This book, the first of three volumes, provides a thorough background to the emerging field of neurobehavioral toxicology by looking at current clinical approaches and tests, as well as assessing current clinical research. The analysis of the impact of toxins on the human nervous system is particularly pertinent given the ongoing expansion of pharmaceuticals, industrial hazards, biological warfare and global pollution. A comprehensive introduction to neurobehavioral toxicology, this work will be of interest to practicing neurologists and neuropsychologists, as well as to occupational medicine physicians and medical toxicologists.

Ecotoxicology is a relatively new scientific discipline. Indeed, it might be argued that it is only during the last 5-10 years that it has come to merit being regarded as a true science, rather than a collection of procedures for protecting the environment through management and monitoring of pollutant discharges into the environment. The term 'ecotoxicology' was first coined in the late sixties by Prof. Truhaut, a toxicologist who had the vision to recognize the importance of investigating the fate and effects of chemicals in ecosystems. At that time, ecotoxicology was considered a sub-discipline of medical toxicology. Subsequently, several attempts have been made to portray ecotoxicology in a more realistic light. Notably, both Moriarty (1988) and F. Ramade (1987) emphasized in their books the broad basis of ecotoxicology, encompassing chemical and radiation effects on all components of ecosystems. In doing so, they and others have shifted concern from direct chemical toxicity to humans, to the far more subtle effects that pollutant chemicals exert on natural biota. Such effects potentially threaten the existence of all life on earth. Although I have identified the sixties as the era when ecotoxicology was first conceived as a coherent subject area, it is important to acknowledge that studies that would now be regarded as ecotoxicological are much older.

This book provides an overview of Asphyxial Deaths which includes hanging, strangulation, choking, smothering, gagging, drowning, aspiration, mechanical and chemical asphyxiants, etc. Postmortem examination often leads to doubts as a clear distinction between the different type of asphyxia cannot be made easily. Forensic and physiological aspects are discussed with the help of illustrative cases. The author discusses the different aspects of asphyxia deaths and substantiates multiple case studies to establish a scientific approach that can act as a guideline to the autopsy surgeon in providing a precise opinion and clarify doubts for the judiciary involved in such criminal justice cases. Key Features * Presents individual case studies of Asphyxial deaths. * Covers the guidelines to be followed by the autopsy surgeons in different cases. * Discusses the physiological aspects of Asphyxial deaths in detail. * Illustrates the cases in a stepwise manner with more than 350 colored photographs of postmortem examination.

The Comprehensive Sourcebook of Bacterial Protein Toxins, Fourth Edition, contains chapters written by internationally known and well-respected specialists. This book contains chapters devoted to individual toxins, as well as chapters that consider the different applications of these toxins. Considerable progress has been made in understanding the structure, function, interaction and trafficking into cells, as well as mechanism of action of toxins. Bacterial toxins are involved in the pathogenesis of many bacteria, some of which are responsible for severe diseases in human and animals, but can also be used as tools in cell biology to dissect cellular processes or used as therapeutic agents. Novel recombinant toxins are already proposed in the treatment of some diseases, as well as new vaccines. Alternatively, certain toxins are also considered as biological weapons or bioterrorism threats. Given the multifaceted aspects of toxin research and the multidisciplinary approaches adopted, toxins are of great interest in many scientific areas from microbiology, virology, cell biology to biochemistry and protein structure. This new edition is written with a multidisciplinary audience in mind and contains 5 new chapters that reflect the latest research in this area. Other chapters have been combined, deleted and fully revised as necessary to deliver relevant and valuable content.

