Environmental toxicology

Environmental toxicology, also known as entox, is a multidisciplinary field of science concerned with the study of the harmful effects of various chemical, biological and physical agents on living organisms.Ecotoxicology is a subdiscipline of environmental toxicology concerned with studying the harmful effects of toxicants at the population and ecosystem levels.

Rachel Carson is considered the mother of environmental toxicology, as she made it a distinct field within toxicology in 1962 with the publication of her book Silent Spring, which covered the effects of uncontrolled pesticide use. Carson's book was extensively based on a series of reports made by Lucille Farrier Stickel on the ecological effects of the pesticide DDT.

Organisms can be introduced to toxicants at various stages of their life cycle. The degree of toxicity can vary depending on where the organism is found within its food web. Bioaccumulation occurs when molecular compounds are stored in an organism's fatty tissues. Over time, this leads to the establishment of a trophic cascade and the biomagnification of specific toxicants. Biodegradation releases CO2 and water as by-products into the environment. This process is typically limited in areas affected by environmental toxicants.

Harmful effects of chemical and biological agents can include toxicants from pollutants, insecticides, pesticides, and fertilizers, all of which can impact an organism and its community through shifts in species diversity and abundance. Resulting changes in population dynamics impact the ecosystem by altering its productivity and stability.

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