International experience and China's pathway for water eco-environmental quality assessment technologies under the context of emerging contaminants control

Faced with the persistent threat posed by emerging contaminants to the aquatic ecological environment, establishing a water eco-environmental quality assessment technology system that integrates the management and control of emerging contaminants has become an urgent need in China's current water environmental management. This study systematically reviewed the development history and evaluation processes of water eco-environmental quality assessment technologies in the European Union, the United States, Canada, and other countries and organizations, while comprehensively analyzing their respective evaluation concepts, limitations, and experiences. Based on international experience and the technical shortcomings in China's evaluation of emerging contaminants, the study proposed a water eco-environmental quality assessment technology framework suitable for China's water environment, which incorporated indicators for emerging contaminants. Finally, targeted recommendations were put forward in areas such as monitoring and criteria research on emerging contaminants and optimizing the evaluation methods for chemical pollutants, with the aim of providing technical support for advancing the coordinated management of emerging contaminant control and water ecological health in China.