Chemical substances, physical agents and built structures bear various types of hazard due to their immanent toxic, mutagenic, carcinogenic, reprotoxic and sensitizing character or being destructive for the immune and hormone system. The first step in managing the environment contaminated by chemical substances is to characterize the hazard and quantify their risk manifested when the chemical substances interact with the environment. Chemical models - using only chemical analytical data - are still the most widespread ones for the assessment of adverse effects and the fate and behavior of chemicals in the environment. The chemical models rely on the assumption that the adverse effect is proportional to the concentration, which does not apply in most cases. Other models, such as biological and ecological ones or the regression models are discussed in detail and compared to each other. Environmental risk management has two compartments: risk assessment and risk reduction. Environmental risk comes to a large extent from adverse effects of chemicals and contaminated land; that is why measuring and testing these adverse effects play a key role in risk management.Environmental Toxicology deals with direct measurement of adverse effects of pure chemicals or environmental samples. This book overviews hundreds of standardized and non-standardized, generic and site-specific, conventional and innovative, animal and alternative test methods and demonstrates the utilization of their results for the purposes of regulation and managing environmental risk. The volume gives a general overview on environmental toxicology adapted for engineers. In addition to human, aquatic and terrestrial toxicity measuring methods, new trends in environmental analytics and the integration and complementary use of chemical analyses and the testing of effects are described. Bioavailability and accessibility as key parameters are detailed and the interactive and dynamic testing for their characterization is introduced. Great emphasis is placed on the evaluation and interpretation of environmental fate and adverse effect data as well as the simulation of environmental processes and effects in microcosms and mesocosms.

This book is a comprehensive review of the instrumental analytical methods and their use in environmental monitoring site assessment and remediation follow-up operations. The increased concern about environmental issues such as water pollution, air pollution, accumulation of pollutants in food, global climate change, and effective remediation processes necessitate the precise determination of various types of chemicals in environmental samples. In general, all stages of environmental work start with the evaluation of organic and inorganic environmental samples. This important book furnishes the fundamentals of instrumental chemical analysis methods to various environmental applications and also covers recent developments in instrumental chemical methods. Covering a wide variety of topics in the field, the book: * Presents an introduction to environmental chemistry * Presents the fundamentals of instrumental chemical analysis methods that are used mostly in the environmental work. * Examines instrumental methods of analysis including UV/Vis, FTIR, atomic absorption, induced coupled plasma emission, electrochemical methods like potentiometry, voltametry, coulometry, and chromatographic methods such as GC and HPLC * Presents newly introduced chromatographic methodologies such as ion electrophoresis, and combinations of chromatography with pyrolysis methods are given * Discusses selected methods for the determinations of various pollutants in water, air, and land Readers will gain a general review of modern instrumental method of chemical analysis that is useful in environmental work and will learn how to select methods for analyzing certain samples. Analytical instrumentation and its underlying principles are presented, along with the types of sample for which each instrument is best suited. Some noninstrumental techniques, such as colorimetric detection tubes for gases and immnosassays, are also discussed.

Toxicology has never been more important. Advances in chemistry and technology offering improvements in the quality of human life become ever more rapid, bringing with them the potential for new toxicity hazards. This has led to legislation requiring toxicity testing and risk assessment for all chemicals and their uses. The new REACH (Risk Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals) Regulation has profound economic consequences because, without official authorization, a chemical cannot be marketed. This book explains, in depth, the ideas underlying current advances in toxicology and its application in regulating and ensuring the safe use of chemicals. Sometimes old ideas have become assumptions that have become embedded in related laws and regulation, even though the thinking of toxicologists has moved on in line with developments in science. This leads to confusion in public understanding that the book should dispel. There are also fundamental ideas in toxicology that are not well understood concerning the concepts of hazard and risk and even about what constitutes a chemical. For many people the word 'chemical' describes manmade substances only. In fact, it is correctly applied to all substances that exist, from pure elements to the most complex biological molecules in food and medicines. This is further complicated by the complex distinction between the descriptors, 'toxic' and 'nontoxic'. Developments in epigenetics are revolutionizing our understanding of mutagenicity and carcinogenicity. Improved understanding of apoptosis and necrosis leads to improved interpretation of potentially toxic effects at the cellular level. The recently defined term 'chemical speciation' is driving more targeted research on the toxicity of inorganic chemicals. This book explains the concepts implied by key toxicological terms using diagrams to illustrate the relationships between them. It is an essential aid to understanding the new demands from regulators of risk assessment and to the implementation of appropriate risk management.

