Pollutants, Human Health and the Environment: A Risk Based Approach

Pollutants, the Environment and Human Health is a comprehensive, up–to–date overview of environmental pollutants that are of current concern to human health. Clearly structured throughout, the main body of the book is divided by pollutant type with a chapter devoted to each group of pollutants. Each chapter will follow a similar format to facilitate comparison and discussion. For each pollutant, the authors describe the sources, pathways, environmental fate and sinks as well as known toxicological effects. Importantly the second chapter on heavy metals and other inorganic substances will deal with trace element deficiencies which can have serious problems for human health. Some rocks and soils are naturally low in some trace elements and intensive agriculture over the past half century has effectively mined many trace elements reducing their levels in soils and crops. The final chapter will be a discussion about the various risk assessment frameworks and regulations covering the main pollutants. Comprehensive, up–to–date coverage of environmental pollutants of concern to human health Clearly divided into pollutant type with each chapter devoted to a different pollutant group Clearly structured throughout with the same format for each chapter to help facilitate comparison and discussion and enable readers to prioritise chemicals of concern Description of the sources, pathways, environmental fate and known toxicological effect Includes contributions from leading researchers and edited by a team of experts in the field

Forewords xi Tribute xiii The Editors xv Contributors xvii Acknowledgements xix Introduction 1 Jane A. Plant, Nikolaos Voulvoulis and K. Vala Ragnarsdottir 1 The scientific appraisal of hazardous substances in the environment 5 Olwenn V. Martin and Jane A. Plant 1.1 Introduction 5 1.2 Fundamental concepts of toxicology 5 1.3 Some notions of environmental epidemiology 13 1.4 Scientific evidence and the precautionary principle 19 1.5 Uncertainty and controversy: the endocrine disruption example 20 1.6 Concluding remarks 23 References 23 2 Regulatory systems and guidelines for the management of risk 27 Dieudonne–Guy Ohandja, Sally Donovan, Pamela Castle, Nikolaos Voulvoulis and Jane A. Plant 2.1 Introduction 27 2.2 Current regulation on chemicals 28 2.3 Guideline values 34 2.4 Conclusions and recommendations 47 References 47 3 Essential and beneficial trace elements 53 Xiyu Phoon, E. Louise Ander and Jane A. Plant 3.1 Introduction 53 3.2 Hazardous properties 56 3.3 Sources 59 3.4 Environmental pathways 63 3.5 Effects on human receptors 68 3.6 Risk reduction 77 References 79 4 Toxic trace elements 87 Jilang Pan, Ho–Sik Chon, Mark R. Cave, Christopher J. Oates and Jane A. Plant 4.1 Introduction 87 4.2 Hazardous properties 89 4.3 Sources 90 4.4 Environmental pathways 94 4.5 Effects on human receptors 101 4.6 Risk reduction 107 References 108 5 Radioactivity and radioelements 115 Jane A. Plant, Barry Smith, Xiyu Phoon and K. Vala Ragnarsdottir 5.1 Introduction 115 5.2 Hazardous properties 122 5.3 Sources 125 5.4 Environmental pathways 132 5.5 Bioaccessibility and bioavailability 136 5.6 Risk reduction 139 References 141 6 Industrial chemicals 147 Danelle Dhaniram, Alexandra Collins, Khareen Singh and Nikolaos Voulvoulis 6.1 Introduction 147 6.2 Hazardous properties 148 6.3 Sources 156 6.4 Environmental pathways 161 6.5 Human health 164 6.6 Risk reduction and future trends 170 References 172 7 Agricultural pesticides and chemical fertilisers 181 Rebecca McKinlay, Jason Dassyne, Mustafa B. A. Djamgoz, Jane A. Plant and Nikolaos Voulvoulis 7.1 Introduction 181 7.2 Pesticides 183 7.3 Fertilisers 195 7.4 Risk reduction for pesticides and chemical fertilisers 197 References 199 8 Pharmaceuticals and personal–care products 207 James Treadgold, Qin–Tao Liu, Jane A. Plant and Nikolaos Voulvoulis 8.1 Introduction 207 8.2 Hazardous properties 208 8.3 Anthropogenic sources 210 8.4 Pathways and environmental fate 215 8.5 Physiological effects 218 8.6 Risk assessment, communication and reduction 219 8.7 Future trends 220 References 221 9 Naturally occurring oestrogens 229 Olwenn V. Martin and Richard M. Evans 9.1 Introduction 229 9.2 Hazardous properties 231 9.3 Sources 240 9.4 Environmental pathways 241 9.5 Effects on humans 243 9.6 Risk reduction 248 References 249 10 Airborne particles 255 Edward Derbyshire, Claire J. Horwell, Timothy P. Jones and Teresa D. Tetley 10.1 Introduction 255 10.2 Hazardous properties 257 10.3 Sources 261 10.4 Global pathways 266 10.5 Health effects of inhaled particulate material 270 10.6 Risk reduction and future trends 277 References 281 11 Engineered nanomaterials 287 Superb K. Misra, Teresa D. Tetley, Andrew Thorley, Aldo R. Boccaccini and Eugenia Valsami–Jones 11.1 Introduction 287 11.2 Useful and hazardous properties 289 11.3 Sources of NPs 299 11.4 Environmental pathways 300 11.5 Regulation and effects on human receptors 301 11.6 Future trends and risk reduction 312 References 313 Conclusions: pollutants, risk and society 319 Richard Owen, Jane A. Plant, K. Vala Ragnarsdottir and Nikolaos Voulvoulis Index 327

“Overall, this book is valuable to the field of cancer disparity research and will be a good addition to any library, particularly those that cater to the disadvantaged members of the US population.”  ( Perspectives in Public Health , 6 July 2013) “This book provides a balanced view of the risks and benefits of several groups of substances such as essential, toxic, trace and radioactive elements; synthetic organic agricultural and industrial chemicals and pharmaceuticals; and particulates and nano–materials . . . The chapters may be useful as guidelines for the management of risk. The book will be quite useful for a wide spectrum of readership across the world.”  ( Environment & Ecology , 1 October 2012) “The book is clearly written, includes extensive references, and is well–illustrated.”  ( Book News , 1 April 2012)