Preface
The role of Reviews is to publish detailed scientific review articles on all aspects of
environmental contamination and associated (eco)toxicological consequences.
Such articles facilitate the often complex task of accessing and interpreting cogent
scientific data within the confines of one or more closely related research fields.
In the 50+ years since Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology
(formerly Residue Reviews) was first published, the number, scope, and complexity
of environmental pollution incidents have grown unabated. During this entire
period, the emphasis has been on publishing articles that address the presence
and toxicity of environmental contaminants. New research is published each year
on a myriad of environmental pollution issues facing people worldwide. This fact,
and the routine discovery and reporting of emerging contaminants and new environmental contamination cases, creates an increasingly important function for
Reviews. The staggering volume of scientific literature demands remedy by which
data can be synthesized and made available to readers in an abridged form. Reviews
addresses this need and provides detailed reviews worldwide to key scientists and
science or policy administrators, whether employed by government, universities,
nongovernmental organizations, or the private sector.
There is a panoply of environmental issues and concerns on which many
scientists have focused their research in past years. The scope of this list is quite
broad, encompassing environmental events globally that affect marine and terrestrial ecosystems; biotic and abiotic environments; impacts on plants, humans, and
wildlife; and pollutants, both chemical and radioactive; as well as the ravages
of environmental disease in virtually all environmental media (soil, water, air).
New or enhanced safety and environmental concerns have emerged in the last
decade to be added to incidents covered by the media, studied by scientists, and
addressed by governmental and private institutions. Among these are events so
striking that they are creating a paradigm shift. Two in particular are at the center
of ever increasing media as well as scientific attention: bioterrorism and global
warming. Unfortunately, these very worrisome issues are now superimposed on
the already extensive list of ongoing environmental challenges.
vii
The role of Reviews is to publish detailed scientific review articles on all aspects of
environmental contamination and associated (eco)toxicological consequences.
Such articles facilitate the often complex task of accessing and interpreting cogent
scientific data within the confines of one or more closely related research fields.
In the 50+ years since Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology
(formerly Residue Reviews) was first published, the number, scope, and complexity
of environmental pollution incidents have grown unabated. During this entire
period, the emphasis has been on publishing articles that address the presence
and toxicity of environmental contaminants. New research is published each year
on a myriad of environmental pollution issues facing people worldwide. This fact,
and the routine discovery and reporting of emerging contaminants and new environmental contamination cases, creates an increasingly important function for
Reviews. The staggering volume of scientific literature demands remedy by which
data can be synthesized and made available to readers in an abridged form. Reviews
addresses this need and provides detailed reviews worldwide to key scientists and
science or policy administrators, whether employed by government, universities,
nongovernmental organizations, or the private sector.
There is a panoply of environmental issues and concerns on which many
scientists have focused their research in past years. The scope of this list is quite
broad, encompassing environmental events globally that affect marine and terrestrial ecosystems; biotic and abiotic environments; impacts on plants, humans, and
wildlife; and pollutants, both chemical and radioactive; as well as the ravages
of environmental disease in virtually all environmental media (soil, water, air).
New or enhanced safety and environmental concerns have emerged in the last
decade to be added to incidents covered by the media, studied by scientists, and
addressed by governmental and private institutions. Among these are events so
striking that they are creating a paradigm shift. Two in particular are at the center
of ever increasing media as well as scientific attention: bioterrorism and global
warming. Unfortunately, these very worrisome issues are now superimposed on
the already extensive list of ongoing environmental challenges.
vii