Topic: One Health Approach to Emerging Contaminants in Water: Impacts on Human, Animal, and Environmental Health

Emerging contaminants (ECs)—such as pharmaceuticals, personal care products, endocrine-disrupting chemicals, and micro/nanoplastics—pose complex and often underexplored threats to human, animal, and environmental health. The One Health approach, which recognizes the interconnectedness of these domains, provides a critical framework for understanding and addressing the multifaceted impacts of ECs in aquatic systems.

This Special Issue aims to showcase cutting-edge research and technological advancements that reflect the evolving landscape of EC monitoring, assessment, and mitigation. A key trend in this area is the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), which are revolutionizing contaminant detection, predictive toxicology, and ecological risk modeling. AI-powered tools are increasingly leveraged to analyze large-scale environmental data, optimize treatment processes, and forecast contaminant fate across ecosystems.

Key research hotspots include:

● AI-enhanced detection and quantification of trace-level ECs in complex water matrices;

● Predictive modeling of EC transport, transformation, and ecological impact;

● Mechanistic toxicology and cross-species health effects under the One Health paradigm;

● Surveillance of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) in water systems;

● Nature-based and engineered remediation technologies with AI-driven process optimization;

● Multi-omics approaches for assessing microbial and host responses to EC exposure;

● Risk assessment frameworks that integrate environmental, veterinary, and human health data.

By bringing together multidisciplinary expertise, this Special Issue seeks to advance data-driven and AI-supported solutions that promote sustainable water management and protect health across human, animal, and environmental domains.

One Health, Emerging Contaminants, Artificial Intelligence, Water Pollution, Antimicrobial Resistance, Environmental Toxicology, Risk Assessment, Ecological Health