Geology and Health: Closing the Gap / Edition 1

by H. Catherine W. Skinner, Antony R. Berger

Overview

Geology and Health is an integration of papers from geo-bio-chemical scientists on health issues of concern to humankind worldwide, demonstrating how the health and well-being of populations now and in the future can benefit through coordinated scientific efforts. International examples on dusts, coal, arsenic, fluorine, lead, mercury, and water borne chemicals, that lead to health effects are documented and explored. They were selected to illustrate how hazards and potential hazards may be from natural materials and processes and how anthropomorphic changes may have contributed to disease and debilitation instead of solutions.
Introductory essays by the editors highlight some of the progress toward scientific integration that could be applied to other geographic sites and research efforts. A global purview and integration of earth and health sciences expertise could benefit the future of populations from many countries. Effective solutions to combat present and future hazards will arise when the full scope of human interactions with the total environment is appreciated by the wide range of people in positions to make important and probably expensive decisions. A case to illustrate the point of necessary crossover between Geology and Health was the drilling of shallow tube wells in Bangladesh to provide non-contaminated ground water. This "good" solution unfortunately mobilized arsenic from rocks into the aquifer and created an unforeseen or 'silent' hazard: arsenic.
Geologists produce maps of earth materials and are concerned with natural processes in the environment with long time-frame horizons. The health effects encountered through changing the water source might have been avoided if the hydrological characteristics of the Bangladesh delta had been known and any chemical hazards had been investigated and documented. A recurrence of this type of oversight should be avoidable when responsible parties, often government officials, appreciate the necessity of such integrated efforts. The book extols the virtues of cooperation between the earth, life and health sciences, as the most practical approach to better public health worldwide.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780195162042
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	03/20/2003
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	192
Product dimensions:	11.00(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Yale University

Table of Contents

List of Contributors
Introduction
Part I: Natural Geologic Hazards
1. Linking Health To Geology, Antony R. Berger
A. Physical—Obvious and Immediate
Commentary
2. Natural Dust and Pneumoconiosis in High Asia, Edward Derbyshire
3. Human Sickness and Mortality Rates in Relation to the Distant Eruption of Volcanic Gases: Rural England and the 1783 Eruption of the Laki Fissure, Iceland, John Grattan et al.
B. Chemical—"Silent" and Long Term
Commentary
4. Human Geophagy: a Review of Its Distribution, Causes, and Implications, Peter W. Abrahams
5. Geogenic Arsenic and Associated Toxicity Problems in the Groundwater-Soil-Plant-Animal-Human Continuum, R. Naidu and P. R. Nadebaum
6. Geological Epidemiology: Coal Combustion in China Robert B. Finkelman et al.
7. Mitigation of Endemic Arsenocosis with Selenium: an Example from China, Wang Wuyi et al.
8. Biogeochemical Cycling of Iodine and Selenium and Potential Geomedical Relevance, Eiliv Steinnes
9. Environmental Iodine in Iodine Deficiency Disorders, with a Sri Lankan Example, Fiona M. Fordyce et al.
10. Mercury, a Toxic Metal, and Dental Amalgam Removal, U. Lindh et al.
11. Nuclear Accumulation of Mercury in Neutrophil Granulocytes Associated with Exposure from Dental Amalgam, A. Lindvall et al.
12. Cadmium Accumulation in Browse Vegetation, Alaska—Implications for Animal Health, L. P. Gough, J. G. Crock, and W. C. Day
13. Molybdenosis Leading to Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Swedish Moose, Adrian Frank
Part II: Anthropogenic Changes to the Geologic Environment
Commentary
14. Surface and Groundwater Quality and Health, with a Focus on the United Kingdom, Colin Neal
15. Breast and Prostate Cancer: Sources and Pathways of Endocrine-disrupting Chemicals, Jane A. Plant and Devra L. Davis
16. A Legacy of Empires? An Exploration of the Environmental and Medical Consequences of Metal Production in Wadi Faynan, Jordan, John Grattan et al.
17. Life in a Copper Province, Eleanora I. Robbins and Michalann Harthill
18. Health Problems Related to Environmental Fibrous Minerals, Gunnar Hillerdal
19. Anthropogenic Distribution of Lead, H. W. Mielke et al.
Part III. Identifying the Hazards
Commentary
20. Environmental Geochemistry on a Global Scale, Jane A. Plant et al.
21. Biogeochemical Monitoring in Medical Geology, O. Selinus
22. Some Environmental Problems of Geomedical Relevance in East and Southern Africa, T. C. Davies
23. Geochemistry and Vertebrate Bones, H. Catherine W. Skinner
24. Soil Nutrient Deficiencies in an Area of Endemic Osteoarthritis (Mseleni Joint Disease) and Dwarfism in Maputoland, South Africa, Portia O. Ceruti, Martin Fey, and Justin Pooley
25. Minerals in Human Blood Vessels and Their Dissolution in Vitro, Maciej Pawlikowski
26. Organic Compounds Derived from Pliocene Lignite and the Etiology of Balkan Endemic Nephropathy, Calin A. Tatu et al.
Summary
Glossary of Medical Terms
Index

Editorial Reviews

"Given the human occupation of our planet, now and in the near future, we must quantify all the factors that influence human health and quality of life. Congratulations to all involved in producing this classic on an urgent topic. . . . I would hope that this book will be used in all educational programs involving earth sciences, medical sciences, social sciences and engineering."—Professor William S. Fyfe, American Journal of Science

"More than a simple compilation of articles, this reference text reads quite well ... it prompts the reader to consider the broad impact of geological parameters with health issues that may be encountered. ... a useful addition to the library of the practicing industrial hygienist."—Applied Occupational and Environmental Hygiene

"I recommend this book to all geoscientists and health professionals. This is a valuable book for both under- and post-graduate environmental geology and environmental health courses."—Professor A.B. Kampunzu, Episodes

"This book is a fascinating read...Altogether, Geology and Health is an inspiration and encouragement for earth scientists and medical researchers to work together toward understanding and ameliorating natural hazards to health in the geological environment."—Pat E. Rasmussen, Geoscience Canada

From the Publisher