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Title: Biological markers in environmental sentinels to establish exposure to, and effects of, atmospheric toxicants

Conference ·
OSTI ID:5584364

This paper will discuss an approach that can contribute to evaluating the exposure of organisms to airborne toxicants, and can be particularly valuable as a tool to evaluate the biological significance of that exposure (NRC 1987). The approach is based on biological monitoring of animals and plants in areas impacted by airborne toxicants, and, more specifically, on measurement of molecular, biochemical, and physiological biological markers (biomarkers) in target species. In this context, the measurement of body burdens of persistent compounds (or metabolites) and of biomarkers of exposure or effects, permit the animals and plants to serve as sentinels indicating the presence of bioavailable contaminants, as surrogates to estimate the possible exposure and risk to humans, and as short-term predictors of long-term adverse effects at a population or community level. 69 refs., 5 figs., 2 tabs.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
DOE/ER
DOE Contract Number:
AC05-84OR21400
OSTI ID:
5584364
Report Number(s):
CONF-890692-22; ON: DE90001072
Resource Relation:
Conference: 82. Air and Waste Management Association annual meeting and exhibition, Anaheim, CA (USA), 25-30 Jun 1989
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English