This edition first published 2019
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Library of Congress Cataloging‐in‐Publication Data
Names: Robinson, Laura, 1965– author.
Title: A practical guide to toxicology and human health risk assessment / Laura Robinson.
Description: First edition. | Hoboken, NJ : John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 2018. |
Includes bibliographical references and index. | Description based on print version record and CIP data provided by publisher; resource not viewed.
Identifiers: LCCN 2018019553 (print) | LCCN 2018044443 (ebook) | ISBN 9781118882078 (Adobe PDF) | ISBN 9781118881903 (ePub) | ISBN 9781118882023 (pbk.)
Subjects: LCSH: Toxicology. | Hazardous substances–Risk assessment. | Health risk assessment. | Environmental risk assessment.
Classification: LCC RA1211 (ebook) | LCC RA1211 .R634 2018 (print) | DDC 363.17/63–dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018019553
Cover design by Wiley
Cover image: © ALFRED PASIEKA/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY/Getty Images
To my husband Andrew T. Austin and Nai‐Ling
In 2015 a patient told me of how his life was saved in 1969 by the prompt action of his site foreman, following a mining accident when he was accidentally exposed to cyanide gas. Still here to tell the dramatic tale, 46 years later, of nitrates, oxygen, and then hospitalization, it really emphasized the need for an understanding of how we could reduce the harmful impact of chemicals.
As Laura writes in her first chapter, “we live in a chemical environment, and therefore, we need to be aware of the ways in which chemicals can cause harm.” This book allows us to do just that. Having distilled the spirit of each topic into readily comprehensible principles, which can then be used to address wider matters, the chapters are well organized and broken down into clear parts. At the back of each chapter, there are references that are useful for further study.
Anyone for whom toxicology has any relevance, e.g. nurses, doctors, paramedics, allied health professionals, pharmacists, environmentalists, chemists, pathologists, industrialists, and also toxicologists, in training and in practice, will find this book invaluable.
Dr Susan Elton, MBBS, MRCGP, DOccMed, Postgraduate Certificate in Law
Toxicology is the cornerstone to all aspects of chemical safety. Knowledge of the subject is needed in a wide variety of disciplines, not just the chemical industry but also other areas, including medicine, the emergency services, and forensics.
Many problems arise from the understanding of toxicology and its application in hazard communication and chemical safety. This has been highlighted by the numerous online webinars and face‐to‐face toxicology training sessions that have been delivered by Toxicology Consulting Ltd over the past five years.
The overall goal of this book is therefore to provide a very practical and easy‐to‐use guide that will enable the reader to quickly build up his or her knowledge and understanding (in terms of its application) of toxicology.
I would like to thank Dr Susan Elton for her careful review of the chapters from an occupational medicine/toxicology perspective.
For many people the word “chemical” has many negative connotations, which include death, injury, and cancer. However, we encounter them daily – not only in our workplace but also in our home in the form of detergents, fragrances, personal care products, medicines, etc. They come in many different forms, which include solids, liquids, gases, aerosols, and mists. They can be synthetic or naturally occurring, and they are all around us (Figure 1.1).
We live in a chemical environment, and therefore, we need to be aware of the ways in which chemicals can cause harm. In other words, we need to understand toxicology, which is the study of the adverse effects of chemicals on living organisms. By doing this we can then put in measures to minimize the risk of any harm.
This book is therefore about the ways in which chemicals can cause harm and how we can assess the likelihood of this occurring.
Ask a group of people whether synthetic chemicals are more harmful than those that come from mother nature, i.e. naturally occurring, and it is likely that you will receive very divided opinions. However, this kind of question and others like it were investigated as far back as the early sixteenth century by a Swiss physician called Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastis von Hohenheim, or more commonly known as “Paracelsus.” From his work he concluded that in sufficient quantities everything had the potential to cause harm, and the only thing that differentiated something from being harmful or not was the dose. In other words, it is “the dose which makes the poison.” This means that irrespective of the source of the chemical, i.e. synthetically made in the laboratory or from a woodland plant, all have the potential to cause harm should the dose be sufficient. This dose–response relationship that Paracelsus discovered is a key theme in toxicology and will be covered in more detail in Chapter 3 of this book.
Chemicals are an essential part of our daily lives, not just in the workplace but also in the home. However, there are often risks associated with their use, and therefore, chemical control regulations have been implemented in most countries. These ensure that hazardous chemicals are identified, which is where knowledge of toxicology is needed, and any likely exposure is minimized. Where necessary, these regulations can restrict or ban access to particularly hazardous chemicals. For example, under Article 57 of the EU REACH Regulation, a substance of very high concern (SVHC) is one that has been proposed to be subject to authorization for use within Europe. These substances are typically Category 1 carcinogens, mutagens, or toxic for reproduction (CMR) and are likely to have extensive human exposure (ECHA 2014). Furthermore, classification and labeling of hazardous substances and mixtures is also a requirement (GHS 2017), the results of which are communicated in the form of a safety data sheet and/or product label. Finally, chemical control regulations also ensure that appropriate risk assessments are undertaken. This is covered in more detail in Chapter 11.
With news stories sensationalizing the harmful effects of chemicals, it is no surprise that many people are suspicious of chemicals and see no benefit to society at all. Although there may be times when this is not without due reason, it can lead to the banning of chemicals whose benefits far outweigh any perceived drawbacks in their use. Conversely, despite well‐documented scientific evidence, which proves the adverse health effects associated with their use, people continue to smoke tobacco and drink alcohol (Box 1.1).
Toxicology is the cornerstone in all aspects of chemical safety. Knowledge of the subject is needed in a wide variety of disciplines, not just the chemical industry but also other areas, including medicine, the emergency services, and forensic science. Many problems arise from a lack of understanding of toxicology and exposure considerations, both of which are explored in subsequent chapters of this book.