We are all just a little bit plastic. Traces of bisphenol A or BPA, a chemical used in plastics production, are widely detected in our bodies and environment. Is this chemical, and its presence in the human body, safe? What is meant by safety? Who defines it, and according to what information? "Is It Safe?" narrates how the meaning of the safety of industrial chemicals has been historically produced by breakthroughs in environmental health research, which in turn trigger contests among trade associations, lawyers, politicians, and citizen activists to set new regulatory standards. Drawing on archival research and extensive interviews, author Sarah Vogel explores the roots of the contemporary debate over the safety of BPA, and the concerns presented by its estrogen-like effects even at low doses. Ultimately, she contends that science alone cannot resolve the political and economic conflicts at play in the definition of safety. To strike a sustainable balance between the interests of commerce and public health requires recognition that powerful interests will always try to shape the criteria for defining safety, and that the agenda for environmental health research should be protected from capture by any single interest group.

Aerobiology is the study of airborne organic particulates in the environment, such as bacteria or fungal spores. These can be either naturally occurring or artificially introduced into the air. Some of the toxicological, pharmacological, and physiological effects of bioaerosols include infections, allergies, and cancer. Research efforts in aerobiology range from remediating household mould to combating bioterrorism. This book focusses on the toxicological aspects of aerobiology, considering the adverse health effects associated with the inhalation of specific bioaerosols, such as anthrax and ricin. Additionally, chapters cover techniques for generating, sampling and characterizing airborne biological materials as well as methods for establishing standards of exposure. Moreover, mitigation of exposure and protection against exposure are described. Bringing together the contemporary status of information in the area, this book will be a valuable reference book for pulmonary specialists, general practitioners of medicine, public health and public safety officers, first responders, military personnel, and students studying toxicology and related disciplines.

A unique book on recognition and investigation of criminal poisoning for investigators of all backgrounds and stages of their careers. Poisons: An Introduction for Forensic Investigators is a concise yet comprehensive overview of toxicants and unanticipated circumstances in which poisoning occurs. This book expands awareness of poisoning possibilities, heightens recognition of the toxic potential of many substances, and provides information to aid in focusing investigations. Poisons discusses life-threatening toxic substances and agents that modify behavior to achieve criminal goals. These include drugs that facilitate sexual assaults and robberies, and those found in medical child abuse and drug-product tampering. More than 230 case studies illustrate both unintentional and intentional poisoning and highlight situations where poisoning may not immediately be apparent. Information is included in pertinent criminal poisoning cases to illustrate the temperament of poisoners, their relationship to victims, their basis for poison selection, and their method of administration. Since Poisons is written by a single author, the discussions, format, educational level, and terminology remain consistent to aid crime scene investigators, homicide detectives, forensic scientists, death investigators, toxicologists, medical examiners, attorneys, and students. The book's more than 650 references are an asset to frame knowledge as well as a resource to return to again and again.

Multivariate analysis of the multi-component analytical profiles of carefully collected biofluid and/or tissue biopsy specimens can provide a 'fingerprint' of their biomolecular/metabolic status. Therefore, if applied correctly, valuable information regarding disease indicators, disease strata and sub-strata and disease activities can be obtained.

This exemplary new book highlights applications of these techniques in the areas of drug therapy and toxicology, cancer, obesity and diabetes, as well as outlining applications to cardiovascular, infectious, inflammatory and oral diseases in detail. The book gives particular reference to cautionary measures that must be applied to the diagnosis and classification of these conditions or physiological criteria. Comprehensively covering a wide range of topics, of particular interest is the focus on experimental design and 'rights and wrongs' of the techniques commonly applied by researchers, and the very recent development of powerful 'Pattern Recognition' techniques.

The book provides a detailed introduction to the area, applications and common pitfalls of the techniques discussed before moving into detailed coverage of specific disease areas, each highlighted in individual chapters. This title will provide an invaluable resource to Medicinal chemists, Biochemists and toxicologists working in industry and academia.

This current edition explores new tests for genotoxicity testing, along with other well-known techniques. This will further help in our understanding of the genotoxic effects of chemicals. The book has different sections dealing with various assays for gene mutation, chromosomal abnormalities, primary DNA damage, etc. It also delves into plant models, animals and their alternates, as well as in silico approaches for genetic toxicology. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and up-to-date, Genotoxicity Assessment: Methods and Protocols, Second Edition serves as a highly useful and ready resource for research students and scientists working in regulatory toxicology as well as biomedical, biochemical, and pharmaceutical sciences.

