A November 2025 paper in the Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances explores emerging contaminants in surface and groundwater in an intensive agro-industrial region. In this case, the agro-industrial region studied is in India.
“This study monitored pesticides, polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons (PAHs), and phthalates (PAEs) to assess spatial distribution,
ecological and human health risks and source assessment in the surface and
groundwater of Hindon River Basin, India.”
The study was divided into five
parts, as shown in the infographic below. 1) data collection, 2) pesticides
leaching potential, 3) ecological health risk assessment, 4) health risk
assessment, and 5) source apportionment.
The study assessed the leaching
potential of pesticides. The study area contains multiple partially treated
agricultural and industrial wastewater discharges and polluted rivers, and
these are definitively linked to the emerging contaminants detected. Declining
local groundwater levels and flooding can also affect emergent contaminant
levels.
They assessed the type of
pesticides with the highest leaching risks. They assessed the ecological risks
of different pesticides that are widely used on rice, wheat, and sugarcane.
Risks to aquatic organisms and fish were assessed.
They also did a health risk
assessment that included that ingestion was the highest risk, and phthalates
were the highest risk chemicals.
The source apportionment section
determined that the sources of the emerging contaminants included different
local industries.
"The presence of PAEs was linked to textile-dyeing, paper
and pulp, plastic molding, and widespread use of plasticizers, adhesives and
coatings in the chemical industries. In contrast, PAHs presence reflected
fossil fuel combustion, brick kiln operations, crop residues open burning, and
vehicular traffic.”
References:
Emerging
contaminants in surface and groundwater of an intensive agro-industrial region:
Distribution, risks, and sources assessment. Kartik Jadav and Basant Yadav. Journal
of Hazardous Materials Advances. Volume 20, November 2025, 100893. Emerging
contaminants in surface and groundwater of an intensive agro-industrial region:
Distribution, risks, and sources assessment - ScienceDirect
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