Rare Earth Elements in Human and Environmental Health

Rare earth elements are involved in a number of essential technological applications. Their effects raise a number of challenges in environmental sciences and in human health. The present book provides an extensive and balanced survey of the manifold-adverse and favorable-effects associated with rare earth elements. -Prof. Dr. Jose L. Domingo, Rovira i Virgili University, Spain The present book is a valuable tool to gain insight into the complex and sometimes surprising health effects of rare earth elements. Especially interesting-due to my field of research-are the chapters addressed to the study of the changes in redox endpoints in a number of organisms and cell systems. This carefully edited book, with a multidisciplinary view of rare earth elements, is really an important scientific contribution. -Prof. Dr. Federico V. Pallardo, University of Valencia, Spain I congratulate the authors for this timely production of an extensive overview of an important topic in environmental and medical sciences: the risks and challenges that may be connected with increasing use and distribution of rare earth elements. It is essential to increase our knowledge about the environmental fate and biological effects of these technologically so important metals in order to prevent unforeseen long-term consequences of our doing. This book will surely become an important resource for scientists, engineers, and decision makers who understand the need of a sensible exploitation of this resource. -Prof. Dr. Susanne Heise, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, Germany This is an outstanding book on the important topic of the opportunities and challenges related to increasing the use and distribution of rare earth elements (REEs) in occupational and environmental sciences. REEs are chemically similar elements comprising lanthanides, scandium, and yttrium. They find use in several essential technological applications but also effect human health significantly This book helps in increasing our knowledge on the environmental fate and biological effects of REEs so that unforeseen long-term manmade consequences to human health can be prevented. It is likely to become an important resource for scientists, engineers, and decision makers who understand the need for sensible exploitation of REEs. â Dr. Kyung-Taek Rim, Korea Occupational Safety & Health Agency, Republic of Korea