Toxicological Effects of Veterinary Medicinal Products in Humans is the first definitive guide to discuss the adverse effects of veterinary medicinal products in humans. The chapters focus on occupational safety and consumer issues and examine the circumstances under which exposure is likely to occur. To be in context, it reviews this against the background of adverse health effects from other sources in the veterinary and farming professions. The book examines adverse drug effects reported to regulatory agencies (mainly the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine) and then considers a series of individual drugs, including antibiotics, anaesthetics and organophosphorus compounds. The chapters also discuss the fundamental aspects of regulatory issues relating to safety assessment, and examine the manner in which user safety is assessed prior to authorisation/approval and what measures can be taken after authorisation/approval in the light of findings from pharmacovigilance activities. There is growing concern over the issue of antimicrobial resistance and the contribution made by veterinary medicinal products. This too is addressed along with the significance to human health and measures that can be taken to mitigate the effects (if any) of the use of antibiotics in animals e.g. prudent use measures. The book will be an essential resource for medical practitioners in hospitals and general practice, pharmaceutical industry scientists, analysts, regulators and risk managers.

Consumer and environmental protection depend on the careful regulation of all classes of chemicals. Toxicology is the key science used to evaluate safety and so underpins regulatory decisions on chemicals. With the growing body of EU legislation involved in chemical regulation, there is a concomitant need to understand the toxicological principles underlying safety assessments Regulatory Toxicology in the European Union is the first book to cover regulatory toxicology specifically in Europe. It addresses the need for a wider understanding of the principles of regulatory toxicology and their application and presents the relationship between toxicology and legislative processes in regulating chemical commodities across Europe. This title has a broad scope, covering historical and current chemical regulation in Europe, the role of European agencies and institutions, and also the use of toxicology data for important classes of chemicals, including human and veterinary medicines, animal feed and food additives, biocides, pesticides and nanomaterials. This book is therefore extremely pertinent and timely in the toxicology field at present. This book is an essential reference for regulatory authorities, industrialists, academics, undergraduates and postgraduates working within safety and hazards, toxicology, the biological sciences, and the medicinal and pharmaceutical sciences across the European Union.

Gain practical knowledge of the entire field of toxicology with this beautifully illustrated guide The Illustrated Handbook of Toxicology is an impressive introduction to the complex field of toxicology. It also serves as a hands-on guide to various poison treatments and offers supplemental public health information. Each two-page unit features concise text on the left complemented by full-color illustrations on the opposing page. The expert author distinguishes harmful toxic substances and catalogues their specific effects on the human body, plants, animals, and the surrounding environment. The handbook also addresses cutting-edge topics, including biological warfare, modern toxicological methods, and threshold values. Features: Succinct, user-friendly organization allows readers to navigate the content with ease Over 500 detailed images and diagrams arranged on 150 full-color plates illu strate exposures and toxicological effects on humans, plants, and animals Well-researched, objective risk analysis on toxic exposures accompanies relevant images Extensive glossary of key toxicological terms provides readers with the accurate information they need to avoid dangerous confusion This is the ideal text for all medical students who want to supplement the toxicological information covered in their coursework, as well as for first responders to chemical accidents and poisonings.

First Published in 1968. This works seeks to be neither controversial nor polemical, the author intends to present an entirely objective account of the beliefs and institutions of Islam. Lammens describes Hejaz as the cradle of Islam, where Western Arabia in its mountainous complexity holds as the primary focus in this title. Discussing Islam as having been formed by the evolution of thirteen centuries, the details supplied within enable the reader to extensively follow its historical development.

