Learning objectives for this review:

• Identify various sources of pollution, including point and non-point sources, and their impacts on aquatic and terrestrial environments.
• Analyze the effects of human activities on ecosystems, focusing on habitat destruction, pollution, and changes in land use.
• Describe what endocrine disruptors are, how they enter the environment, and their effects on wildlife and human health.
• Evaluate the consequences of human activities on wetlands and mangrove ecosystems, including loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services.
• Explain the process of eutrophication, its causes, and its effects on freshwater and marine ecosystems.
• Discuss the sources of thermal pollution and its impact on aquatic life and ecosystem health.
• Define persistent organic pollutants and discuss their characteristics, sources, and long-term environmental impacts.
• Explain the processes of bioaccumulation and biomagnification, and their implications for the food chain and human exposure to pollutants.
• Outline methods of solid waste disposal and the environmental challenges associated with each.
• Discuss various waste reduction methods, including recycling, composting, and reduction of packaging materials.
• Describe the steps involved in sewage treatment and the importance of treating wastewater before it is released into the environment.
• Define LD50 and explain its significance in assessing the toxicity of substances.
• Illustrate how dose-response curves are used to understand the relationship between exposure to a pollutant and the extent of toxic effect.
• Investigate the links between environmental pollution and human health outcomes, including chronic diseases and developmental disorders.
• Identify how environmental pollution can facilitate the spread of pathogens and contribute to outbreaks of infectious diseases.