Prioritizing contaminants of emerging concern for ecological screening assessments

More than 40,000 organic chemicals have been identified as contaminants of emerging concern (CECs). Compared to population numbers and national debts, this may not initially appear to be a staggering number; yet, when considering rapid and often unbridled advances in technology, manufacturing, and agricultural practices worldwide—all of which use and then discard waste into the environment—the number takes on more meaning. Even exhaled human breath includes a few hundred volatile organic compounds. Indeed, thousands of organic chemicals are produced or imported annually into the U.S. and other industrialized nations. Furthermore, 40,000 is a conservative estimate that does not account for associated break-down products in the environment.

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