Drug metabolism, pharmacokinetics and toxicokinetics as determinants of drug attrition and the safety of xenobiotics are critically important. This book presents a comprehensive treatise on the current issues and challenges facing drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics. Readers will find a thorough exploration of their predictive role in impacting drug discovery and development and in improving the success rate and safety assessment of pharmaceuticals and industrial or occupational chemicals. Chapters not only focus on the current state of art, with distinct examples, but on future needs and approaches likely to improve our prediction of potential human risk. Discussions of critical properties that are determinants of a compound's metabolic and pharmacokinetic fate follow introductory chapters. The Drug Discovery process increasingly incorporates pharmacokinetics and drug metabolism screening and focus has shifted towards in silico, computational and systems biology approaches. Core chapters reflect this and the recent interest and need to assess the role of transporters, along with drug metabolizing enzymes, as potential determinants of pharmacokinetic behaviour, toxicity and drug-drug interactions. Lastly, chapters cover the issues and factors involved in translating pharmacokinetics from in silico to in vivo and from animal models to man, and postulate future directions and opportunities. Leading experts from academia, industry and regulatory bodies across the globe contribute their knowledge to this book, which scientists involved in many aspects of the drug discovery process, as well as regulators and postgraduate students, will find a useful resource.

The widespread and increasing use of carbon nanotubes in scientific and engineering research and their incorporation into manufactured goods has urged an assessment of the risks and hazards associated with exposure to them. The field of nanotoxicology studies the toxicology of nanoparticles such as carbon nanotubes and has become a major growth area aimed towards risk assessment of nanoparticles. Compiled by a team of leading experts at the forefront of research, this is the first book dedicated to the toxicology of carbon nanotubes. It provides state-of-the-science information on how and why they are so potentially dangerous if breathed in, including their similarities to asbestos. The book examines various aspects of carbon nanotubes, from their manufacture and aerodynamic behaviour to their effects at molecular level in the lungs. It is invaluable to the many groups involved with research in this area, as well as to regulators and risk assessors.

Knowledge of plant toxicity has always been important, but the information has not always been reliable. Now, increasing international trade is drawing attention to the inadequacy of regional information and highlighting the geographical fragmentation and notorious discrepancies of thinly documented information. The international community of safety regulators, toxicologists, and poison control personnel requires a single reference compiled of verifiable, primary source reports of common poisonous plants.
Intended for just that purpose, International Poisonous Plant Checklist: An Evidence-Based Reference successfully addresses the deficiencies and gaps in the current literature. Using accepted botanic names, the book defines the known set of toxic vascular plants. The use of botanic names satisfies the need for an international standard of identity to support worldwide communication and commerce. Also, taxonomy based on common ancestry and genetic connections provides a rational basis for studying and using plant relationships.
The author supports toxicity information with references to the primary literature. Each entry includes referenced citations supporting the toxicity of the plant, symptoms and circumstances of toxic exposure, dosage and potency, chemical analysis, botany, pharmacology, mechanism and metabolism, and control.
Finally, the book cross-references selected synonyms and common names. The checklist is organized alphabetically with two types of entries. The main entry documents the toxic plants themselves and a secondary entry lists selected synonyms and common names cross-referenced to the main entries.
Including virtually all common animal feed plants, human food plants, and many plants that are sources of herbal products and dietary supplements, tonics, and therapeutic agents, this timely checklist compiles and verifies the known data on toxic vascular plants from around the world.

This book discusses toxic Microcystis and the toxins from various viewpoints such as classification, cultivation, occurrences in lakes, and relations to zooplankton. The text presents new information on the chemistry, analytical chemistry, toxicology, molecular modeling, and liver tumor promotion of the toxins. Microcystis species are described in relation to morphological features, allozyme genotype, and toxin content. Seasonal changes of Microcystis population are described with special references to toxic species and composition of the toxins. Chemical characteristics of microcystins are reviewed and the process for identification of microcystins is described.

This text is a source of information on the toxicity of anaesthetic agents. The editors define toxicity in a broad sense to mean an adverse effect, whether that effect is the result of pharmacological, toxicological, physiological, or other mechanisms. They bring together reviews by experts in the disciplines concerned - including biochemistry, genetics, and immunology - involved in current research on these adverse effects.; The initial chapters provide an understanding of the factors responsible for toxicity, and the ways in which the adverse effects of anaesthetics can be investigated. Subsequent chapters cover topics such as: hepatotoxicity; nephrotoxicity; malignant hyperthermia triggered by anaesthetics; pulmonary effects of anaesthesia; toxicity of local anaesthetic agents; toxicity of nitrous oxide; immunosuppression in the postoperative period; and reproductive and developmental toxicity of anaesthetics. Many of the contributors offer insights into the anaesthetics and their interactions, such as the immunological effects of anaesthesia and the impact of pharmacogenetics.

