Animals as sentinels of environmental health hazards : Committee on Animals as Monitors of Environmental Hazards, Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology, Commission on Life Sciences, National Research Council.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

National Research Council (U.S.). Committee on Animals as Monitors of Environmental Hazards.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Toxicology--Animal models.

Toxicology.

Biological monitoring.

Health risk assessment.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (172 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Washington, D.C. : National Academy Press, 1991.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Studying animals in the environment may be a realistic and highly beneficial approach to identifying unknown chemical contaminants before they cause human harm. Animals as Sentinels of Environmental Health Hazards presents an overview of animal-monitoring programs, including detailed case studies of how animal health problems--such as the effects of DDT on wild bird populations--have led researchers to the sources of human health hazards. The authors examine the components and characteristics required for an effective animal-monitoring program, and they evaluate numerous existing programs, including in situ research, where an animal is placed in a natural setting for monitoring purposes.

Contents:

Animals as Sentinels of Environmental Health Hazards

Copyright

Preface

Contents

Executive Summary

INTRODUCTION

Purpose of the Study

Current Use of Animal Sentinels in Risk Assessment

CONCEPTS AND DEFINITIONS

Characteristics of Animal Sentinel Systems

Species

Exposure Sources

Duration of Exposure

Measures of Effect

Reference Populations

Objectives of Monitoring Animals Sentinels

Advantages and Limitations of Animal Sentinel Systems

Multifactorial Causality

Measurement of Exposure and Extrapolation to Humans

FOOD ANIMALS AS SENTINELS

COMPANION ANIMALS AS SENTINELS

FISH AND OTHER WILDLIFE AS SENTINELS

ANIMAL SENTINELS IN RISK ASSESSMENT

SELECTION AND APPLICATION OF ANIMAL SENTINEL SYSTEMS IN RISK ASSESSMENT

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

STRUCTURE OF THE REPORT

1 Introduction

OVERVIEW

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

HISTORICAL USE OF ANIMAL SENTINELS

CURRENT USE OF ANIMAL SENTINELS IN RISK ASSESSMENT

2 Concepts and Definitions

CHARACTERISTICS OF ANIMAL SENTINEL SYSTEMS

A sentinel should have a measurable response (including accumulation of tissue residues) to the agent or class of agents...

A sentinel should have a territory or home range that overlaps the area to be monitored

A sentinel species should be easily enumerated and captured

A sentinel species must have sufficient population size and density to permit enumeration

OBJECTIVES OF MONITORING ANIMAL SENTINELS

Human Health Effects

Contamination of the Food Chain

Environmental Contamination

Adverse Effects on Animals

ANIMAL SENTINEL SYSTEMS IN OBSERVATIONAL EPIDEMIOLOGIC STUDIES

Descriptive Epidemiology

Analytic Epidemiologic.

ANIMAL SENTINEL SYSTEMS IN EXPERIMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY

ADVANTAGES AND LIMITATIONS OF ANIMAL SENTINEL SYSTEMS

3 Food Animals as Sentinels

DESCRIPTIVE EPIDEMIOLOGIC STUDIES

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Food Safety and Inspection Service

National Animal Health Monitoring System

Market Cattle Identification Program

Food and Drug Administration

Shellfish Monitoring Programs

The National Animal Poison Information Network

Outbreak Investigation

Methyl Mercury in Fish

Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Chickens

Polybrominated Biphenyls in Cattle

ANALYTIC EPIDEMIOLOGIC STUDIES

Sheep and Heavy Metals

Cattle and Heavy Metals

Cattle and Fluoride

SUMMARY

4 Companion Animals as Sentinels

Veterinary Medicine Data Program

Poison-Control Centers

Canine Mesothelioma and Asbestos Exposure

Canine Bladder Cancer and Insecticide Exposure

Lead Poisoning

Breast Cancer in Dogs

Diet and Risk of Breast Cancer

Diet and Survival with Breast Cancer

Birds and Polytetrafluoroethylene Exposure

Low-Level Radiation and Cancer

Cancer in Vietnam-Service Dogs

Animal Neoplasm Registry

5 Fish and Other Wildlife as Sentinels

National Programs

National Status and Trends Program

Mussel Watch

National Contaminant Biomonitoring Program

Registry of Tumors in Lower Animals

Penrose Laboratory of Comparative Pathology

Quarterly Wildlife Mortality Report

State/Regional/Local Programs

Great Lakes

Chesapeake Bay

Puget Sound

Sacramento-San Joaquin Estuary

Initial Identification of Hazardous Agents.

Hazard Identification of Chemical Mixtures

Indication of Bioavailability of Chemicals at Hazardous-Waste Sites

Water-Quality Monitoring

Indicators of Air Pollution

Risk Characterization of Species Under Study

Dose-Response Relationships

Contamination of Human Food Chain

IN SITU STUDIES

Fish

Planarians

Starlings

Earthworms

Honey Bees

6 Animal Sentinels in Risk Assessment

USE OF ANIMAL SENTINEL SYSTEMS IN EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT

Animals as General Environmental Monitors

Animals as Monitors of Their Own Exposure

Animals as Monitors of Exposure of Their Consumers

Animals as Surrogate Monitors of Human Exposure

USE OF ANIMAL SENTINEL SYSTEMS IN HAZARD IDENTIFICATION

Early Warnings: Initial Identification of Hazardous Agents

Hazard Identification for Chemical Mixtures

USE OF ANIMAL SENTINEL SYSTEMS IN DOSE-RESPONSE ASSESSMENT

USE OF ANIMAL SENTINEL SYSTEMS IN RISK CHARACTERIZATION

Risks to Animal Species Under Study

Risk to Consumers of Animal Species Under Study

Risk to Humans: Animal Sentinels as Surrogates

USE OF ANIMAL SENTINEL SYSTEMS IN RISK MANAGEMENT

Management of Risks to Animal Species Under Study

Management of Risks to Consumers of Animal Species Under Study

Management of Risks to Human Health: Animal Sentinels as Surrogates

Animal Sentinel Systems as Monitors of Effectiveness of Risk Management Actions

7 Selection and Application of Animal Sentinel Systems in Risk Assessment

SYSTEM DESIGN

IMPLEMENTATION

VALIDATION

PROGRAM INTEGRATION

8 Conclusions and Recommendations

References

Appendix Workshop Participants.

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references (p. 137-158).

ISBN:

9786610214365

9781280214363

1280214368

9780309594899

0309594898

9780585085265

0585085269

OCLC:

43475693