Toksične snovi v ekosistemih: Urejeni zapiski predavanj

Toxic Substances in Ecosystems: Edited Lecture Notes. The edited lecture notes are intended for students in the first year of the Master 's programme in Agriculture at the Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences. The introductory section briefly describes the history of ecotoxicology and terminology. The first chapters deal with inorganic contaminants, their general properties, techniques for their removal from contaminated soils, toxicity and importance of metals, and organometallic compounds. Lead, mercury, and radioactive isotopes are discussed in more detail. Of the nonmetallic contaminants, nitrogen is covered in detail, namely nitrogen oxides and nitrates. In the undergraduate courses, students are introduced in detail to the nitrogen cycle in nature and its importance to plant growth. Here the focus is on exposure, factors affecting nitrate levels in foods, the use of nitrites and nitrates as preservatives, and their toxic effects. Subsequent chapters focus on organic contaminants, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, dioxins and furans, and organochlorine pesticides. In the final chapter, students learn about the most commonly studied natural toxins and learn about cyanogenic glycosides and oxalates.