## 7 Lack of AC Reports for Some Sub-Saharan African Countries  
Reports of the prevalence of active chemicals in several sub-Saharan African countries are scarce, and those that are accessible are insufficient to play a role in advising the countries' policymaking processes. Medical and agronomic usage, wastewater reuse, and the presence of industrial activities that could be a source of these compounds have all been reported. Furthermore, for the results to be ascertained, some analysis would need to be conducted using state-of-the-art laboratory equipment, such as high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) equipped with mass spectrometry detection. However, in most sub-Saharan African countries, there is still a lack of laboratory infrastructure for investigation of contaminants of emerging concern, such as active chemicals [28; 32; 62; 71; 154; 155]. Despite the scarcity of information on the presence of active chemicals in sub-Saharan Africa, a study was conducted to investigate the relationship between exposure to contaminants and socioeconomic development among immigrants from 19 sub-Saharan countries who arrived in the Canary Islands (Spain). The results revealed higher serum concentrations of organochlorine pesticides and PCBs in the blood samples of the immigrants from Central and West African countries [156]. It was further observed that Africians from  
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c} \hline \hline
**Matrix** & **Substance (s)** & **Concentration (ng/g)** & **References** \\ \hline \multirow{8}{*}{
\begin{tabular}{c} Lake water, \\ sediments \\ \end{tabular} } & Hexachlorobenzene & 0.1–0.3 & \\  & Total polycyclic & 50–250 & \\  & aromatic hydrocarbons & & \\  & Total 16 USEPA polycyclic & & \\  & aromatic hydrocarbons & 0–150 & \\  & High-molecular-weight polycyclic & & \\  & aromatic hydrocarbons (4–6-rings) & 0–10 & \\  & Benzo(a)pyrene & 0.5–1 & \\  & Indeno (1, 2, 3, c, d)pyrene & 1–3 & \\  & Benzo (g, h, 2)pyrene & 1–3 & \\  & Total polychlorinated biphenyls & 0.1–3 & \\  & Total 7 polychlorinated biphenyls & 0.1–2 & \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table}
Table 17: Occurrences of ACs in environmental compartments of Lesotho.  
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c} \hline \hline
**Matrix** & **Antimicrobial Resistant (AMR)** & **Percentage** & **References** \\ \hline \multirow{8}{*}{
\begin{tabular}{c} Wastewater influent, \\ effluent, and \\ downstream environment \\ \end{tabular} } & Ampicillin & 54 & \\  & Penicillin & 85 & \\  & Erythromycin & 76 & [154] \\ \cline{1-1}  & Cephalosporin & 69 & \\ \cline{1-1}  & Sulfamethoxazole & 54 & \\ \cline{1-1}  & Trimethoprim & 85 & \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table}
Table 18: Occurrences of ACs in Botswanaan environmental compartments.  
low-income countries had higher levels of organochlorine pesticides, indicating agricultural application of these substances, while those from high-income countries had higher levels of PCBs. People from West Africa had significantly higher levels of PCBs. PCBs are associated with westernized life, and the use of more industrial goods.  
Currently, the management and treatment of hospital wastewaters in Asia, Africa, and Australia poses challenges. Hospital wastewaters are subjected to different treatment scenarios, such as specific treatment, co-treatment, and direct disposal into the environment. Waste treatment and effluent discharge have become some of the routes through which contaminants, including active chemicals, circulate within the environment [20].