A large number of chemical compunds are constantly being introduced and produced, both to assist and ease modern human life. Among these chemicals, industrial compounds represent a particular fraction of chemicals which are not intended for use in biological systems, but to which humans may be accidently exposed, whether in the workplace, by product application, or via the environment. Industrial chemicals, as opposed to pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals, are in many cases subjected only to a very basic examination of handling safety, and may lack further toxicity testing. This implies that essentially nothing is known about their bioavailability, metabolism, excretion and toxicological properties, unless problems arise.; Covering the investigation of industrial chemicals, this book focuses on their individual structure, biological fate, potential toxicity to mammals and the molecular mechanisms possibly underlying their adverse effects by highlighting the use and significance of experimental toxicology. Special emphasis is placed on mechanistic aspects in the safety assessment of industrial compounds, in addition to current regulatory and legal considerations.

Providing a concise, yet comprehensive, reference on all aspects of industrial exposures and toxicants; this book aids toxicologists, industrial hygienists, and occupational physicians to investigate workplace health problems. • Updates and expands coverage with new chapters covering regulatory toxicology, toxicity testing, physical hazards, high production volume (HPV) chemicals, and workplace drug use • Includes information on occupational and environmental sources of exposure, mammalian toxicology, industrial hygiene, medical management and ecotoxicology • Retains a succinct chapter format that has become the hallmark for the previous editions • Distils a vast amount of information into one resource for both academics and professionals

This text/reference book provides the most comprehensive coverage of anticholinesterase compounds (Organophosphates and Carbamates), which constitute the largest number of chemicals that are primarily used as insecticides in agriculture, industry, and around the home/garden. Some OPs (nerve agents) have been used in chemical warfare and terrorist attacks, while some OPs and CMs have been recommended as therapeutic agents in human medicine as well as in veterinary medicine. Many chemicals of both classes are extremely toxic and lack selectivity, thus their inadvertent/accidental use continues to pose a threat to human and animal health, aquatic systems and wildlife. These anticholinesterase agents produce a variety of toxicological effects in target and nontarget organs. In light of this complexicity, this multi-authored book is written by the well known scientists from many countries. The book is organized into nine sections, with a total of 49 chapters, to provide in-depth knowledge on various aspects of OP and CM compounds, including their use, classification, mechanism-based toxicity, and prophylactic and therapeutic measurements. Several chapters are written with special emphasis to cover timely topics, such as chemical warfare agents, physiologically-based pharmacokinetic modeling, structure and function of cholinesterases, paraoxonase, carboxylesterases; developmental neurotoxicity, the intermediate syndrome, oxidative stress, endocrine disruption, and DNA damage/gene expression and carcinogenesis. Section-VI with 5 chapters is specifically devoted to risk assessment, and safety and regulatory guidelines for pesticides. - Describes everything you need to know about Organophosphates and Carbamates - Extensively covers pesticides, nerve agents, therapeutic drugs, and flame retardants - Describes epidemiology of the world's major disasters involving Organophosphates and Carbamates - Covers animal, human, aquatic, and wildlife toxicity of Anticholinesterases - Insights into in-depth cholinergic and noncholinergic mechanisms of toxicity - Describes recent advancements in cholinesterases, paraoxonases, carboxylesterases, oxidative stress, endocrine disruption, cardiac and pulmonary toxicity, and carcinogenesis - Provides in vitro and in vivo models for neurotoxicity testing - Integrates knowledge of studies in lab animals and humans - Offers risk/safety assessment and national/international guidelines for permissible levels of pesticide residues - Describes management of Anticholinesterase poisoning in humans

Over the past few years, research in the field of quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR) in chemistry, biology, pharmacology, toxicology, and environmental sciences has seen strong growth. New journals and books have appeared in each of these fields, however, the combination of QSAR and environmental sciences is still in its infancy. After the success of the Workshop on Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationships (QSAR) in Environmental Toxicology, held at McMaster University, Aug ust 16-18, 1983, with the proceedings publ ished in 1984 [QSA R in Environmental Toxicology, Kaiser, K. L. E. (Ed. ), D. Reidel Pub!. Co. , Dordrecht, 406 p. , ISBN 90-277 -1776-1], it was time to hold another workshop in 1986. Indeed, the response by the scientific community was excellent with over 50 participants from Canada, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, India, Japan, The Netherlands, United States, and Yugoslavia. Moreover, both breadth and depth of papers given were significantly improved and the workshop discussions were intense and frank. Regrettably, the number of participants, number of papers given and submitted for these proceedings made it impossible to include the workshop discussions of these papers. However, several manuscripts were revised on the basis of these discussions and, therefore, do reflect this very interactive workshop. This volume presents the majority of papers given at the 2nd International Workshop on QSAR in Environmental Toxicology, held at McMaster University, June 9-13, 1986. Many of these papers contain primary, new scientific data, equations and results which will not appear elsewhere.

This report considers the biological and behavioral mechanisms that may underlie the pathogenicity of tobacco smoke. Many Surgeon General's reports have considered research findings on mechanisms in assessing the biological plausibility of associations observed in epidemiologic studies. Mechanisms of disease are important because they may provide plausibility, which is one of the guideline criteria for assessing evidence on causation. This report specifically reviews the evidence on the potential mechanisms by which smoking causes diseases and considers whether a mechanism is likely to be operative in the production of human disease by tobacco smoke. This evidence is relevant to understanding how smoking causes disease, to identifying those who may be particularly susceptible, and to assessing the potential risks of tobacco products.