poisoning in Minamata, where a single industrial source polluted one local
fishing area, in the Amazon region thousands of Hg sources pollute the waters.
Brazilian mining agencies estimated that 300,000 miners had been distributed
among 1800 gold fields in the Amazon in the early 1990s. By 1996, some 3000 t
of Hg had been released into the environment, compared with 200 to 600 t
dumped into Minamata Bay.
Another outbreak of chronic illness called ‘‘itai-itai-byo’’ or ‘‘ouch-ouch
disease’’ occurred along the Jintsu River in northern Japan in the mid-1950s.
Victims of this disorder suffered severe bone pains. Eventually, the victims’
softened bones disintegrated under even slight pressure, leading to multiple
fractures. Death also occurred, and this was attributed to kidney failure that
developed during the course of the disease. Extensive research ultimately
identified the culprit as Cd in rice grown near a Pb and Zn mining facility.
Effluent from the mine used in irrigating the ricepaddy, combined with Cdladen fumes, had polluted the cultivated rice. In addition to its effect on bones,
Cd is also a nephrotoxin and can cause hypertension. A more detailed
discussion of heavy metals is presented in Chapter 12.
2.4 REFERENCES
1. Endangered Earth, TIME, Jan. 2, 26, 1989.
2. Vinnikov, K.Y. and Crody, N.C., Global warming trend of mean tropospheric
temperature observed by satellites, Science, 302, 269, 2003.
3. Kaiser, J., Warmer ocean could threaten Antarctic ice shelves, Science, 302,
759, 2003.
4. Burton, J., Global Warming, C&EN, Aug. 20, 2001, 8.
5. Holden, C., Random Samples: Asia catching up on greenhouse effect, Science,
302, 1325, 2003.
6. Linden, E., Global fever, TIME, July 8, 56, 1996.
7. North America’s industrial pollution, Environ. Sci. Technol., Sept. 1, 359A,
2001.
8. Kandlikar, M. and Ramachandran, G., The causes and consequences of
particulate air pollution in urban India: A synthesis of the science, Ann. Rev.
Energy Environ., 25, 629, 2000.
9. He, K., Huo, H. and Zhang, Q., Urban air pollution in China: Current status,
characteristics, and progress, Ann. Rev. Energy Environ., 27, 397, 2002.
10. Xu, X. et al. Association of air pollution with hospital outpatient visits in
Beijing, Arch. Environ. Health, 50, 214, 1995.
11. Ha, E. H. et al. Infant susceptibility of mortality to air pollution in Seoul,
South Korea, Pediatrics, 111, 284, 2003.
12. Benner, R., Fertilizers not a source of perchlorate, Environ. Sci. Technol.. 35,
359A, 2001.
13. Kennedy, R.F., Jr., The river reborn, Life, September, 65, 1999.
14. Kirschner, E., Love Canal settlement, C&EN, June 27, 4, 1994.
15. USDHHS, Health, United States, 2003, DHHS Publication No. 1232, August,
2003.
28
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[16:55 26/8/04 P:/CRC PRESS/4365 MING-HO.751 (1670)/4365-002.3d]
Ref: 4365 MING-HO YU Chap-002 Page: 28 13-30
fishing area, in the Amazon region thousands of Hg sources pollute the waters.
Brazilian mining agencies estimated that 300,000 miners had been distributed
among 1800 gold fields in the Amazon in the early 1990s. By 1996, some 3000 t
of Hg had been released into the environment, compared with 200 to 600 t
dumped into Minamata Bay.
Another outbreak of chronic illness called ‘‘itai-itai-byo’’ or ‘‘ouch-ouch
disease’’ occurred along the Jintsu River in northern Japan in the mid-1950s.
Victims of this disorder suffered severe bone pains. Eventually, the victims’
softened bones disintegrated under even slight pressure, leading to multiple
fractures. Death also occurred, and this was attributed to kidney failure that
developed during the course of the disease. Extensive research ultimately
identified the culprit as Cd in rice grown near a Pb and Zn mining facility.
Effluent from the mine used in irrigating the ricepaddy, combined with Cdladen fumes, had polluted the cultivated rice. In addition to its effect on bones,
Cd is also a nephrotoxin and can cause hypertension. A more detailed
discussion of heavy metals is presented in Chapter 12.
2.4 REFERENCES
1. Endangered Earth, TIME, Jan. 2, 26, 1989.
2. Vinnikov, K.Y. and Crody, N.C., Global warming trend of mean tropospheric
temperature observed by satellites, Science, 302, 269, 2003.
3. Kaiser, J., Warmer ocean could threaten Antarctic ice shelves, Science, 302,
759, 2003.
4. Burton, J., Global Warming, C&EN, Aug. 20, 2001, 8.
5. Holden, C., Random Samples: Asia catching up on greenhouse effect, Science,
302, 1325, 2003.
6. Linden, E., Global fever, TIME, July 8, 56, 1996.
7. North America’s industrial pollution, Environ. Sci. Technol., Sept. 1, 359A,
2001.
8. Kandlikar, M. and Ramachandran, G., The causes and consequences of
particulate air pollution in urban India: A synthesis of the science, Ann. Rev.
Energy Environ., 25, 629, 2000.
9. He, K., Huo, H. and Zhang, Q., Urban air pollution in China: Current status,
characteristics, and progress, Ann. Rev. Energy Environ., 27, 397, 2002.
10. Xu, X. et al. Association of air pollution with hospital outpatient visits in
Beijing, Arch. Environ. Health, 50, 214, 1995.
11. Ha, E. H. et al. Infant susceptibility of mortality to air pollution in Seoul,
South Korea, Pediatrics, 111, 284, 2003.
12. Benner, R., Fertilizers not a source of perchlorate, Environ. Sci. Technol.. 35,
359A, 2001.
13. Kennedy, R.F., Jr., The river reborn, Life, September, 65, 1999.
14. Kirschner, E., Love Canal settlement, C&EN, June 27, 4, 1994.
15. USDHHS, Health, United States, 2003, DHHS Publication No. 1232, August,
2003.
28
Environmental Toxicology
[16:55 26/8/04 P:/CRC PRESS/4365 MING-HO.751 (1670)/4365-002.3d]
Ref: 4365 MING-HO YU Chap-002 Page: 28 13-30