the introduction of harmful substances or pollutants into the environment as a direct result of human activities. This includes the release of chemicals, waste, and other materials that adversely affect ecosystems, human health, and the overall quality of air, water, and soil.

Key research themes

1. How do contaminants influence organism behavior and ecosystem functionality beyond direct toxicity?

This research area focuses on understanding the ecological consequences of contamination-induced behavioral changes such as avoidance and habitat selection in aquatic organisms. It emphasizes that contamination can be not only toxic but also repellent, leading to spatial redistribution and population declines without direct mortality. Investigating these behavioral responses highlights the importance of integrating ecological perspectives into contaminant risk assessments and ecosystem management.

Key finding: This review identifies that chemical contaminants can trigger avoidance behavior in aquatic organisms, causing their migration away from contaminated habitats even when the contaminants are not acutely toxic. Such spatial... Read more

2. What is the global distribution and ecological impact of anthropogenic soil contamination across urban and adjacent natural areas?

This theme investigates the widespread occurrence of soil contaminants—including metal(loid)s, pesticides, microplastics, and antibiotic resistance genes—and how human activities drive similar contamination levels in urban greenspaces and nearby natural ecosystems worldwide. It explores how socio-economic and environmental factors influence contamination distribution and examines microbial functional trait changes associated with contamination, thus linking contaminant presence with ecosystem health and resilience.

Key finding: The global survey demonstrated that urban greenspaces and adjacent natural areas share comparable levels of multiple soil contaminants, driven predominantly by human influence and socio-economic factors. Increased soil... Read more
Key finding: This chapter synthesizes evidence that soil contamination by hazardous chemicals (heavy metals, hydrocarbons, pesticides) is a global issue with significant implications for human health via the soil’s role in storing,... Read more

3. How do anthropogenic contaminants accumulate and disperse in groundwater and aquatic systems, and what are the implications for ecosystem and human health?

Focused on the detection, transport, and fate of contaminants such as nitrates, petroleum hydrocarbons, and pharmaceuticals in groundwater and surface waters, this research theme addresses contamination pathways from land use and industrial activity. It integrates geochemical tracing with studies of land use change and water residence times to understand pollutant source attribution, legacy effects, and risks to human and ecological health, informing sustainable water resource management.

Key finding: The study documents the presence of anthropogenic contaminants including nitrates exceeding allowable limits, fecal coliforms, heavy metals, and organic pollutants in the shallow and deep groundwater aquifers of San Luis... Read more
Key finding: By combining isotope tracers and groundwater residence time measurements with land use history, this study reveals that nitrate contamination in a French coastal aquifer results from both current and legacy anthropogenic... Read more
Key finding: This investigation quantified total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) in river surface waters, revealing levels substantially exceeding EU limits, with higher concentrations during the raining season linked to anthropogenic... Read more
Key finding: The paper evaluates conventional (physical, biological, chemical treatments, and sludge management) versus advanced treatment technologies for removal of emerging contaminants such as pharmaceuticals and personal care... Read more

