Book Description

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.