Use of Biomarkers in Assessing Health and Environmental Impacts of Chemical Pollutants

Biological markers (biomarkers) are useful tools for understanding the nature and extent of human exposure and risk from environmental toxicants. Biomarkers are classified into three basic categories: exposure, effect, or susceptibility. A marker of exposure is the product of the interaction between a target cell or molecule and a foreign substance (NAS, 1989). These markers can be used to determine the biologically effective dose necessary to elicit a particular physiological change in an organism. A marker of effect is a biochemical or physiological change in an organism that can predict the onset of adverse health effects resulting from a given exposure. Lastly, markers of susceptibility act as indicators of an inherent or acquired tendency of an organism to experience an adverse health effect (NAS, 1989). These markers are already used to detect a variety of diseases and show great promise for developing a better understanding of the mechanicisms of disease. Additionally, biomarkers can be used to establish a more rational basis for quantitative risk extrapolation between species, as weIl as to obtain more precise estimates of the time of critical exposure. These markers can also prove helpful in identifying potentially damaging exposures before the onset of adverse health effects. Biomarkers serve as a valuable exposure assessment tool because they take into account exposure from all routes and integrate exposure from all sources. They have the potential to yield better risk estimates than current monitoring and modeling protocols. In lune 1992, Dr. Travis and Dr. Front Matter....Pages i-xi Introduction to “Molecular Dosimetry”....Pages 1-7 The 4-Aminobiphenyl Hemoglobin Adduct as a Biomarker of Effect....Pages 9-15 Current Research on Hemoglobin Adducts and Cancer Risks: An Overview....Pages 17-30 Use of Biomarkers in Quantitative Risk Assessment....Pages 31-46 Measurement of Mutation Spectra as a Molecular Dosimeter....Pages 47-51 Biomarkers as Molecular Dosimeters of Genotoxic Substances....Pages 53-62 Public Health Assessments as a Tool in Identifying Human Exposure to Environmental Pollutants....Pages 63-66 The Suitability of the Mosses Sphagna as Quantitative Indicators of Heavy Metal Levels in Urban Atmospheres....Pages 67-72 Epidemiologic Approach for the Assessment of Acceptable Exposure Levels to Cadmium and Manganese....Pages 73-82 Biological Monitoring of Exposure to Organic Compounds....Pages 83-94 Stress Proteins as Biomarkers of Toxicity....Pages 95-99 Significance of Serum Ferritin Concentrations in Lung Cancer and Its Relation with Cellular Immunity....Pages 101-104 Outcome Based Biomarkers of Female Reproduction....Pages 105-120 Factors Determining the Exposure of the Embryo and Fetus: Species Variation of Teratogenesis and Placental Transfer of Xenobiotics....Pages 121-136 Assessing Reproductive Risks with Biological Markers....Pages 137-158 Behavioral Biomarkers to Identify Neurotoxic Effects....Pages 159-168 Mechanisms of and Biomarkers for Acute and Delayed Neuropathic Effects of Organophosphorus Esters....Pages 169-182 Mechanisms and Biomarkers of Solvent-Induced Behavioral and Neuroendocrine Effects....Pages 183-199 Biomarkers of Immunotoxicology....Pages 201-207 Serum Biomarkers in the On-Site Evaluation of Suspected Cancer Risk in Humans Residing Near Hazardous Waste Sites....Pages 209-226 The Use of Biomarkers in the Evaluation of Exposure and Health at a Hazardous Waste Site....Pages 227-235 State of the Art — Ecological Biomarkers....Pages 237-245 Detection of Genotoxicity of Water and Air Pollutants Using Tradescantia (Spiderwort) Plants....Pages 247-253 Animals and Plants as Bioindicators of Radionuclide Contamination in Forest Ecosystems....Pages 255-263 Tumor Markers in Effusions: A Comparative Study of Tumor Marker Levels in Sera and Effusions....Pages 265-271 Evaluation of Ceruloplasmin Level in Women with Breast Disease: Preliminary Results....Pages 273-278 Back Matter....Pages 279-284 Proceedings of a NATO ARW held in Luso, Portugal, June 1-5, 1992