Available:*
Library | Item Barcode | Call Number | Material Type | Item Category 1 | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Searching... | 30000002559627 | QH545.A1 F72 1994 | Open Access Book | Book | Searching... |
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Summary
Summary
An accessible yet scientifically challenging account of the ecological and human health impacts of pollutants. Uses authentic examples of well-known environmental problems such as Chernobyl, Love Canal and asbestos contamination to illustrate the principles and practice of environmental toxicology. A unique chapter on policy includes a list of major public and civic environmental action groups.
Author Notes
B. Magnus Francis is the author of Toxic Substances in the Environment, published by Wiley.
Reviews 1
Choice Review
Any new general book on chemicals in the environment should convey novel approaches or perspectives or new information. Francis's opus, aimed at the educated lay public, is quite successful, uses a balance of ecology and chemistry, and introduces a series of case studies--including this reviewer's favorite, the story of DDT and collapse of thatched roofs in Malaya. The complex interactions among chemicals and ecosystems is covered, as are factors contributing to human health risk. In shunning polemics and aiming for balance, Francis is certainly not an apologist for polluters, but strives for a balanced perspective on risk--including a final chapter on risk assessment and risk perception. His objectivity is mixed with cynicism; for example, in the case of the polybrominated biphenyl disaster in Michigan, he argues that accidents and coverups are inevitable parts of society. His general discussions of developmental toxicology and susceptibility are accurate and valuable, though some coverage is (perhaps of necessity) oversimplified. A few weaknesses should be noted. Some of the material in the book is significantly dated; for example, a table from 1985 lists occupations associated with cancer, but now, a decade later, the list is incomplete. The discussion of chemical carcinogenesis focuses on the infection/oncogene, not mentioning the initiation/promotion issues usually discussed in regard to this topic. The most significant weakness (almost an omission) is the coverage of epidemiology. General; undergraduate; technical/two-year; professional. M. Gochfeld; Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
Table of Contents
| Ecosystems and Ecotoxicology |
| Air Pollution and Global Ecosystems |
| Terrestrial and Health Effects of Air Pollution |
| Water Pollution, Persistence, and Bioaccumulation |
| Hazardous Waste Disposal |
| Health Effects of Environmental Chemicals |
| Neurotoxicity |
| Developmental Toxicology |
| Genetic Toxicology |
| Carcinogenesis |
| Policy in Environmental Toxicology |
| Social Issues |
| Appendix |
| Index |
