Gaston, L., D.J. Lapworth, M. Stuart, and J. Arnscheidt
Environmental Science and Technology 53(11):6107-6122

A systematic review of prioritization approaches for selecting emerging contaminants (ECs) that may pose a risk in groundwater was conducted using online databases searches for prioritization approaches of ECs in the aquatic environment. Searching standardized key word combinations resulted in 672 studies, 33 of which met the eligibility criteria. Results revealed a lack of groundwater-specific contaminant prioritization methodology in spite of widely recognized differences between groundwater and surface water environments with regard to pathways to receptors. The findings highlight a lack of adequate evaluation of methodologies for predicting the likelihood of an EC entering groundwater and knowledge gaps regarding the occurrence and fate of ECs in this environment. The review concludes with a proposal for a prioritization framework for ECs in groundwater monitoring that enables priority lists to be updated as new information becomes available for substances with regard to their usage, physicochemical properties, and hazards.