Contaminates

Contaminates are substances that have entered a material, environment or product where they do not belong and thereby cause contamination. They can be chemical, biological, radiological, or physical in nature and may compromise safety, quality, or usability.

Common categories include chemical contaminants such as heavy metals (lead, mercury), solvents, pesticides; biological contaminants such as bacteria, viruses, toxins; physical contaminants such as glass, metal fragments, or plastic particles; and radiological contaminants such as radioactive isotopes.

Contaminants can enter through manufacturing cross-contamination, improper handling, environmental deposition, packaging leachates, water supplies, or improper storage. They may accumulate in foods, water, air, soil, or consumer products.

Effects and regulation: Contaminants pose health risks, ecological harm, or product integrity issues. Regulatory bodies establish maximum permissible levels and require testing. Detection uses laboratory analyses such as chromatography, spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, PCR, and other assays. Standards are set by agencies including the FDA, EPA, WHO, EFSA, and ISO guidelines.

Prevention and response: Contaminants are managed through good manufacturing practices, supplier verification, sanitation, cleaning, filtration, and containment. When contamination occurs, facilities may recall products, decontaminate, or remediate affected environments; cleanup depends on contaminant type.

Notable contaminants include lead in paint and dust, arsenic in drinking water, aflatoxins in grains, dioxins in food, pesticide residues, microbial toxins, and microplastics.