Toxicity Risks to Resident Small Mammals Inhabiting Former Land-treatment Facilities for Petrochemical Wastes
Abstract
Environmental contamination is a persistent problem throughout the world. Scientists, land managers, and public concerns over past and current practices of waste disposal has lead to a search for valid methods to evaluate the effects of pollution on human and ecological health. Small mammals as resident biomonitors of environmental contamination have potential to be a good measure of ecological health. To this end, we evaluated the immune response and other physiological parameters of cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus) living on landtreated petroleum waste sites to determine risks of exposure. This thesis includes three manuscripts formatted for submission to Environmental Pollution (Chapter 1), Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicolgy (Chapter II), and Journal of Wildlife Diseases (Chapter Ill). The manuscripts are complete as written and need no supporting material.
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- OSU Theses [15752]