ABSTRACT
Environmental pollutants in general can be taken up by humans through breathing, skin contact or the consumption of foodstuffs. The important pollutants are the heavy metals (e.g. lead, cadmium or mercury), dangerous gases such as sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide and ozone, Nnitroso compounds and chlorinated hydrocarbons (e.g. DDT or vinyl chloride). The most common sources of environmental pollutants are industrial or production facilities, power stations, motor vehicles, agriculture and domestic heating, which release pollutants in the solid, liquid or gaseous forms.
