Understanding the effects of chemical pollutants is critical for developing effective policy and regulation. This study examines 20 years of scientific literature to assess how well it covers the range of potentially harmful substances and what changes can be seen over the period. The researchers report that relatively few chemicals dominate the published literature, and that changes in representation can be observed – such as increasing interest in pharmaceuticals.
Kristiansson, E., Coria, J., Gunnarsson, L. and Gustavsson, M. (2021) Does the scientific knowledge reflect the chemical diversity of environmental pollution? – A twenty-year perspective. Environmental Science & Policy 126:90–98 1462–9011. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2021.09.007