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INTRODUCTORY REMARKS: OVERVIEW ON AQUATIC POLLUTANTS AND THEIR BIOLOGIC EFFECTS

Aquatic pollutants have long been a matter of concern for biomedical scientists, public health authorities, and regulatory and legislative groups. This concern has been amplified on national and international bases because of observations, in the last decade, of the effects of these pollutants in waterways relevant to fish kills and of the reduction in fish and shellfish populations, resulting in a socioeconomic impact. Additionally, contamination of marine foods as part of the food chain presents another problem with respect to public health. The realization that neoplasms are occurring in finfish and shellfish and that a tumor incidence may appear to be associated with the extent of pollution introduces a new dimension for exploration as to the significance of such observations in terms of human cancer. Thus, general pollution or point source contamination may be viewed with respect to observed increases in neoplasia in marine animals. While such developments in epizootics could be interpreted as significant only for marine ecology, in the broader sense, these observations may be the presumptive evidence for proposing causal relationships in man, the aquatic environment, and potable water supplies. Biorefractories have been identified. They have been quantified in municipal water supplies, and many such chemicals are known or suspect carcinogens. Currently, we cannot determine to what extent such carcinogenic biorefractories in drinking water and in foods processed in water, and the carcinogenic contaminants in marine animals and/or food, impact on human cancer induction. However, this is an area that should provide a major stimulus for further research. Water and the aquatic environment represent one vector or route of human exposure to environmental carcinogens. Programs and projects need to be identified that relate to this important area. It is hoped that this conference will provide greater insight into the significance of the endeavors and achievements related to studies on water biorefractories and aquatic pollutants and their role in environmental cancer.