Abstract

A wide array of inorganic and organic chemicals, particulates and gases may be defined as pollutants and, for many, their release to the environment has increased markedly since the start of the Anthropocene. Although national and international policies have resulted in significant emissions reductions for some pollutants, over 80,000 chemicals are currently in commercial use, and new chemicals are emerging each year. Due to the marked increase in emissions starting in the mid-twentieth century, a number of pollutants including PCBs, artificial radionuclides, black carbon and microplastics have been proposed as stratigraphic markers for the start of the epoch. However, the vast number of chemicals in circulation through Earth ecosystems means that the Anthropocene may also be defined as an epoch of increasingly complex exposure and accumulation of a multi-pollutant contamination burden to all organisms, including humans. This burden may be remarkably inequitable between communities.