The study of the relationship between environmental pollution and human health is in its infancy. The number of substances and mixtures that have been identified in uncontrolled hazardous waste sites or that have been in­ advertently released into the environment is large and data on how thes~ substances are modified as they interact with one another as they migrate through soil, air, and water are limited. There are also limits on our un­ derstanding of how these substances may be ingested, inhaled, or absorbed by people. The complexity of possible interactions between biological, chemical, and physical components in a given environment makes it virtually impossible to evaluate the potential for adverse biological effects ade­ quately in the laboratory. Other, more comprehensive methods which provide realistic and interpretable results must be used. Many scientists believe that humans represent the ultimate sentinel species of a toxic exposure re­ sUlting from environmental pollution, however such exposures may also se­ verely impact environmental health. There exists a wide variety of organ­ isms in the natural environment that could be used to provide an early warning for potential human health effects as well as to indicate adverse ecological effects. The issue of effective utilization of sentinel species for environment­ al monitoring is a rapidly developing area of research which has grown in importance during the last decade.

Inhalt

Introductory Remarks.- In Situ Evaluation of Biological Hazards of Environmental Pollutants.- Industrial and Regulatory Needs.- Toxicological Research and Related Programs Under Superfund.- Biological Assessment and Ecological Risk Assessment: New Tools for Clean-up Decisions at Hazardous Waste Sites.- Field Studies: Aquatic Systems.- Bioassessment Methods for Determining the Hazards of Dredged Material Disposal in the Marine Environment.- Use of Herring Embryos for In Situ and In Vitro Monitoring of Maring Pollution.- New Methods for On-Site Biological Monitoring of Effluent Water Quality.- Micronucleus Test Using Peripheral Red Blood Cells of Amphibian Larvae for Detection of Genotoxic Agents in Freshwater Pollution.- Predicting the Ecological Significance of Exposure to Genotoxic Substances in Aquatic Organisms.- Field Studies: Terrestrial Systems.- Flow Cytometry as a Technique to Monitor the Effects of Environmental Genotoxins on Wildlife Populations.- Developing Comprehensive Field Studies to Identify Subchronic and Chronic Effects of Chemicals on Terrestrial Ecosystems. Ecosystem Health VI.- Earthworm Immunoassays for Evaluating Biological Effects of Exposure to Hazardous Materials.- Sentinel Surveillance Systems.- Analytical Epidemiology in Pet Populations for Environmental Risk Assessment.- Sentinel Animals (Dogs) as Predictors of Childhood Exposure to Environmental Lead Contamination: Observations on Preliminary Results.- Fish Neoplasms Found at High Prevalence in Polluted Waters.- Biological Markers in Animal Sentinels: Laboratory Studies Improve Interpretation of Field Data.- DNA-Carcinogen Adducts in Fish as a Tool for Measuring the Effective Biological Dose of Aquatic Carcinogens.- IN SITU Monitoring of Environmental Clastogens Using Tradescantia-Micronucleus Bioassay.- The Use of Drosophila Melanogaster for In Situ Biomonitoring.- Chemical Etiology of Endemic Diseases: A Global Perspective.- Integration of Data for Effective Problem Solving and Assessment.- Chemical Analysis for Assessment and Evaluation of Environmental Pollutants: Fact or Artifact.- In Situ Toxicological Monitoring: Use in Quantifying Ecological Effects of Toxic Waste.- Integrated Chemical, Pathological and Immunological Studies to Assess Environmental Contamination.- Use of Wildlife for On-Site Evaluation of Bioavailability and Ecotoxicity of Toxic Substances Found in Hazardous Waste Sites.- Relevancy and Future.- Capabilities and Limitations of Approaches to In Situ Ecological Evaluation.