Ecotoxicology and Its Impact on Ecosystem: A Review
Ruchi Singh, Naresh Chandra, Madhu Swamy, Shashi Bharti
Abstract
Ecotoxicology is a relatively new science that helps to protect the existing ecosystem from toxic environmental pollutants. The scientists are working towards prediction, observation, monitoring, risk assessment and prevention from these toxicants and their harmful effects on population, community and ecosystem. It is a multidisciplinary field, which integrates toxicology, chemistry and ecology. Presently the human interventions and chemical production without proper disposal are one of the most responsible factors for presence of harmful pollutants in the biosphere. The toxic chemical may cause detrimental effects like change in behavior pattern of population, reduced growth, physiological and molecular changes and developmental changes ultimately may change the whole exposed ecosystem. Although, ecotoxicologists are facing a lot of problems to predict the effect of a chemical on an individual living population, they are doing a great job to protect our ecosystem.