Preface

This volume is the third in a series of four books published by the Royal Society of Chemistry. First on the list is Marsupial and Placental Mammal Species in Environmental Risk Assessment Strategies,¹ followed by Bird and Reptile Species in Environmental Risk Assessment Strategies.²

The chapters included in this book are a mere enumeration of some practical examples. There are many more species that can be used as non-conventional experimental models, and the list can certainly be expanded further by different research groups and academics all over the world. While animal laboratory models do have their merits, we certainly hope that many more scientists realise that it is more important to tackle subjects related to the status of the environment using autochthonous, or non-target species, which are truly exposed to locally used xenobiotic agents. In many cases, some wild and domestic household species also share the same physical space with humans, enabling us to identify which contaminants we are directly exposed to. This research plan would also increase the chances of independent scientists and research institutions getting access to grants and attracting the attention of local authorities, who would be more interested in financing projects that really are within their sphere of political interest and pride, not to mention their country or province/district.

Without running the risk of being repetitive, we would like to recap on some important concepts as previously mentioned in the two volumes already published by the Royal Society of Chemistry, i.e., Ecotoxicology and Genotoxicology – Non-traditional Terrestrial Models and Ecotoxicology and Genotoxicology – Non-traditional Aquatic Models, by the same editor group.^3,4 We strongly recommend the perusal of both volumes, which are not overlapping subjects, in order to gain the full benefit of this series and have a more holistic and stimulating approach to the matter.

We share our planet with thousands of living species. Understanding how environmental stressors affect them will also help us in our quest for solutions to many of the problems humanity is facing at present, which will be more relevant in the near future. Thinking out of silos and cross-linking medical with applied science will lead to a faster pace of understanding many of the factors relating to the emergence of a disease and thus help us in our search for a cure.

New emerging studies in several reputable publications (e.g., Worldwide Trends 1975–2015)⁵ of common worldwide human diseases such as arterial hypertension, among others, seem to suggest that not only classical and lifestyle factors should be addressed in the search for adequate treatment. From a medical perspective, it is not only a disease of affluence. One in eight deaths worldwide is due to this condition and its corresponding factors (heart disease, kidney disease and stroke). These studies seem to suggest that a closer look at other, up until now unrelated factors is required. Early-life nutrition and exposure to air pollution, heavy metals and even noise are factors implicated that may push blood pressure up later in life.

Many researchers have contributed to the publication of this book. We hope that it serves as a herald in order to bolster enthusiasm for the use of native or easily available local species and widen our knowledge on the subject. We would like to especially thank the authors of the chapters for their positive response, their time and their contribution to making possible the compilation of this book. The task had been further complicated by the global COVID-19 pandemic, which we seem to have left behind, but not its long-term unforeseen consequences, which have only recently started to emerge. Many, if not most, of our institutions had to close their doors or cease all academic activity for long periods of time during the pandemic. Access to data banks, field trips, etc. were curtailed; nevertheless, against all odds, we were able to compile this piece of work, which we hope will be of interest and use, but above all, for the continuous nurturing of the appetite for future lines of research. Last but not least, our most sincere gratitude for the trust deposited upon us by Editor-in-Chief Diana Anderson, Series Editors Michael D. Waters, Timothy C. Marrs, Alok Dhawan and the Royal Society of Chemistry in this project. We hope to have fulfilled the reader’s expectations.

Marcelo L. Larramendy

Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Argentina

Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina

Guillermo Eli Liwszyc

University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland