| Popis: |
Growing concern has arisen from the quasi-exponential increase in the numbers and quantities of man-made chemicals that presently are in current use, and their potential effects on human health, especially their delayed effects on degenerative diseases such as cancer. It is estimated that at least 50,000 chemicals have been introduced in the human environment since the end of the 40’s and are presently in common use. However, only a few hundred have been submitted to thorough carcinogenicity studies in experimental animals, whereas relevant human data — mainly through epidemiological approaches — have been obtained for a few dozen compounds; on the other hand, several thousands of short-term assays have been performed in order to ascertain some of the more punctual effects of chemicals, such as genotoxicity. |
