The Toxicity Of Environmental Pollutants

Given the widespread presence of chemical compounds in the environment and their effects on organisms, there is an increasing need to better understand the mechanisms underlying their toxicity. This book brings together 13 chapters on a variety of topics from different areas of research in environmental pollutants toxicology. While it illustrates the toxic effects of several environmental contaminants on humans and the biota, it also introduces methodologies for assessing environmental contamination as well as remediation techniques.

An Indispensable Reference of Air, Soil, and Water Pollutants This second edition of Environmental Toxicology focuses on the biological and health effects toxins have on living organisms. It also stresses the relationship between human activity and the environment, relating changes in the environment with the changing patterns of human d

This volume describes the identification of emerging organic pollutants, mainly from industrial sources, their associated toxicological threats, and the latest green methods and biotechnological solutions to abate harmful impacts on people and the environment. The chapters present reviews on current applied toxicology research, occupational health hazards and green remedial solutions for pollution control in terrestrial and aquatic environments, with the aim of raising public awareness of these issues and providing chemists, toxicologists and environmental scientists with the knowledge to combat organic pollutants through sustainable means. Readers will learn about the multi-dimensional applications of materials and processes which harvest energy out of environmental remediation technologies, as well as the roles of biotechnology and nanotechnology in addressing high pollutant load. Specific attention is paid to technologies that draw energy through wastewater remediation, as this covers the primary means by which organic pollutants are introduced into the environment from industry and other sources. The book will be of use to pollution control boards, industry regulators, and students and researchers in the fields of biotechnology, biomedical science, hydrology and water chemistry.

Human survival depends on the availability of clean air, water, and food and on the welfare of plants and animals. However, anthropogenic and naturally occurring chemicals can cause adverse effects on living organisms and ecological processes. Environmental Toxicology: Biological and Health Effects of Pollutants, Third Edition presents fundamental

Explains what pollution is, describes some of the ways in which our air and water are being polluted, and what is being done about it.

How are pollutants transformed after their release into the environment? How are organisms exposed, and how do physiological alterations impact population dynamics and community structure? What direct or indirect impacts occur? As early as the 50s and 60s people living near industrial plants began to recognize undesirable changes in their environment - and to ask these very questions. The discipline of environmental toxicology addresses these questions. Written by an expert with over twenty years experience, Environmental Toxicology covers the physiological and toxicological effects of environmental toxicants on living systems. It explores the sources, and the physical and chemical characteristics of toxicants. It goes further to highlight their impact on plants, animals, and humans. The author furnishes information on the mechanism of action of individual chemicals and chemical combinations including cellular damage at the molecular level. He defines environmental toxicology and discusses the relationship between human activities and their impacts on living systems. He furnishes an overview of our changing environment and the possible link between that environment and the changing pattern of human diseases. Environmental Toxicology provides fundamental knowledge on the toxicological effects of environmental chemicals on living systems. Its fifteen chapters cover the occurrence of toxicants, air pollution, environmental metals, pesticides and related materials such as PCBs and dioxins, mutagenesis, and environmental cancer. This useful resource will enhance your knowledge of the impacts of environmental toxicants on living organisms.

Names like Love Canal, Chernobyl, and the Exxon Valdez have come to symbolize our anxiety over toxic substances in the environment and their effects on human health and the ecology. Yet, as toxins continue to accumulate rapidly in our air, water, and soil, major environmental disasters are only the most obvious manifestation of a complex and growing problem - the tip of the iceberg, so to speak. The need for scientists and nonscientists who are well versed in the fundamentals of environmental toxicology has never been greater, so too, the need for introductory texts in the field. Based on a groundbreaking course given at the University of Illinois for the past two decades, Toxic Substances in the Environment is a superb introduction to the field of environmental toxicology. While the majority of texts and references on toxins in the environment suffer from either a dearth of careful examination or an overabundance of ponderous detail, this book offers just the right balance of accessibility and scientific rigor. It is basic enough to serve as an advanced undergraduate introduction to environmental toxicology and its two most prominent subgroups - the ecological impact of pollutants, and the effect of pollutants on human health. Yet, at the same time, it is unstinting in scientific detail. While the range of topics is broad, this book offers concise and engaging discussions of diverse subjects such as air pollution and global ecosystems; neurotoxicity; genetic toxicology; social issues associated with environmental toxins; and many others. Supported by more than 100 tables and illustrations, the text is organized around a series of case studies that illustrate the hazards associated withparticular substances and demonstrate the multidisciplinary approach that is essential to any effective effort to clean up or prevent contamination. This case study orientation, along with an annotated bibliography and a unique chapter on policy and policy issues, in which the author offers a rundown of the major public and civic environment action groups, makes Toxic Substances in the Environment a useful professional reference. Reflecting a number of the major concerns and interests voiced by students majoring in a variety of disciplines, including biology, chemistry, agriculture, economics, and engineering, this superb didactic tool is destined to become the environmental toxicological bible of future generations.

Public concern regarding environmental pollution and chemicals present in foods, consumer products, and the work place are at an all time high. Whilst there is widespread awareness, confusion still reigns, aggravated by conflicting reports concerning carcinogens in food and drinking water, or about chemicals present in medicines and household products that may cause birth defects. The effort to understand how these pollutants and chemical products may harm human health is led by scientists in the disciplines of toxicology, epidemiology and risk assessment. The central purpose of this book is to describe how scientists come to understand the toxic properties of such chemicals and the health risks they may pose. Rather than attempting to expose governmental and corporate ignorance, negligence or corruption, this book explores the underlying scientific issues. It presents a practical and balanced clarification of the scientific basis for our concerns and uncertainties. It should serve to refocus the debate.