Anthropogenic pollutants – an insidious threat to animal health and productivity?

<p>Summary</p> <p>Humans have always polluted their environment and, to an extent, the associated adverse consequences have increased in parallel with the global population. However, in recent decades, entirely novel compounds have been created, for multiple purposes, and some of t...

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Main Author: Rhind Stewart M
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2012-02-01
Series:Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica
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author Rhind Stewart M
author_facet Rhind Stewart M
author_sort Rhind Stewart M
collection DOAJ
description <p>Summary</p> <p>Humans have always polluted their environment and, to an extent, the associated adverse consequences have increased in parallel with the global population. However, in recent decades, entirely novel compounds have been created, for multiple purposes, and some of these have become ubiquitous, damaging pollutants, which interfere with fundamental physiological processes in all animal species, disrupting reproductive and other functions. Understanding of the actions of these chemicals is poor but it is recognised that they can act additively, at low concentrations, and that animals at early stages of development are particularly sensitive to their effects. All species, including domestic and wild animals and humans, can be affected. Thus, there are potential adverse implications of exposure for farm and companion animal productivity and health, and associated economic implications. While anthropogenic pollutants exert subtle, but important, adverse effects on animal health and productivity, these should be weighed against the benefits associated with the use of these compounds, particularly in relation to food production and short-term determinants of animal health. However, it is suggested that it may be necessary to regulate future production and use of some of these compounds in order to ensure long term sustainability of production systems.</p>
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spelling doaj.art-ad85f03deae749a2af304b5bc881e3cd2022-12-22T02:14:01ZengBMCActa Veterinaria Scandinavica1751-01472012-02-0154Suppl 1S210.1186/1751-0147-54-S1-S2Anthropogenic pollutants – an insidious threat to animal health and productivity?Rhind Stewart M<p>Summary</p> <p>Humans have always polluted their environment and, to an extent, the associated adverse consequences have increased in parallel with the global population. However, in recent decades, entirely novel compounds have been created, for multiple purposes, and some of these have become ubiquitous, damaging pollutants, which interfere with fundamental physiological processes in all animal species, disrupting reproductive and other functions. Understanding of the actions of these chemicals is poor but it is recognised that they can act additively, at low concentrations, and that animals at early stages of development are particularly sensitive to their effects. All species, including domestic and wild animals and humans, can be affected. Thus, there are potential adverse implications of exposure for farm and companion animal productivity and health, and associated economic implications. While anthropogenic pollutants exert subtle, but important, adverse effects on animal health and productivity, these should be weighed against the benefits associated with the use of these compounds, particularly in relation to food production and short-term determinants of animal health. However, it is suggested that it may be necessary to regulate future production and use of some of these compounds in order to ensure long term sustainability of production systems.</p>
spellingShingle Rhind Stewart M
Anthropogenic pollutants – an insidious threat to animal health and productivity?
Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica
title Anthropogenic pollutants – an insidious threat to animal health and productivity?
title_full Anthropogenic pollutants – an insidious threat to animal health and productivity?
title_fullStr Anthropogenic pollutants – an insidious threat to animal health and productivity?
title_full_unstemmed Anthropogenic pollutants – an insidious threat to animal health and productivity?
title_short Anthropogenic pollutants – an insidious threat to animal health and productivity?
title_sort anthropogenic pollutants an insidious threat to animal health and productivity
work_keys_str_mv AT rhindstewartm anthropogenicpollutantsaninsidiousthreattoanimalhealthandproductivity