Environmental toxicology: terrestrial

Abstract

The topic of terrestrial toxicology focuses on the exposure of organisms (e.g., invertebrates, reptiles, mammals, plants) to natural or manmade chemicals in ecological compartments or media (e.g., soil, sediment). Examples of terrestrial exposure scenarios to a chemical include oil spills, Superfund sites, naturally occurring arsenic or uranium in bedrock or groundwater, and exposure to impacted soil or water. To understand the adverse impacts of chemicals in an ecosystem, effects may be quantified using tools from many disciplines, from analytical chemistry methods needed to detect a chemical, to biological toxicity testing. To best characterize the potential risk to an organism from a chemical concentration associated with a harmful effect, a risk assessment is performed. If exposure to a harmful concentration occurs, mitigation as part of risk management may be warranted.