Biological Monitoring Of Exposure And The Response At The Subcellular Level To Toxic Substances

This supplement contains the papers submitted at EUROTOX 88, the joint Congress of the European Society of Toxicology and the Federation of the European Societies of Toxicology. The theme was one of monitoring and examining the effects of toxic substances in the biological response at the subcellular level. Mechanisms of metal carcinogenicity are discussed as well as the biomonitoring of chemical exposure. Reports are provided on the role of individual differences in man and the effect of risk assessment. Papers appear dealing with the genetic control of drug metabolizing enzymes. The role of metabolism in organic specific toxicity is discussed. Information is included on the toxicological impact of chemicals interfering with the endocrine system as well as on the effects of toxicants on the immune system. Presentations deal with the current status of risk assessment in environmental toxicology.

The National Human Monitoring Program (NHMP) identifies concentrations of specific chemicals in human tissues, including toxicologic testing and risk assessment determinations. This volume evaluates the current activities of the NHMP; identifies important scientific, technical, and programmatic issues; and makes recommendations regarding the design of the program and use of its products.

Biomonitoring—a method for measuring amounts of toxic chemicals in human tissues—is a valuable tool for studying potentially harmful environmental chemicals. Biomonitoring data have been used to confirm exposures to chemicals and validate public health policies. For example, population biomonitoring data showing high blood lead concentrations resulted in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) regulatory reduction of lead in gasoline; biomonitoring data confirmed a resultant drop in blood lead concentrations. Despite recent advances, the science needed to understand the implications of the biomonitoring data for human health is still in its nascent stages. Use of the data also raises communication and ethical challenges. In response to a congressional request, EPA asked the National Research Council to address those challenges in an independent study. Human Biomonitoring for Environmental Chemicals provides a framework for improving the use of biomonitoring data including developing and using biomarkers (measures of exposure), research to improve the interpretation of data, ways to communicate findings to the public, and a review of ethical issues.

First multi-year cumulation covers six years: 1965-70.

M. Pliftski Institute of Oceanography, GdaJisk University 46 Pilsudskiego Av. 81-378 Gdynia, Poland 2 The Baltic Sea with 366,000 km is only 0. 1% of the world's oceans but nevertheless, unique in many ways. The Baltic Sea is the largest area of brackish water in the world. As a formation of nature, it is a sea that in many ways resembles a lake. This makes its flora and fauna interesting and well adapted to the brackish water environment. The recent stage of biocoenosis composition is influenced by several features. Historically, during the last glaciation, when the Baltic was sometimes a huge marine bay and sometimes a large, freshwater lake, several ecosystems developed and were successively replaced. The flora and fauna composition of those previous biocoenosis was discovered from the geological layers corresponding to the Yoldic Sea, the Ancylus Lake and the Littorina Sea periods. Recently the marine influence has come from the North Sea water inflow, which greatly affects the salinity of the deep water. The freshwater influence comes from the fluvial water which gives the surface layer a lower salinity value. Salinity in the Baltic regions varies greatly - Gulf of Bothnia 2-4%0, the central Baltic proper 7-13%0, the Kattegat 15-300/00 in the surface water and 32- 34%0 in the bottom water, the Skagerrak 20-300/00 in the surface and 32-35%0 in the bottom water.