Emerging pollutants in Nigeria: A systematic review

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Public Health
• Toxicology

Background:

• Emerging pollutants are synthetic or natural compounds not routinely monitored but pose ecological and health risks.
• Nigeria faces increasing environmental contamination from diverse emerging pollutants.
• These contaminants are detected across various environmental matrices including water, soil, air, and biota.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and identify emerging pollutants present in Nigeria.
• To categorize identified pollutants and understand their distribution and environmental impact.
• To assess the public health implications of emerging pollutants in the Nigerian context.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review using databases: ScienceDirect, PubMed, Google Scholar, and African Journals OnLine (AJOL).
• Screening of 933 identified articles, with 30 selected for final analysis.
• Categorization of over 250 identified emerging pollutants into nine major groups.

Main Results:

• Over 250 emerging pollutants were identified in Nigeria, grouped into personal care products, pharmaceuticals, industrial chemicals, PAHs, VOCs, pesticides, mycotoxins, radionuclides, and electromagnetic radiation.
• Additional pollutants include microbes, microplastics, and particulate matter found in water, soil, air, and biological systems.
• Pollutants exhibit seasonal variations in concentration and possess detrimental effects like endocrine disruption and DNA alteration.

Conclusions:

• Emerging pollutants pose a significant and growing threat to ecological and human health in Nigeria.
• The identified pollutants can induce endocrine disruption, oxidative stress, and genetic/epigenetic changes.
• Urgent monitoring and management strategies are needed to mitigate the risks associated with these contaminants.