Environmental Toxicology

Introduction and History

Course Objectives
Elucidate basic principles of
toxicology as they apply to both
ecological and physiological
systems
Evaluate sources, effects, and fates
of toxins in individual components
of ecosystems
Promote understanding of how toxic
effects are integrated within
ecosystems and on a global scale
Increase knowledge of current
issues in environmental toxicology

Why teach Environmental Toxicology?
A relatively new science that grew
out of two phenomena

1. Dramatic presence of human species
on the landscape

2. Awareness of environmental
degradation (either real or potential)
the importance of a healthy
environment in maintaining the
quality of life
Increased Presence of Humans
Environmental degradation/improvement
1970 1986 2002
World popn (10
9
)
3.7 5.3 6.2
World carbon emissions (10
9
T)

3.9 5.2 6.6
Solid waste in U.S. /year (10
6
t)

100 130 369
Land in urban develop. (10
6
ac)
35 47 63
U.S. ac. treated w/herbicides (10
6
)
158 362 194
Coal use (10
6
t)
613 890 1065
Lead emissions (10
3
T)
204 21 6.2
Sulfur dioxide emissions (10
6
T)
27 21 10.2
Fish kills in US by pollution (10
6
)
22 10 10
Accidental oil spilled at sea (10
3
T)
84 6 116
DDT in human adipose tissue (ppm)
8 2 0.03
Ecology vs Toxicology vs Environmental Toxicology
Definitions
Ecology the study of the interactions among
organisms and between organisms and the
environment

Toxicology study of biological effects of toxins

Environmental toxicology
Truhart, 1969 - study of adverse effexcts of
chemicals and physical agents on living organisms
Duffus, 1980 study of effects of toxic substances
in both natural and human-created environments
Moriarity, 1985 study of the fate and effects of
toxic compounds on ecosystems
Calow, 1993 protection of ecological systems from
adverse effects by synthetic chemicals
Landis and Yu - ?
Environmental toxicology: an interdisciplinary
science
Encompasses multiple disciplines
Ecologists
Chemists
Molecular biologists
Geneticists
Pharmacologists
Mathematical modelers and statisticians

Happens because fundamental interaction of
toxicants is at the molecular level but effects
occur across multiple biological and physical
scales (see Fig. 1.1)
Difference between Toxicology and Environmental Toxicology
Single organisms Organisms-populations-
communities-ecosystems
Only direct effects measured Both direct and indirect
effects measured
White rats/mice Daphnia (water flea), fathead
minnow, midges, trout, Quail,
Mallard duck, algae
Homogeneous populations
under controlled laboratory
conditions
Natural populations in a
variable environment
Classical toxicology Environmental toxicology
Variable Environments

1. Water (1)
called
2. Air environmental
media
3. Soil
History of Environmental Toxicology
A relatively new discipline
2006 = 30
th
annual symposium of the
American Society for Testing Materials
(ASTM) and 27
th
meeting of the Society
of Environmental Toxicologists and
Chemists (SETAC)

Initial science directed at efficacy
testing of pesticides in 1940s moved
thru cleanup of burning rivers, polluted
lakes and wildlife kills of 1960s
environmental risk and life cycle
assessments of recently developed
compounds
Main events fostering change in public perception
and thus environmental regulations
Silent Spring
published

Cuyahoga River
catches fire

NEPA (National
Environmental
Policy Act)

Establishment of
the EPA

Environmental Science is driven by protective legislation
A. Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act
B. Toxic Substances Control Act (TOSCA)
C. Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide
Act (FIFRA)
D. Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA,
Superfund)
E. Clean Water Act (CWA) 1974
F. Clean Air Act (CAA) last amended in 1990

Note: can often have overlap of regulations with
different standards Ex. EPA reg. for Hg in wild
fish is 10X less than that allowed by FDA in
supermarket fish
Areas interacting within environmental toxicology

Scientific community (academia)

Governmental agencies

Industry

General Public
Scientific community (academia)

Intellectual and industrial force driving
environmental research

Mostly financed by governmental grants

Dissemination of information by peer-
reviewed publication, symposia and
conferences, workshops

Most work accomplished by graduate
students (Thank you, graduate students!)
Governmental agencies
Includes federal, state, provincial
(Canada!) and municipal agencies
Mostly act as developers and
enforcers of policy
Prime examples - US EPA, AR DEQ,
AR G&F
Also includes
FWS
ACE
NMFS
USCG
Lots of jobs paying decent $
Industry
Generally includes businesses that
mine, manufacture, transport, or use
chemicals
Most environmental regulations
designed to control above
Industry has to test for toxicity,
determine levels of chemicals,
design treatment systems
Often use environmental consulting
firms or in-house environmental staff
Fewer jobs but they can often pay
ridiculous amounts of $

General Public
Per Landis includes NGOs
Citizens groups
Rotary, Kiwanis
Unions
Environmental advocacy groups
Sierra Club
Audubon Society
World Wildlife Fund
Defenders of the Environment
Etc
Primary avenues of action
Informing laypersons
Lobbying legislators
?
Photo by R. Grippo
Midnight sunset over Alaskan fishing village