Progress and prospective of new pollutants study

The governance of new pollutants has been becoming a critical strategic demand for the high-quality development of China. The policy will be further advanced during the coming National 15th Five-Year Plan period. Nevertheless, significant challenges remain in aspects such as list of controlled chemicals, standard development, measurement methods, alternative approaches, and remediation techniques. Existing experience in addressing traditional pollutants remains insufficient to adequately address the concealed and complex ecological and/or health risks associated with new pollutants. Thus, a strengthening of basic research is the optimal approach to tackling these challenges and avoiding detours. To better identify the critical scientific challenges and outline key breakthroughs for fundamental research, this study systematically discusses the following five central aspects, namely, the origins of new pollutants research, the definition and scope of new pollutants, the foundation and development of scientific research in China, the current primary challenges, and the future research directions. The outcome will contribute to advancing the development of national risk prevention and control system, facilitating the fulfillment of international commitments, and achieving the goals of building a Healthy China.