The impact of environmental pollution by industrial waste on the genetic integrity of indigenous species and the use of cytogenetic bioassays for risk assessment /
Increased contamination of the environment by toxic chemicals has resulted in the need for sensitive assays to be used in risk assessment of polluted sites. Traditional tests are useful to detect and measure concentrations of chemicals in the environment and in tissues. However, physicochemical as...
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| Format: | Thesis Book |
| Language: | English |
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[Place of publication not identified] :
[publisher not identified] ;
1995.
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://proxy.library.tamu.edu/login?url=http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=742162401&sid=1&Fmt=2&clientId=2945&RQT=309&VName=PQD |
| Summary: | Increased contamination of the environment by toxic chemicals has resulted in the need for sensitive assays to be used in risk assessment of polluted sites. Traditional tests are useful to detect and measure concentrations of chemicals in the environment and in tissues. However, physicochemical assays possess deficiencies that impair their use in evaluating complex environmental contamination. The purpose of this study is to evaluate and develop cytogenetic procedures, including chromosomal, micronucleus, and flow cytometric assays, to assess the mutagenic damage of petrochemicals and low-level radioactivity on indigenous terrestrial populations. Previous field and laboratory studies indicate these procedures may be sensitive to the perturbation of DNA that results from exposure to mutagenic contaminants. The results of this study indicate the use of these bioassays on natural populations of animals in biomonitoring were significant assets when evaluating risk with a physicochemical and biologically integrated protocol. This study also examined the Hazardous Ranking System currently used in the United States for Risk Assessment and found several fallacies in its independent application to the industrial waste sites evaluated in this study. Consequently, there needs to be continued research to develop rational scientific bioassays that are valid and reliable to complement physicochemical assays and empirical evaluations. An integration of biological, physical, chemical, and empirical evidence with known correlations will ultimately provide sufficient information to more accurately estimate the risk to human health and environmental quality from anthropogenic pollution. |
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| Item Description: | Vita. "Major Subject: Soil Science". |
| Physical Description: | 2. volumes : illustrations, maps ; 28 cm. Issued also on microfiche from University Microfilms Inc. |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references. |