Chromium and its compounds are widely used by modern industries resulting in large quantities of this element being discharged into the environment and there is now a growing concern about the effects of chromium in the environment. This volume provides a comprehensive assessment of the uses of chromium, its sources and occurrence in the air, water and soils. It gives a detailed and expert description of chromium chemistry, analytical chemistry, biochemistry and known health effects. It also contains a comprehensive compendium of epidemiological data listed according to exposure type along with models of toxicity. Most of the known environmental and health effects of chromium are treated here along with a discussion of dose-response relationships. A key aspect of the book and one of its most useful features is that it serves as a guide to the analytical procedures and their limitations that are suitable for use in environmental and biological monitoring.

The field of humic matter research has undergone drastic changes in concepts and principles since the first edition of Humic Matter in Soil and the Environment: Principles and Controversies was published more than a decade ago. Still the only book of its kind specifically addressing humic acid principles and controversies, the Second Edition presents the newest advances in humic acid science. Eleven new and rewritten chapters replace the original nine, with updated material representing modern humic acid chemistry. This includes the delineation of organic matter, humus, and humic matter. The book begins by considering organic matter as a whole, describing terrestrial and aquatic organic matter. It examines humus as a mixture of humified and nonhumified organic matter, focusing also on the importance of the nonhumified fraction-plant biopolymers in their original or slightly decomposed forms-as raw materials for formation of the humic fraction. The book then presents concepts of humic matter, referred to as humic acid, covering a range of ideas from traditional views of biopolymers to the latest concepts based on micellar, supramolecular, and nanotube chemistry. The author presents the major pathways of humification and discusses humification theories. He also examines the extraction, isolation, and fractionation of humic matter. The book reviews the chemical composition and model structures of humic acids, the chemical and spectroscopic characterization of humic substances, and the electrochemical properties of humic matter. It also addresses the agronomic, environmental, and industrial (including pharmaceutical) importance of humic matter. This revised and updated edition continues the tradition of providing comprehensive coverage of the genesis, extraction, properties, and impacts of humic matter.

This title includes a number of Open Access chapters. Although adverse health effects of heavy metals have been known for a long time, exposure to heavy metals continues and is even increasing in some areas. Remediating heavy metal contaminated soils and water is necessary to reduce the associated health and ecological risks, make the land resource available for agricultural production, enhance food security, and scale down land tenure problems. This book discusses the causes and the environmental impact of heavy metal contamination. It then explores many exciting new methods of analysis and decontamination currently studied and applied in the field today.

Toxins and Biologically Active Compounds from Microalgae: Volume 2: Biological Effects and Risk Management is devoted to the effects toxic microalgae and their poisonous products exert on living systems and how they may affect human activities. The most advanced information regarding the molecular mechanisms of action of major groups of toxins is presented, to frame for the description of toxic responses found in living systems exposed to microalgal toxins. Accounts of the recognized environmental effects of harmful algal blooms and the existing therapeutic applications of some toxins have been included. The picture is completed by the description of current initiatives to manage the risks posed by toxic microalgae, including strategies for the detoxification of contaminated seafood and the efforts to use most advanced informatic tools for the development of models for robust predictions regarding the appearance and the dynamics of harmful algal blooms. The complexity of risk management in the field is presented from a global perspective by highlighting major issues approached in world regions whose economic importance with regard to the production and commercialization of seafood is undeniable.

This book provides a structured account of the existing knowledge of toxic algae, the chemistry of the toxins they produce, the effects these substances exert in humans and wildlife, as well as the strategies envisaged to protect public health and the environment. It covers recent advances in the understanding of the biology of toxin producers and the factors involved in the appearance and dynamics of harmful algae blooms, the factors affecting toxin production, the synthesis of toxins both in natural producers and by chemical means in a lab, and the toxin groups posing continuing and novel hazards to living systems.

