Ecotoxicology of Organic Contaminants

Eros Bacci

• Publisher: CRC Press
• Year: 2026
• eBook ISBN:
  9781040893555
• Topic: Physical Sciences
• Subtopic: Environmental Science

This book presents an integrated approach to understanding environmental contamination problems through the use of techniques from environmental chemistry, toxicology, ecology, and ecotoxicology. Basing much of his information on his 21 years of experience in the field, the author proposes innovative strategies for studying the environmental fate of contaminants, evaluating the effects, and producing scientific criteria for environmental safety. The book is clearly written, with all terms defined and equations explained with examples of their application. Weak points in the present knowledge are pointed out and discussed. An extensive list of references is provided for individuals who wish to delve deeper into the subject.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• Section 1. Approaches to the Assessment of the Environmental Fate of Chemical Contaminants
• 1.1. Introduction
• 1.1.1 Contamination and Pollution
• 1.1.2. Perception
• 1.1.3. The Retrospective Approach
• 1.1.4. Less “Where?”, more “How?” and “Why?”
• 1.1.5. The Need for Prediction
• 1.2. Predictive Approaches and Models
• 1.2.1. Laboratory Models
• 1.2.2. Physicomathematical Models
• 1.3. The Role of Physicochemical Properties
• 1.3.1. Physical Properties
• 1.3.2. Chemical and Reaction Properties
• 1.3.3. Persistence: Reactivity and Mobility
• 1.3.4. Partition Coefficients
• 1.3.4.1 K and K
• 1.3.4.2. K-related partition coefficients
• 1.3.4.3. Other important partition coefficients
• 1.4. Evaluative Models
• 1.4.1. Thermodynamic Models in Pairs of Environmental Phases
• 1.4.2. Thermodynamic Multimedia Models: The Fugacity Approach
• 1.4.3. Kinetic Models
• 1.4.4. Ranking the Contamination Potential
• 1.4.4.1. Vapor drift and inadvertent residues in crops
• 1.4.4.2. Ranking the contamination potential for water compartments
• 1.5. The Role of Field Studies
• References
• Section 2. Environmental Toxicology
• 2.1. Introduction
• 2.2. Classic Toxicology
• 2.2.1. Effects and Responses
• 2.2.2. Measurement of Effects
• 2.2.2.1. Acute toxicity
• 2.2.2.2 Chronic toxicity
• 2.2.2.3. Experimental design and false negative errors
• 2.2.2.4. Mutagenic and carcinogenic substances
• 2.2.2.4.1. Short-term tests (in vitro tests) and biomarkers
• 2.2.2.4.2. Animal bioassay approach
• 2.3. Toxicology of Mixtures
• 2.3.1. Direct Tests
• 2.3.2. Use of Toxicity Data on Single Chemicals
• 2.4. Field Studies: Biological Monitoring and Nondestructive Biomarkers
• 2.5 Predictive Tools in Environmental Toxicology (SARs)
• 2.5.1. SARs and Potential Carcinogenicity
• 2.5.2. Nonspecific Toxicity and QSARs
• 2.5.3. Interspecies Correlations
• 2.6. The Need for the Evaluation of Responses at the Ecosystem Level
• 2.6.1. Field Studies (Ecosystem Monitoring)
• 2.6.2. Laboratory Models
• 2.6.3. Statistical Methods: The Hazardous Concentration Approach
• 2.6.4. The Keystone Species Approach
• References
• Section 3. Hazard Evaluation and Risk Assessment
• 3.1. Introduction
• 3.1.1. Hazard and Risk: Definitions
• 3.2. Environmental Fate Assessment
• 3.2.1. Integrating Data from Simple Physicomathematical Models, Field Studies, and Laboratory Models
• 3.2.2. Selection of Targets
• 3.2.3. Exposure Assessment
• 3.3. Hazard and Risk Characterization
• 3.3.1. Quantifying the Hazard
• 3.3.2. Estimating the Risk
• 3.4. The Ecotoxicological Approach. An Example of Application: Semivolatile Organochlorinated Hydrocarbons (SOCs) in the Mediterranean Sea: Sources, Fate, and Hazard Assessment
• 3.4.1. Production and Uses
• 3.4.1.1. PCBs
• 3.4.1.2. HCB
• 3.4.1.3. HCHs
• 3.4.1.4. DDTs
• 3.4.2. Environmental Distribution and Fate
• 3.4.3. Sources of Contamination
• 3.4.4. Present Status of Contamination in the Off-Shore Mediterranean
• 3.4.4.1. Air
• 3.4.4.2. Water
• 3.4.4.3. Sediments
• 3.4.4.4. Fish
• 3.4.5. An Evaluative Model to Interpret Results
• 3.4.6. Future Trends and Hazard Assessment to Wildlife
• 3.4.6.1. Aquatic organisms
• 3.4.6.1.1. PCBs
• 3.4.6.1.2. HCB
• 3.4.6.1.3. HCHs
• 3.4.6.1.4. DDTs
• 3.4.6.2. Marine mammals and birds
• 3.4.6.2.1. Marine mammals
• 3.4.6.2.2. Marine birds
• 3.4.7. Risk Assessment to Man
• 3.4.8. Criteria for Environmental Recovery
• 3.5. Uncertainty of Present Approaches: Future Research Needs
• 3.6. Conclusions
• References
• Appendices
• Index