Environmental Heavy Metal Pollution and Effects on Child Mental Development: Risk Assessment and Prevention Strategies

✍ Scribed by Mahmoud A. Hassanien, Amir M. El Shahawy (auth.), Lubomir I. Simeonov, Mihail V. Kochubovski, Biana G. Simeonova (eds.)

• Publisher: Springer Netherlands
• Year: 2011
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 356
• Series: NATO Science for Peace and Security Series C: Environmental Security 1
• Edition: 1
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Heavy metals can be emitted into environment by both natural and anthropogenic sources, mainly mining and industrial activity. Human exposure occurs through all environmental media. Infants are more susceptible to the adverse effects of exposure. Increasing attention is now being paid to the mental development of children exposed to heavy metals. The purpose of this book is to evaluate the existing knowledge on intellectual impairment in children exposed to heavy metals in their living environment and to identify the research needs in order to obtain a clearer picture of the situation in countries and regions at risk, in which the economy is closely related to metallurgy and heavy metals emission, and to recommend a strategy for human protection. In greater detail the main objectives could be formulated as follows: to review the principal sources of single, and complex mixtures of, heavy metal pollutants in the environment; to identify suitable methodology for chemical analyses in the environment and in humans; to evaluate the existing methods for measuring mental impairment, including their reliability and validity; to recommend a standard testing protocol to be used in future research; to assess the future role of environmental heavy metal pollution in countries and regions at risk and its effects on children’s neurological development; to recommend a prevention strategy for protecting children’s health and development.

✦ Table of Contents

Front Matter....Pages i-xx
Environmental Heavy Metals and Mental Disorders of Children in Developing Countries....Pages 1-25
Exposure Assessment to Heavy Metals in the Environment: Measures to Eliminate or Reduce the Exposure to Critical Receptors....Pages 27-50
Heavy Metals Activity Mechanisms at Cellular Level and Possible Action on Childrens Bodies....Pages 51-63
Evolving Understanding of the Relationship Between Mercury Exposure and Autism....Pages 65-84
Hearing Changes in Children Exposed to Arsenic in Neurotoxicity Context....Pages 85-100
Lead Occurrence in Children’s Biological Fluids from Baia Mare Area, Romania....Pages 101-122
Changing Children’s Blood Lead Level in Hungary 1986–2006....Pages 123-128
Analytical Approaches for Sampling and Sample Preparation for Heavy Metals Analysis in Biological Materials....Pages 129-143
Heavy Metals Determination in Environmental and Biological Samples....Pages 145-158
Analyses of Heavy Metal Mixtures in the Environmental Media....Pages 159-170
Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (flame, electrothermal, vapour generation) in Environmental, Biological and Food Analysis....Pages 171-202
In Situ Elemental and Isotopic Analyses of Heavy Metals in Environmental Water Solutions....Pages 203-211
A Heavy Metal Environmental Threat Resulting from Combustion of Biofuels of Plant Origin....Pages 213-225
Heavy Metals as Persistent Problem for Balkan Countries....Pages 227-243
Assessment of Heavy Metal Contamination in Soils Around Kremikovtsi Smelter (Bulgaria)....Pages 245-255
Comparison Study of Physicochemical Parameters Evaluation between Danube River Delta and AXIOS- VARDAR River Valley (2003–2009)....Pages 257-286
Atmospheric Heavy Metals Pollution: Exposure and Prevention Policies in Mediterranean Basin....Pages 287-307
The Problem of Heavy Metal Pollution in the Republic of Armenia: Overview and Strategies of Balancing Socioeconomic and Ecological Development....Pages 309-316
How to Grow Environmental – Sound Biofuels....Pages 317-330
NATO Advanced Research Workshop on Environmental Heavy Metal Pollution and Effects on Child Mental Development: Discussion, Conclusions and Recommendations....Pages 331-342
Back Matter....Pages 343-344

✦ Subjects

Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Analytical Chemistry; Ecotoxicology; Industrial Pollution Prevention