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Combined Toxicity of Chemicals: Final Thoughts and Concluding Remarks
Summary
This book chapter synthesizes combined chemical toxicology, covering the principles of synergistic and antagonistic effects, environmental fate of pollutant mixtures, experimental models, and in silico approaches, providing a systematic framework for assessing health and environmental risks from complex chemical exposures.
The increasing pollution rate has resulted in numerous chemical pollutants in complex mixtures, presenting severe threats to human and environmental health. This book systematically examines combined toxicology, elucidating principles, environmental behavior, methodologies, experimental models, in silico approaches, and prospective avenues. It expounds on the toxicokinetic and toxicodynamic intricacies, underscoring potential synergistic or antagonistic effects. An in-depth exploration covers principal sources, environmental fate processes, analytical detection techniques, and sampling strategies. Common toxicological experimental models facilitate investigations into combined molecular toxicity mechanisms across chemical classes, including heavy metals, pesticides, persistent organic pollutants, emerging contaminants, phthalates, microplastics, and flame retardants. The adverse outcome pathway (AOP) concept provides a framework for elucidating toxicogenetic endpoints. Mathematical modeling approaches, encompassing in vivo and in vitro predictions, quantitative structure–activity relationships, and Tox21 techniques, demonstrate potential for advancing combined toxicity assessments. However, challenges persist due to vast chemical combinations, exposure scenarios, and mixture interaction complexities. Prospective research emphasizes high-throughput screening, advanced computational methodologies, and omics technologies for enhancing mechanistic understanding. Refining regulatory frameworks and risk assessment practices to account for chemical mixture intricacies is imperative, fostering interdisciplinary collaborations to bridge gaps between data, models, and policy. Ultimately, addressing combined chemical toxicity necessitates a concerted, interdisciplinary effort involving diverse stakeholders. This book provides a comprehensive resource, highlighting progress while underscoring the ongoing need for sustained research, collaboration, and translation of scientific findings into practical solutions to mitigate risks and safeguard well-being.