Introduction (chapter 1)

Contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) are not regulated substances, and therefore are not considered in national and international monitoring programs, but they can have a potential impact on the environment due to their continuous input, relative persistence, and/or toxicity. The final destination of a large part of anthropogenic pollutants, including CECs, are marine ecosystems which, in turn, provide a wide variety of services and resources for global well-being; therefore these singular environments deserve particular attention. CECs are relevant not only in continental and coastal areas close to their main sources but also in the open sea because some of them can be transported long distances through air deposition or sorbed to particulate matter. Bioaccumulation of several CECs has been confirmed in different coastal organisms; however, in general, very limited information is available (e.g., about the species and trophic level considered), and most studies are mainly focused on specific coastal areas. This book reviews the available data regarding CECs in the marine environment: main sources, transport pathways, distribution in seawater and sediments, bioaccumulation, and biological effects. Each chapter recaps the most relevant information about the main groups of CECs, describing the particularities and specificities of each group and focusing on the most relevant individual contaminants.