Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 

About: Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology is an academic journal published by Springer Nature. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Environmental exposure & Biology. It has an ISSN identifier of 0179-5953. Over the lifetime, 658 publications have been published receiving 45205 citations. The journal is also known as: Residue reviews & Reviews of environmental contamination and toxicology (Print).

The SCS/ARS/CES pesticide properties database for environmental decision-making.

Abstract: A principal goal of pesticide science is to be able to predict the environmental impact of a pesticide before it is released into the environment. To save expense and time, we would like to be able to make such a prediction for each pesticide with as few laboratory experiments on the pesticide as possible, and even fewer field experiments. Environmental processes, however, are enormously complex and sometimes (apparently) random. The sites of most interest—agricultural fields, forests, lakes, streams, etc.—are subtle living ecosystems which are incompletely understood and subject to great variability in space and time. The very diversity and intricacy which are indicators of the health of such ecosystems makes even the definition of what constitutes a significant impact on such systems a difficult task.

Ecotoxicological Risk Assessment for Roundup ® Herbicide

Abstract: Glyphosate-based weed control products are among the most widely used broad-spectrum herbicides in the world. The herbicidal properties of glyphosate were discovered in 1970, and commercial formulations for nonselective weed control were first introduced in 1974 (Franz et al. 1997). Formulations of glyphosate, including Roundup® Herbicide (RU)1 (Monsanto Company, St. Louis, MO), have been extensively investigated for their potential to produce adverse effects in nontarget organisms. Governmental regulatory agencies, international organizations, and others have reviewed and assessed the available scientific data for glyphosate formulations and independently judged their safety. Conclusions from three major organizations are publicly available and indicate RU can be used with minimal risk to the environment (Agriculture Canada 1991; USEPA 1993a; WHO 1994). Several review publications are available on the fate and effects of RU or glyphosate in the environment (Carlisle and Trevors 1988;Smith and Oehme 1992 ; Malik et al. 1989;Rueppel et al. 1977; Sullivan and Sullivan 1997;Forestry Canada, 1989). In addition, several books have been published about the environmental and human health considerations of glyphosate and its formulations (Grossbard and Atkinson 1985; Franz et al. 1997). In addition, RU and other glyphosate formulations have been selected for use in a number of weed control programs for state and local jurisdictions in the United States. Many of these uses require that ecological risk assessments be conducted in the form of Environmental Impact Statements or Environmental Assessments. These documents are comprehensive and specific to local use situations. Documents are available for risk assessments in Texas, Washington, Oregon, Pennsylvania, New York, Virginia, and other states (USDA 1989;USDA 1992;USDA 1996;USDA 1997;USDI 1989; Washington State DOT 1993).

Lead Uptake, Toxicity, and Detoxification in Plants

Abstract: Plants are the target of a wide range of pollutants that vary in concentration, speciation, and toxicity. Such pollutants mainly enter the plant system through the soil (Arshad et al. 2008) or via the atmosphere (Uzu et al. 2010). Among common pollutants that affect plants, lead is among the most toxic and frequently encountered (Cecchi et al. 2008; Grover et al. 2010; Shahid et al. 2011). Lead continues to be used widely in many industrial processes and occurs as a contaminant in all environmental compartments (soils, water, the atmosphere, and living organisms). The prominence of environmental lead contamination results both from its persistence (Islam et al. 2008; Andra et al. 2009; Punamiya et al. 2010) and from its present and past numerous sources. These sources have included smelting, combustion of leaded gasoline, or applications of lead-contaminated media (sewage sludge and fertilizers) to land (Piotrowska et al. 2009; Gupta et al. 2009; Sammut et al. 2010; Grover et al. 2010). In 2009, production of recoverable lead from mining operations was 1690, 516, and 400 thousand metric tons by China, Australia, and the USA, respectively (USGS 2009).

Bioaccumulation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons by Marine Organisms

Abstract: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) appear in most urbanized coastal areas of the world, accumulating in sediments and biota that are unable to efficiently eliminate them. This review focuses specifically on the mechanisms of bioavailability, uptake, and elimination, which determine the extent of accumulation and retention of PAHs in invertebrates and fish in marine ecosystems. We review here the literature on the mechanisms and factors that control these processes which ultimately determine the concentration of PAHs in marine organisms. Understanding both the temporal and spatial characteristics of bioaccumulation of the environmentally important PAHs is crucial for determining the impact that this class of compounds may have on marine populations. To provide a complete assessment of these potential impacts, scientists require knowledge about the distribution of these compounds in different environmental matrices, their uptake and partitioning in different tissues, their rates of elimination, and their potential for persistence in certain species. The combined information on these mechanisms and the environmental factors that control accumulation will help scientists develop predictive models of contaminant accumulation both for acute events, such as oil spills, and for long-term, chronic exposure as is found in many urban areas in our coastal ecosystems.

Association of official analytical chemists: 1964-1988

Abstract: In 1964, William Horowitz published the history of the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists (AOAC), of which he was the chief executive officer (Horwitz 1964). At that time the AOAC had existed for 80 years and had ventured very little beyond its stated purpose of validating and publishing standardized methods of analysis for substances important to agriculture and the public health through a highly structured system of interlaboratory testing and review. In the ensuing quarter of a century, however, the AOAC not only changed its name to Association of Official Analytical Chemists but also underwent a striking expansion and transformation. The highlights of that transformation are the subject of this account.