University of North Carolina, U.S. Environmental Protection Emeritus, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.
Toxicol Sci. 2018 Jul 1;164(1):5-8. doi: 10.1093/toxsci/kfy117.
Air pollution has a compelling history in the development of human cultures. Fossil fuels opened a new human cultural chapter of extraordinary technical and economic growth while bringing about noxious and unhealthful combustion byproducts to breathe. Toxicology saw its birth in the modern world with demonstrating the potential harmful effects of breathing smoke in its various forms. The empirical nature of toxicology provided insights and underpinnings to epidemiological studies providing biological plausibility and relative risk attributions. As toxicology evolves with its sister sciences, there will be gains in fundamental understandings of susceptibility and potential long-term risks of air pollution with revelation of potential interventions and remedies for those affected.
空气污染在人类文化的发展中有着悠久的历史。化石燃料开创了一个崭新的人类文化篇章，带来了非凡的技术和经济增长，但也带来了有害和不健康的燃烧副产品供人呼吸。毒理学随着现代社会的发展而诞生，它证明了吸入各种形式的烟雾可能产生有害影响。毒理学的经验性质为流行病学研究提供了生物学上的合理性和相对风险归因，为其提供了见解和基础。随着毒理学与其姊妹科学的发展，我们对空气污染的易感性和潜在长期风险的基本认识将会有所提高，并揭示出针对受影响人群的潜在干预和补救措施。