All papers in Anthropogenic contamination

Total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) as well as the aliphatic profiles of surface water at the Okpu and Iyiowa-Odekpe sections of the River Niger in South-Eastern Nigeria were determined. Composites samples taken from surface water at three... more
Among other emerging contaminants in water, per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have garnered international attention from the scientific community on a global scale. Some countries, such as the United States, have found that PFASs... more
Background PFAS are persistent, bioaccumulative compounds repelling water, oil and stains which are widely used. There is mounting evidence linking exposure to a range of adverse health outcomes including renal, hepatic, immunotoxic,... more
Background: Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) are man-made compounds that are persistent in the environment and highly bioaccumulative in the body. Humans are exposed to a mixture of these substances, and the effects of these mixtures may be... more
To test whether effects of multiple (up to 5) disasters on mental health responses were cumulative (additive effects), or whether an earlier disaster produced sensitization (higher) or habituation (lower) responses to a later one. Method:... more
Center provided essential assistance with sample analysis and database management. James Kingsbury, Bruce Lindsey, and Laura Bexfield of the USGS National Water Quality Program-Groundwater Assessments Project provided permission to... more
Contaminated drinking water (DW) is a major source of exposure to per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) at locations around PFAS production/use facilities and military airports. This study aimed to investigate quantitative... more
Introduction: Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), including perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), were detected in the community water supply of Paulsboro New Jersey in 2009. Methods: A cross-sectional... more
An increasing number of studies established unequivocal relationships between exposure to pharmaceutical drugs and toxicity in wildlife. However, few studies investigated physiological alterations caused by such compounds in polychaetes.... more
The level of contamination of Orashi River by total petroleum hydrocarbons were investigated through the collection of surface water samples and sediment samples from four locations along the river. Determination of the level of... more
To test whether effects of multiple (up to 5) disasters on mental health responses were cumulative (additive effects), or whether an earlier disaster produced sensitization (higher) or habituation (lower) responses to a later one. Method:... more
Aims: This research is aimed at determination of the distribution, concentrations, sources and origins of petroleum hydrocarbon in sediment. Study Design: River sediment samples were collected from five sampling sites from the sediments... more
Crude oil contaminated sites delineation by soil quality index (SQI) is presented. This study used SQI proposed by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) to delineate three genuinely petroleum-contaminated sites in... more
Bitumen was discovered in some communities: Agbabu, Ilubinrin, Lodasa and Boridele in Ondo State, Nigeria around 1900 but was found inadequate for commercial exploitation. This report is on the levels of presence of bitumen in the areas... more
Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a complex group of man-made chemicals with high stability and mobility leading to ubiquitous environmental contamination and accumulation in the food chain. In human serum/plasma samples,... more
In this work, we use stable Zn and Cu isotopes to identify the sources and timing of the deposition of these metals in a sediment core from Lake Ballinger near Seattle, Washington, USA. The base of the Lake Ballinger core predates... more
Introduction: Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), including perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), were detected in the community water supply of Paulsboro New Jersey in 2009. Methods: A cross-sectional... more
Identifying sources of anthropogenic pollution, and assessing the fate and residence time of pollutants in aquifers is important for the management of groundwater resources, and the ecological health of groundwater dependent ecosystems.... more
Introduction: Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), including perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), were detected in the community water supply of Paulsboro New Jersey in 2009. Methods: A cross-sectional... more
Little is known about the psychosocial impact on people who live in polluted areas, and its consequences for the parental role have been neglected. This study addresses this gap, proposing qualitative research referring to the case of... more
This study aimed to examine the association of Per and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and markers of chronic inflammation and oxidative stress. Methods: Using data (n = 6652) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey... more
Surface water samples were collected from the Okpoka Creek, Niger-Delta using the grab samples method and were analytically investigated for petroleum contamination. The liquid-liquid extraction of petroleum hydrocarbons was carried out... more
An increase of petroleum hydrocarbons levels in the aquatic environments has become worrisome because of their deleterious impact not only on marine organisms but also its effect on human health. In view of the devastating effect of total... more
Among other emerging contaminants in water, per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have garnered international attention from the scientific community on a global scale. Some countries, such as the United States, have found that PFASs... more
Among other emerging contaminants in water, per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have garnered international attention from the scientific community on a global scale. Some countries, such as the United States, have found that PFASs... more
Among other emerging contaminants in water, per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have garnered international attention from the scientific community on a global scale. Some countries, such as the United States, have found that PFASs... more
Total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) as well as the aliphatic profiles of surface water at the Okpu and Iyiowa-Odekpe sections of the River Niger in SouthEastern Nigeria were determined. Composites samples taken from surface water at three... more
A 24-month study aimed at assessing the physical and chemical quality of the sub-sea sediment of Sombreiro River was carried out, following field and laboratory procedures specified by standard methods. Particle size analysis of the... more
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