The purpose of this project was to build the capacity to undertake monitoring of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and the capacity to evaluate threats through an early warning system. The work focussed on POPs found in coastal and inland water and sediments. POPs are chemical substances that persist in the environment, bio accumulate through the food web, and pose a risk of causing adverse effects to human population and the environment. There has been a realization that these pollutants, upon exposure to human population, can cause serious health effects ranging from increased incidence of cancer to disruption of the hormonal system. Developing countries are particularly vulnerable due to the often indiscriminate use and disposal of POPs.