Human health, plant production

Among the hexachlorooctahydronaphthalene type compounds, aldrin [309-00-2] was one of the earliest pesticides. It was first synthesized in the United States in 1948. It was produced by Diels-Alder reaction from acetylene and hexachlorocyclopenta-diene. Aldrin readily converts into dieldrin [60- 57-1] on exposure to sunlight or bac-terias. Both aldrin and dieldrin were widely used from 1950 to 1970 for protecting com and cotton crops. They were also used to protect citrus plants and combat soil pests and locust and in the preservation of timber. Because of their high toxicity and hazard to human health, the production of these pesticides ceased in the United States in 1974. After 1974, the uses of these pesticides were limited to control termites. All uses of these... 

Enrichment of processed food with plant material or plant extracts rich in polyphenols has two aspects in relation to human nutrition and human health. Food protected against oxidation has better keeping quality and will stay healthy longer since formation of toxic oxidation products, like cholesterol oxides, is being prevented (Britt et al., 1998). The other aspect is the beneficial effects of the intake of polyphenols on human health. Both of these aspects are, however, related to the availability of the phenolic substances. 

We see some similarities between the major life processes in plants (growth and differentiation) and the major life processes in animals and humans (proliferation and differentiation). We expect in future to relate this concept to animal production and to human health, to be able to cross the bridge from soil to plant to animal and finally human health. For example, the development in medicine of differentiation therapy in which vitamin A-derivates are used to treat human cancer cells in vitro (De Luca el al., 1995). Cancer is defined by too much uncontrolled growth of cells without enough differentiation. Using treatment with vitamin A-derivatives - a product of differentiation processes in the plant - undifferentiated cancer cells change into differentiated more healthy ones. 

Elsewhere in this book, experiments are described which compare organically grown products with conventionally grown products. The next steps will be to interpret these differences in terms of their effects on human health and finding ways of improving crop quality in the production phase. This will require a coherent concept of food quality, a concept in which food quality is more than the sum of exterior characteristics some specific health components and the absence of harmful contaminants. Moreover, we need a concept that connects the different phases of plant growth to properties of the harvested product and to human or animal health. The IQC can meet these requirements. 

Genetically engineered traits are being introduced into new crops (e.g. alfalfa and strawberries) and new GM events (traits), which may have a greater impact on human health (e.g. pharmaceutical traits) and the environment (e.g. drought tolerance and plant made industrial products) are being developed. 

Mainly comprised of plant protection products and biocidal products, pesticides are designed to influence fundamental processes in living organisms. They may have the potential to kill or control harmful organisms such as pests, but can also cause unwanted adverse effects on non-target organisms, human health and the environment (EC 2007). Both the hazards and benefits of pesticides are well documented in published literature and have been reviewed most recently by Cooper and Dobson (2007). 

Production of chlordecone ceased in 1975 as a result of human health concerns at that time industrial releases of this chemical to surface waters via a municipal sewage system were curtailed. However, releases from waste disposal sites may continue to add chlordecone to the environment. Major releases of chlordecone occurred to the air, surface waters, and soil surrounding a major manufacturing site in Hopewell, Virginia. Releases from this plant ultimately contaminated the water, sediment, and biota of the James River, a tributary to the Chesapeake Bay. 

Pollution of soils and waters by human activities is an important and widespread problem. This pollution by, organic and inorganic substances can affect individual organisms, human populations, and ecosystems, each in its own unique way. In particular former military installations, often used for weapons production and nuclear power plants represent a ongoing and substantial threat to environment and human health because of the specific pollutants that can be released Solvents, explosives, fuels, radionuclides, heavy metals, and metalloids all have been identified in the environment around these installations. Remediation technologies for these contaminated sites have been developed based on conventional systems utilising physical and chemical treatments, such as excavation and incineration, pump-and-treat methods, ultraviolet oxidation, soil washing, etc. 

Because of human consumption of plant and plant products, there has been much interest on the impact of flavonoids on human health and this has been recently reviewed [149, 150 and ref therein]. Additionally, Passamonti et al. [151] have recently reviewed the issue of bioavailability of dietary flavonoids. Citrus flavonoids have been shown to have many beneficial effects on human health including anti-inflammatory activity, anticancer activity, antioxidant activity, and protection against coronary heart disease [reviewed in 152-154]. This has led to... 

According to the EU project entitled Knowledge and Need Assessment on Pharmaceutical Products in Environmental Waters (KNAPPE), ecopharmacovig-ilance deals with APIs monitoring of sources, distribution, fate and biological impact on ecosystems and, ultimately, on human health [5], which environmental levels depend on the amounts sold/consumed, pharmacokinetic behaviour, degradation and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) removal efficiency. 

The Swedish National Chemicals Inspectorate (KEMI) has published an extensive review on human health risk assessment with focus on the application of assessment factors in risk assessments for plant protection products, industrial chemicals, and biocidal products within the European Union (KEMI 2003). 

FIGURE S.6 Schematic illustration of the traditional setting of an acceptable level of exposure (ADI) by dividing the NOAEL from an animal study by an assessment factor (AF). The two dose-response relationships have identical NOAEL. If a uniform assessment factor is applied, there will be an adequate MOS at the ADI for effect b but not for effect a. (Modified from KEMI, Human health risk assessment. Proposals for the use of assessment (uncertainty) factors. Application to risk assessment for plant protection products, industrial chemicals and biocidal products within the European Union. Report No. 1/03, Solna, Sweden, 2003. 

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