Animals as Sentinels of Environmental Health Hazards

Studying animals in the environment may be a realistic and highly beneficial approach to identifying unknown chemical contaminants before they cause human harm. Animals as Sentinels of Environmental Health Hazards presents an overview of animal-monitoring programs, including detailed case studies of how animal health problems—such as the effects of DDT on wild bird populations—have led researchers to the sources of human health hazards. The authors examine the components and characteristics required for an effective animal-monitoring program, and they evaluate numerous existing programs, including in situ research, where an animal is placed in a natural setting for monitoring purposes.Table of ContentsFront MatterExecutive Summary1. Introduction2. Concepts and Definitions3. Food Animals as Sentinels4. Companion Animals as Sentinels5. Fish and Other Wildlife as Sentinels6. Animal Sentinels in Risk Assessment7. Selection and Application of Animal Sentinel Systems in Risk Assessment8. Conclusions and RecommendationsReferencesAppendix: May 1988 Workshop Participants