The incorporation of nanomaterials into products can improve performance, efficiency, and durability in various fields ranging from construction, energy management, catalysis, microelectronics, plastics, coatings, and paints to consumer articles such as foods and cosmetics. But innovation never comes at zero risk. The potential hazards resulting from human exposure during production, use, or disposal has raised concerns and targeted research early on. Safety of Nanomaterials along Their Lifecycle: Release, Exposure, and Human Hazards presents the state of the art in nanosafety research from a lifecycle perspective. Although major knowledge gaps still exist, solid data are now available to identify scenarios of critical risk as well as those of safe nanomaterial use for our benefit. The book is divided into four parts: characterization, hazard, release and exposure, and real-life case studies. To improve coherence throughout the book, various chapters review the same suite of well-characterized, judiciously chosen, and identical industrial nanomaterials. The book is a helpful resource to professionals in product development, industrial design, regulatory agencies, and materials scientists and engineers involved in the safety of nanomaterials.

Comprehensive coverage of the field of toxicology which illustrates its importance to and impact on society; Uses pertinent examples, tables and diagrams to aid understanding with learning objectives, and summaries, questions and answers for each chapter; Clearly and concisely written and presented concepts for easy comprehension by toxicology, biomedical, and health science students; Examines the complex interactions associated with toxicological events; Covers effect of toxins on biological and physiological systems;

This book explains the chemistry of Organophosphorus compounds (OPs), their mechanism of toxicity and the history of OPs from their initial discovery to the development of new compounds such as Novichoks. It details the harmful effects to human health both as a result of acute and chronic OP exposure and the necessary clinical management of affected patients to reduce their toxic side effects. The book also explains the detrimental effect that OPs have had on the environment and the efforts being made to prevent this in the future. Finally, the book looks at the incidents where OPs have been used as chemical warfare agents. "Basic and Clinical Toxicology of Organophosphorus Compounds "aims to act as a comprehensive guide to all aspects of OPs and is a key resource for clinical toxicologists and related health professionals involved in the prevention, diagnosis and clinical management of OP patients, toxicologists and other scientists involved in research on OPs including regulatory issues and postgraduate students in Toxicology and related fields.

presents a history of radioecology, from World War II through to the critical years of the Cold War reviews, synthesizes and discusses the implications of the ecological research supported by the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) of the United States government, from World War II to the early 1970s. will be of great interest to students and scholars of radioecology, environmental pollution, environmental technology, bioscience and environmental history.

Despite the connections between soils and human health, there has not been a great amount of attention focused on this area when compared to many other fields of scientific and medical study. Soils and Human Health brings together authors from diverse fields with an interest in soils and human health, including soil science, geology, geography, biology, and anthropology to investigate this issue from a number of perspectives. The book includes a soil science primer chapter for readers from other fields, and discusses the ways the soil science community can contribute to improving our understanding of soils and human health. Features Discusses ways the soil science community can contribute to the improvement of soil health Approaches human health from a soils-focused perspective, covering the influence of soil conservation and contact with soil on human health Illustrates topics via case studies including arsenic in groundwater in Bangladesh; the use of Agent Orange in Vietnam; heavy metal contamination in Shipham, United Kingdom and Omaha, Nebraska, USA; and electronic waste recycling in China. In a scientific world where the trend has often been ever-increasing specialization and increasingly difficult communication between fields and subfields, the interdisciplinary nature of soils and human health studies presents a significant challenge going forward. Fields with an interest in soils and human health need to have increased cross-disciplinary communication and cooperation. This book is a step in the direction of accessibility and innovation, elucidating the state of knowledge in the meeting of soil and health sciences, and identifying places where more work is needed.

