t LSEVIER

BOOK REVIEWS

Environmenral Pohrion 88 (1995) 241-248 0 1995 Elsevier Science Limited

Printed in Great Britain. All rights rcsetwd

Environmentul Toxicology in South East Asia. Edited by B. Widianarko, K. Vink & N. M. van Straalen, VU University Press, Amsterdam, ISBN 90-5383-287-4, 352 pp. Price: US$4O.OO/f30.00.

The accelerating industrial and agricultural development coupled with rapidly increasing population in south east Asian countries during recent years exerts considerable pressure on ecosystems. Particularly, industrial develop- ment has contributed to the growth in these developing Asian countries’ chemical trade, which has far outpaced those of developed nations. The recent increase in chemical production and usage in south east Asian countries forewarns the need to enact stringent environ- mental regulations and policies; this can be accomplished mainly if it is based on the knowledge of environmental toxicology in this region. This volume deserves the credit for compiling environmental toxicological research in progress in this region, for the first time. The contents of this book are based on the papers presented at the International Conference on Environmental Toxicology in South East Asia, held at Satya Wacana Christian University, Salatiga, Indonesia in August 1992. The title of the book is rather broad although the contents are not extensive and do not form a structured treat- ment of the subject. A collection of 38 pages covering a wide range of topics relating to: the challenges of environmental toxicology in south east Asia; pesticide and heavy metal studies; toxicity tests and environmental assessments are covered.

The first part covers ecotoxicological problems arising from agricultural and industrial development on the rapidly growing population. Contributions appearing in this section are of a more theoretical (academic) significance, but examine topics in line with the geo- graphical features of south east Asia. Some of the papers deal with climate change and the greenhouse effect, providing basic information on the contribution of the south east Asian region to global pollution problems.

The second, third and fourth parts deal with toxico- logical studies of the most commonly used pesticides in this region. Toxic effects of pesticides and heavy metals in agricultural ecosystems on non-target organisms are studied. Most of the contributions focus on the effects of chemicals in rice-farming systems.

The final chapter of the book is a good compilation of case-studies on environmental impact assessments of chemical contaminants. Studies on sulfur pollution and its implications for acid rain and atmospheric sulfur levels in Asia provide valuable information for those concerned about acid rain related problems.

The editors have tried to accommodate contributions

from all the scientists who participated in the conference, in the broadest sense of environmental toxicology, but the structure is poorly organized. Each section of the research is fragmentary, and lacks continuity between preceding and succeeding contributions. Most studies are laboratory oriented and no extrapolation is made to describe effects observed in the laboratory on wildlife and humans in ‘real world’ populations. This suggests the need for implementing comprehensive research programmes on ecotoxicological problems in this region. In any case, this book being the first of its kind for this region has thrown the light on the future line of investigations. This volume is recommended to scientists concerned about environmental pollution problems in developing countries and to policy makers who formulate decisions and guidelines for the safe use of chemicals in developing countries.

S. Tanabe

Handbook of Ecotoxicology-Volume 2. Edited by Peter Calow, Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford, 1994, ISBN o-632-02989-7, 416 pp. Price: f69.50.

The editor states that whereas the first volume was primarily concerned with the standard methodology involved in measuring effects, the ecotoxicity tests, the present volume is largely concerned with the results from these tests for general categories of chemicals. Volume 2 consists of two parts. Part 1 contains 10 chapters dealing with the major chemical categories. Part 2 under the title ‘General’ contains five chapters on complex mixtures, QSAR, fate models, hazard priorization and standards.

The 10 chapters on chemical categories all commence with the well known generalities on the chemical classes concerned, information one may find in all the hand- books, monographs and popular reviews on metals, pesticides, PCBs, air polluting chemicals and other common pollutants that have been published over the years. For example most chapters present information on analytical techniques, levels of occurrence in biota and other environmental media, toxicity data in common laboratory test species and regulatory principles. In general relatively little information is provided on environmental effects. For instance the heavy metal chapter has one page on ecological effects of pollution and the PCBs, PCDDs, PDFs-chapter, one and a half pages. The chapter on detergents is the only one that is very informative in this respect.

The first chapter of Part 2 describes methods for the identification and quantification of the toxicity of

247

248 Book reviews

complex mixtures in waste water and effluents presently applied in the US. The next two chapters deal with QSARs based on octanol-water partition coefficients and are certainly informative for people who are not yet familiar with this subject. The QSARs are followed by a brief but well presented chapter on fate models, with special emphasis on models adopted by the EPA in the US. The final chapter of Volume 2 summarises procedures and techniques used for prioritization and standardisation of hazardous chemicals. This is certainly very useful for people in government and industry. It is also rewarding to note that this chapter, unlike many others, not only deals with the Anglo-American environ- ment, but does also include some of the achievements made in the European Union.

Finally one may come to the same conclusion I made in my review of Volume 1, namely that Volume 2 is a useful handbook for the practitioners-the people involved in regulatory ecotoxicology, but that there is little reason for recommending the book to the academic world, because from a scientific point of view there is little new.

Jan H. Koeman

Selenium in the Environment. Edited by W. T. Franken- berger Jr & Sally Benson, Marcel Dekker Inc., 1994, ISBN O-8247-8993-8, 472 pp. Price: US$169.00.

Selenium is one of the most fascinating elements for study by the environmental chemist. There are practical problems of both Se deficiency and toxicity that occur in different parts of the world, with complex Se speciation and transformations having an important role to

play. This excellent, well presented and comprehensive specialist book has brought together many leading authorities on Se and dealt in a timely and up-to-date manner with the current issues. The editors have aimed for ‘a worldwide compilation of scientific studies on Se, spanning the breadth of disciplines necessary for a global assessment of Se’s complex environmental behaviour’. In large measure, I believe they have achieved this,

Chapter 1 discusses the global importance and cycling of Se, its worldwide distribution and the factors con- trolling its fate and transport within and between major environmental media. Chapter 2 focuses on Se’s role in plant and animal health. Chapter 3 discusses the distribution of two endemic diseases in China, Kashan disease and Kaschin-Beck disease, and their relationships to Se absorption, volatilisation and speciation in different types of soil. Several of the chapters focus on the evidence of Se poisoning of Kesterton Reservoir in California and related issues of Se terrestrial and aquatic chemistry and biogeochemical cycling. Kesterton has been the emphasis for much of the US research on Se since the mid-1980s; biochemical and geological cycling of Se micobial transformations, vegetative uptake, toxicity and remedial treatments are all relevant here. Aquatic Se chemistry, including groundwater chemistry and foodchain transfers, are also considered.

Kesterton clearly was the ‘driving force’ behind this book and consequently there is probably an imbalance between the emphasis on Se toxicity and Se deficiency. Se deficiency problems in livestock and humans are widespread in many areas of the world, but receive rather less attention here. In summary, a very well finished book with lots of detail.

K. C. Jones