Analysis of the Spatial Distribution Characteristics of Emerging Pollutants in China

Pollutant types are increasing along with the rapid development of society and economy. Some emerging pollutants from chemicals have begun to appear and endanger public and ecosystem health. However, the research and development of emerging pollutant monitoring technology is still in its infancy, with no complete monitoring system in place. This makes it impossible to access and identify the spatial pattern of emerging pollutants. Therefore, this paper reviews the existing quantitative research results on four common emerging pollutants in China's water environment-namely, endocrine disruptors, brominated flame retardants, perfluorinated compounds, and microplastics-extracts the quantitative monitoring results of emerging pollutants in the case studies, and outlines the spatial distribution characteristics of emerging pollutants in the water environment. The results show that the emerging pollutants have a large distribution area that has covered most of China. The level of pollution from emerging pollutants correlates with the level of economic development and the pollution level in economically developed regions such as the Yangtze River Delta, the Pearl River Delta, and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region is significantly higher than in other regions. This study provides a reference for the prevention and control of emerging pollutants in China.

Automated summary

With the rapid development of society and economy, the types of pollutants are increasing, including emerging pollutants from chemicals that pose risks to public and ecosystem health. However, the research and development of monitoring technology for emerging pollutants are still in early stages, resulting in a lack of a complete monitoring system to access and identify their spatial patterns. This study reviews the quantitative research on four common emerging pollutants in China's water environment - endocrine disruptors, brominated flame retardants, perfluorinated compounds, and microplastics. It extracts the monitoring results of these pollutants in case studies and outlines their spatial distribution characteristics in the water environment. The results show that emerging pollutants have a large distribution area covering most of China, with higher levels of pollution in economically developed regions such as the Yangtze River Delta, the Pearl River Delta, and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. This study provides valuable insights for the prevention and control of emerging pollutants in China.