Quantitative Ecotoxicology, Second Edition explores models and methods of quantitative ecotoxicology at progressively higher biological scales using worked examples and common software packages. It complements the author's previous books, Fundamentals of Ecotoxicology, Third Edition and Ecotoxicology: A Comprehensive Treatment. Encouraging a more rigorous inferential approach to research, the book examines the quantitative features of the science of ecotoxicology. The first chapters lay the foundation by introducing fundamental concepts and definitions. The author traces the historical perspective, rationale, and characteristics of scientific ecotoxicology as well as the general measurement process. He also considers methodologies for defining and controlling variance, which could otherwise exclude valid conclusions from ecotoxicological endeavors. The book then discusses ecotoxicological concepts at increasing levels of ecological organization and outlines quantitative methods used to measure toxicant accumulation and effects. Reflecting the importance of establishing type I and type II error rates, it highlights design issues, particularly sample size and power estimation. The final chapter summarizes the book with a brief discussion of ecotoxicology from a nonregulatory perspective. Extensively updated, this second edition has been expanded to include terrestrial as well as aquatic ecotoxicology. Requiring only a basic knowledge of statistics, this highly readable book is suitable for graduate students and researchers as well as practicing environmental scientists and engineers. It guides readers to better understand the fate and effects of toxicants in the biosphere-and helps them frame this understanding in quantitative terms. What's New in This Edition More than 40 new figures and 20 new worked examples Updated measurement quality methods and software Expanded coverage of synecological models and methods More integration of Bayesian concepts Appendices for power analysis and basic matrix methods Additional mixture toxicity and up-and-down methods Greatly expanded discussion of significance testing Expanded discussion of metapopulations Matrix tools for population demography Light isotope-based models for trophic transfer of toxicants Inclusion of metacommunity and SHE analysis techniques R script examples by Eduard Szoecs (University Koblenz-Landau) available at http://edild.github.io/blog/categories/quantitative-ecotoxicology-with-r/

Modern technology using state-of-the-art equipment can now identify almost any toxin relevant to a legal issue. Techniques include gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, high-pressure liquid chromatography, and the combination of these methods. Forensic Toxicology: Medico-legal Case Studies demonstrates how the science of forensic toxicology acts as a bridge between medicine and law. Tracking the progression of toxicology findings from the laboratory to the courtroom, it prepares practicing toxicologists to write reports and testify at depositions and in court.

The book explains the organization of clinical laboratories and includes sections on accreditation, quality control, method validation, and other critical topics. It provides an overview of the U.S. legal system, describes the process of writing a toxicology report, and offers techniques for deposition and courtroom testimony.

Covering a broad range of topics, the book offers detailed analysis of situations ranging from the rare and unusual to those that toxicologists most often confront, including:

• Determining serum/blood ethanol levels
• Ethylene glycol poisoning
• Plant and animal toxins
• Alcohol intoxication and breathalyzer tests
• Synergistic effects of alcohol and drugs
• Prescription drug overdose
• Toxic torts
• Workers compensation issues

Written in an accessible and well-organized style, this volume is an essential guide for forensic toxicologists at all levels who need to understand how to best present the science of toxicology in the forensic arena.

The most talked about metalloid in the modern world, arsenic affects the liver, kidney, and lungs; leads to cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and diabetes; and may cause blindness with long-time exposure. With naturally occurring arsenic boosted by mining and other industrial processes contaminating soil and drinking water, arsenic toxicity is a major challenge to health professionals and scientists around the world. Arsenic Toxicity: Prevention and Treatment reviews current understanding of arsenic poisoning and the health consequences resulting from exposure. The book paints a vivid picture of the sources of arsenic toxicity including ground water; food such as rice, fruits and vegetables, fish, and chicken as well as occupational exposures from industries using inorganic arsenic such as glass production, non-ferrous alloy, wood preservation, and semiconductor manufacturing units. The text details the health hazards of arsenic toxicity and then examines removal, mainly from soil and water, highlighting eco-friendly bioremediation techniques. It discusses classical and modern treatment methods for arsenic toxicity, emphasizing the use of nutraceuticals and functional foods. With its focus on the remediation of arsenic toxicity using nutraceutical and functional food, the book provides a unique resource for combatting this global scourge. It provides strategies for defending arsenic toxicity naturally without causing any additional adverse effects.

