Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online

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Environmental toxins
(3,019 words)

1. Concept

Environmental toxins and their transformation products change the nature of soil, water, air, and climate in such a way that danger may arise, immediately or at a later date, for humans, plants, animals, or microorganisms. Since industrialization, the concept has primarily applied to those harmful substances that are used, processed, or produced in industry, industrial trades and craftscrafts, and agricu…

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Weitensfelder, Hubert and Gadebusch-Bondio, Mariacarla, “Environmental toxins”, in: Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online, Editors of the English edition: Graeme Dunphy, Andrew Gow. Original German Edition: Enzyklopädie der Neuzeit. Im Auftrag des Kulturwissenschaftlichen Instituts (Essen) und in Verbindung mit den Fachherausgebern herausgegeben von Friedrich Jaeger. Copyright © J.B. Metzlersche Verlagsbuchhandlung und Carl Ernst Poeschel Verlag GmbH 2005–2012. Consulted online on 19 March 2024 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2352-0272_emho_COM_029218>
First published online: 2015
First print edition: 20170626



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