A new scientific review highlights a growing environmental challenge linked to modern food production. Researchers report that waste from livestock and aquaculture operations now contains a complex mix of emerging contaminants that can spread through ecosystems and ultimately affect human health.
The study synthesizes recent global research on so-called new contaminants, including antibiotic residues, antibiotic resistance genes, endocrine-disrupting chemicals, and microplastics. These pollutants originate from veterinary drugs, feed additives, plastic equipment, and intensive farming practices, and they can persist in soils, waterways, and food chains for long periods.
"As agriculture intensifies to meet food demand, the environmental profile of farming waste is changing," said the study's corresponding author. "We are no longer dealing only with traditional nutrients and organic pollution. We are seeing contaminants that are more persistent, mobile, and biologically active."
According to the review, these contaminants can move across environmental media such as water, soil, and air through manure discharge, runoff, and fertilizer application. Once released, they may accumulate in organisms and magnify through food chains. Some pollutants can even interact with one another, producing combined or synergistic toxicity that is more harmful than each substance alone.
Antibiotic use in animal production is a particular concern. Large portions of administered drugs are not fully metabolized and enter the environment through waste. This process can stimulate the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and genes, which may ultimately compromise human medical treatments.
"Antimicrobial resistance is no longer only a hospital issue," the authors note. "Agricultural systems have become an important environmental reservoir where resistance can develop, persist, and spread."
Microplastics also play a surprisingly active role. Rather than being inert particles, they can act as carriers that adsorb other contaminants such as antibiotics and heavy metals. When ingested by organisms, these particles can release the pollutants inside the digestive system, increasing their bioavailability and toxicity. Researchers describe this mechanism as a Trojan horse effect.
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals add another layer of risk. Even at low concentrations, these compounds can interfere with hormonal systems in wildlife and humans, affecting reproduction, growth, and development. Long-term exposure to mixtures of contaminants has been linked to cancer risk, immune suppression, and developmental disorders.
Despite these concerns, the study emphasizes that solutions exist. The authors highlight strategies that range from reducing pollutant inputs at the source to deploying advanced treatment technologies. Promising approaches include replacing antibiotics with probiotics or natural alternatives, using engineered adsorption materials, and implementing integrated treatment systems that combine biological, chemical, and physical processes.
The researchers argue that the most effective response will involve coordinated management across the entire production chain. This includes better monitoring, improved risk modeling, and the adoption of integrated strategies that prevent pollution rather than relying solely on cleanup.
"Our findings support a One Health perspective," the authors conclude. "Protecting environmental quality in agricultural systems is inseparable from safeguarding animal health and human well-being."
The review provides a scientific foundation for policymakers, engineers, and agricultural managers seeking to design more sustainable food production systems in the face of rising global demand.
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Journal reference: Sun S, Deng J, Li J, Song G, Ye S, et al. 2026. New contaminants in aquaculture and livestock waste: from environmental fate to mitigation technologies. New Contaminants 2: e007 doi: 10.48130/newcontam-0026-0005
https://www.maxapress.com/article/doi/10.48130/newcontam-0026-0005
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About the Journal:
New Contaminants (e-ISSN 3069-7603) is an open-access journal focusing on research related to emerging pollutants and their remediation.