This title includes a number of Open Access chapters. Climate change threatens our planet's future. Since it's too late to prevent climate change, we must find ways to prepare for it, while doing all we can to slow down the processes that are causing it. The editor of this compendium, an experienced and respected scientist in the field, has collected research vital to the challenges we are facing. The book offers a multi-perspective look at ways to reduce greenhouse gases and find fossil fuel alternatives from a truly international roster of researchers and scientists.

This volume covers a selection of important research in the multifaceted field of food toxicology. With more than seven billion people in the world today and counting, advances in food toxicology have a direct bearing on food safety issues that are of concern to all humanity for the foreseeable future. Massive globalization, industrialization, and commercialization have affected every aspect of food production, the food supply chain, and food consumption. This informative volume offers the global perspectives of scientists in important areas related to biomarkers and nanosensors in food toxicology, toxicology of nanomaterials, chemicals in sanitation and packaging, additives, mycotoxins, endocrine disruptors, radionuclides, toxic metals, and waste-burning residues in food. The book also emphasizes regulatory toxicology and includes an interesting example case study. The challenge of sustainable and safe food for everyone needs a multidisciplinary and multi-sectorial approach from related industries and governments alike. Food chemical safety is an underappreciated aspect of consumer safety, and this volume seeks to help fill that gap by providing informative research for food scientists and researchers and many others.

Designed for upper-level undergraduate and graduate-level courses, Forensic Toxicology: Mechanisms and Pathology introduces toxicology concepts from a forensic perspective. The book provides an understanding of the mechanistic basis of the action of drugs and toxins, addressing their physiologic and pathologic consequences on the affected organ system. It is this essential connection of toxicology to physiology and biological systems that provides the basis for the toxicologist to understand the basis of behavioral effects of drugs, and for the forensic pathologist to determine cause of death when drugs may be involved. The book gives an overview of organ system physiology and pathology, and the ways in which toxins and drugs affect those systems. Case histories, photographs of gross pathology, and photomicrographs further illustrate the processes and effects of toxic substances on the body. The book also focuses on technological advances in the field and includes cases that demonstrate real-world consequences of the effects of toxins upon organ systems, such as impairment in a DUI case or the fatal induction of cardiac arrhythmia. A comprehensive introduction to pathology and toxicologic concepts, Forensic Toxicology: Mechanisms and Pathology describes the means for identifying types of toxins as well as the key patterns and impacts of drug and toxin processes within the body.

This book delineates how systems biology, pharmacogenomic, and behavioral approaches, as applied to neurodevelopmental toxicology, provide a structure to arrange information in a biological model. The text reviews and discusses approaches that can be used as effective tools to dissect mechanisms underlying pharmacological and toxicological phenomena associated with the exposure to drugs or environmental toxicants during development. The book intends to elaborate functional outcomes of component-to-component relationships using rodent and nonhuman primate in vitro and in vivo models that allow for the directional and quantitative description of the complete organism in response to environmental perturbations. In addition, attention has also been directed to some of the more recent methodologies, including genomics, proteomics and metabolomics, applied in the evolutionary neurobiological field.

This book presents an integrated discussion on ecotoxicology, containing both general concepts and specific ecotoxicological issues of major biological groups, extending beyond conventional systems. It explores worldwide, regional, and biocompartmentalized topics, bringing forth new points of view on global issues and addressing the increasing diversity and complexity of the ecotoxicological field. It also contains novel information on emerging contaminants, presents bioaccumulation effects on different levels of ecological organization and risk analyses, and discusses novel fields of methodological applications, including key aspects in ecotoxicological and environmental monitoring studies.