A Brief Review of Impacts of Environmental Pollutants on the Public Health of Assam

Abstract

This review aims to identify critical environmental degradation issues affecting public health in Assam. A systematic literature search was conducted using Scopus and Google Scholar with the keywords “Environmental Degradation” AND “Public Health” AND “Assam.” Relevant studies were analysed using a qualitative deductive coding approach, guided by a custom-developed codebook based on the study’s objectives. The review reveals widespread contamination of drinking water, soil, and air across Assam, involving pollutants such as arsenic, fluoride, iron, manganese, lead, cadmium, organochlorine pesticides, particulate matter, and microbial agents. These exposures are linked to both acute infections and chronic noncommunicable diseases, disproportionately affecting children, women, and vulnerable communities, including rural and tribal populations. The findings provide a consolidated overview of the environmental health landscape in Assam and highlight significant gaps in the literature. This review offers a foundation for future research and policy interventions aimed at mitigating environmental health risks in the region.