First Published in 1992. The last decade of the twentieth century has seen an unprecedented advocacy for the preservation of a safe environment, and the prevention of ill-health from toxic chemicals. Human activity, however, is responsible for introducing new toxins into the environment. In order to control competitors for human food sources, an armament of pesticides has been assembled and their widespread and largely uncontrolled application has been permitted. It is only when the health of the population begins to suffer from the effects of these chemicals that the efficacy of their use is questioned. Decision-makers whose roles involve the promotion and control of the environment must look to lessons that can be learnt from biosystems that include animals other than man. Toxins and Targets details the way in which organisms from diverse habitats in the plant and animal kingdoms have adapted to handle toxins safely. Part I, on the aquatic environment, highlights the means by which marine organisms have adapted their toxins to be effective in a world of high aqueous solubility and infinite dilution. Part II deals with venomous terrestrial organisms and the mechanisms by which they damage animal cells, and Part III considers the way in which human society attempts to investigate toxicity and to control both synthetic and naturally occurring poisons. The development of a safe environ ment depends on increased knowledge and novel approaches to solving escalating problems. This book is a step towards this end.

* Toxics A to Z features and alphabetical listing of over 100 toxics, identifying ...* What they are* How they are measured* Where they are found* The symptoms of exposure* What their known risks are* How we can lessen or avoid those risks* An easy-to-use Cross-Reference Guide to help readers identify toxics in 18 major groups, including indoor and outdoor air pollutants, household items, and lawn and garden products* A glossary of terms, explanation of abbreviations, and listing of sources for further help and information

The dependency of the human race on plants as renewable sources of many foodstuffs, drugs, textiles, fuel, and building materials in generally acknowledged. However, the harmful effects produced by certain plant constituents, which result in an increasing incidence of poisoning cases in the United States each year, are not so widely appreciated. This book is not intended to be a comprehensive treatise on all substances from plants that are lethal or otherwise injurious to humans or livestock. Instead, owing to tremendous recent advances in the understanding of the chemical nature of their toxic principles, it reviews selected toxic plants which have been hitherto inadequately documented in previous texts.

Toxins and Other Harmful Compounds in Foods provides information on the contents, distribution, chemical properties, and biological activity of toxins and other harmful compounds in foods that are natural components of the raw materials, accumulated due to microbial actions and environmental pollution, or are generated due to processing. This book shows how different factors related to the production of raw materials, as well as to storage and processing conditions, affect the presence and concentration of toxins and other harmful compounds in foods. It shows how various regulations, as well as unit operations and processes used in food production, may eliminate different toxins or generate new ones. The real health hazards for the consumers resulting from the presence of toxic/harmful compounds in aliments are discussed, and various national and international regulations obligatory in agriculture and industry aimed at increasing food safety are presented. Methods of analysis used for detection and determination of undesirable compounds are also discussed, making it possible to understand the effect of storage and processing parameters, as well as systems of quality assurance, on food safety and to select optimum procedures for analytical control.

Following the success of the first edition, this book is designed to provide practical and timely information for toxicologic pathologists working in pharmaceutical drug discovery and development. The majority of the book (Organ Systems) will provide detailed descriptions of histopathological lesions observed in drug development. In addition, it will provide information to assist the pathologist in making determinations of the origin of lesions as well as its relevance to human risk. Toxicologic Pathology: Nonclinical Safety Assessment, Second Edition includes 2 new concept chapters. The first of the new chapters address approaches for the evaluation of unique therapeutic modalities such as cell therapies, gene therapies, and gene expression knockdown therapies. While these still represent new developing therapeutic approaches, there has been significant experience with the therapeutic modalities in the last 5 years. The second new chapter addresses the nonclinical safety assessment of medical devices, a topic of increasing importance that was not addressed in a unique chapter in the first edition. The other concept chapters have been updated and cover important topics including the overview of drug development; principles of nonclinical safety assessment; an introduction to toxicologic pathology; techniques used in toxicologic pathology, clinical pathology, toxicokinetics, and drug development toxicogenomics; and spontaneous lesions. The 13 organ system chapters provide the specifics related to pathologic characteristics, differential diagnosis, and interpretation of toxic responses in each organ system. These chapters are specifically important for the bench pathologist but also for the toxicologist who interacts with pathologists and function as study toxicologists and project team representatives in the drug development arena.