Nature is the most immense mirror in which human beings can gaze. It receives and reflects every one of our daily actions. Sometimes it keeps them (for a while); other times (always), it gives them back. Beyond revealing our society’s practices and habits, nature reflects something much deeper: our health.
A healthy environment is closely tied to the health of animals and humans. This approach, known as One Health, has gained traction in recent years, although it is as old as humanity itself. It advocates for addressing these three interdependent domains together. By starting from this perspective, we can advance through interdisciplinary collaboration—a key factor in tackling the challenges facing our planet and its inhabitants—while promoting their health and integrity.
Because conserving nature means securing our own future, we aim to highlight the importance of three vital resources: water, air, and soil. As fundamental as their existence is their quality, which is heavily influenced by their surroundings and factors such as climate change and emissions of various pollutants.
The silent pollution of natural resources
Human activity and how we interact with nature are causing impacts on multiple levels: well-being, food insecurity, water stress, extreme weather events, conflicts, and human health. When it comes to the pollution of natural resources due to toxic compounds, we face a silent form of pollution. The consequences are not immediately perceptible; rather, they accumulate through daily exposure to small doses, leading to long-term damage.
Silent pollution from chemical substances affects soil, groundwater, surface water, and air. A growing concern in recent decades is nitrate pollution from livestock farming and agricultural fertilizers. Its accumulation negatively impacts aquatic environments and human health, exacerbating water stress. Another threat to atmospheric and public health is pollution caused by suspended particles, nitrogen dioxide, and tropospheric ozone.
Exposure to various pollutants occurs through inhalation, skin contact, or ingestion of water and food. The consequences are significant enough to prompt a reevaluation of how we interact with planetary resources because, as mentioned earlier, everything comes back to us.
Diagnosing and protecting water, air, and soil
The One Health framework helps us understand a highly complex context from which crucial research emerges about anthropogenic pollution and its effects on natural resources. At the Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), multidisciplinary research in chemistry, biology, toxicology, hydrology, and geology diagnoses the state of ecosystems and evaluates the impact of pollutants on biodiversity and living beings. This research aims to mitigate the problem by developing solutions or transferring scientific knowledge. Let’s explore some recent examples:
Water
Only 9% of all plastic produced since 1950 has been recycled. This highlights how most of these materials end up in nature, contaminating water bodies and soils. Unsurprisingly, studies have found alarming accumulations of plasticizers and chemical additives in aquatic organisms like dolphins, whales, and turtles, as well as terrestrial species like birds and their eggs.
These findings confirm the threat posed by this accumulation to the health of aquatic ecosystems and their organisms, potentially causing neurological, carcinogenic, and reproductive effects. Moreover, through the consumption of fish and seafood, bioaccumulated contaminants in these animals can enter our food chain. Researching their presence in fish for human consumption has become a scientific priority.
Human impact extends far beyond local environments, traveling through ocean currents to remote locations like Antarctica. Projects such as ANTOM and PANTOC not only measure contaminant levels but also explore the potential of Antarctic marine microorganisms to degrade them.
PANTOC Project
Air
Air quality has also been compromised by various human activities, posing a global public health challenge. Semi-volatile organic chemicals, flame retardants, and insecticides have been found in European mountain ranges, demonstrating their ability to travel long distances.
Previous studies revealed the transcontinental transfer of pollutants between North America and Europe—a concerning phenomenon given the substances’ potential to accumulate in organisms and disrupt endocrine systems.
In cities, understanding the effects of prolonged exposure to particulate pollutants is crucial, as they are linked to increased respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Stricter emission regulations and constant air quality monitoring have proven effective in reducing ultrafine particle levels in urban areas. The RI-URBANS project stands out as a key initiative to address the urgent need for improved air quality monitoring in Europe, providing more precise and actionable data to enhance atmospheric pollution management and public health protection.
Soil
Over 95% of our food comes directly or indirectly from soil, making it an indispensable natural resource for food security, water storage, and climate regulation. Soil contamination directly affects ecosystem services and poses significant risks to human health through the food chain.
Diffuse contamination, where pollutants spread widely without a single identifiable source, is particularly challenging to control. According to a report from theLIBERA project, most natural spaces in Spain are affected by this issue. Contaminants include heavy metals, pesticides, and industrial waste that infiltrate soil through agricultural and industrial activities.
Mitigating soil contamination requires a comprehensive approach, including reducing harmful chemical use, promoting sustainable agricultural practices, and implementing stringent environmental policies.
Despite the magnitude of these challenges, interdisciplinary collaboration and the integration of scientific knowledge into public policy are essential for addressing them. Science provides the pathways and tools for the recovery and conservation of nature and biodiversity, which ultimately represent an investment in our own well-being.
Iria Sambruno
Communication and Outreach | IDAEA
