Name two emerging contaminants commonly detected in waterways.

• A. Heavy metals such as mercury.
• B. Chlorinated pesticides.
• C. Nitrates.
• D. Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) and microplastics.

Answer: (D)

Emerging contaminants in waterways are substances that are increasingly detected in aquatic environments even though they weren’t traditionally part of water-quality monitoring. The two that are frequently found and discussed today are pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) and microplastics.

PPCPs include drugs, hormones, and common toiletries that people use daily. They reach water bodies through human excretion, improper disposal, and wastewater effluent. Conventional wastewater treatment often doesn’t remove them completely, so they can persist at low levels in rivers and lakes. Their presence is notable because it reflects everyday consumer use and the potential for chronic, low-dose exposure to aquatic organisms, with ongoing research into health effects and ecological impacts.

Microplastics are tiny plastic particles that originate from the breakdown of larger plastics or from products like synthetic fibers and microbeads. They are pervasive in many waterways because of their persistence and wide sources, including stormwater runoff and wastewater. Microplastics can be ingested by wildlife and may transport adsorbed pollutants, raising concerns about ecological effects and potential human exposure through the food chain.

In contrast, heavy metals, chlorinated pesticides, and nitrates are traditional or legacy pollutants with long-standing monitoring histories, so they’re not categorized as “emerging” contaminants in the same sense.