Environmental Research and Public Health

“As we move into the 21^st century, one of the most pervasive forces driving all spheres of human endeavor will be commitment to environmental stewardship – Paul B. Tchounwou”. Environmental problems such as air pollution and acid rain deposition, water contamination and ocean pollution, food contamination, ozone layer depletion, hazardous waste discharge, and ecosystem damage cannot be allowed to continue indefinitely. All these environmental problems have been reported to have direct or indirect impacts on the quality of life and human health. The major diseases confronting our society today have been linked to the quality of the environment in which we live. Although genetic predisposition/susceptibility is known to play an important role in the development of several disease states, many environmental factors have also been implicated as contributing factors in the etiologies of these diseases.

The International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH) has recently been created (June 2003) to address the important subject of environmental quality and its relationship to public health. It is a peer-reviewed scientific journal that publishes original articles, critical reviews, research notes, and short communications in the interdisciplinary area of environmental health sciences and public health. It links several scientific disciplines including biology, biochemistry, biotechnology, cellular and molecular biology, chemistry, computer science, ecology, engineering, epidemiology, genetics, immunology, microbiology, oncology, pathology, pharmacology, and toxicology, in an integrated fashion, to address critical issues related to environmental quality and public health. Therefore, IJERPH focuses on the publication of scientific and technical information on the impacts of natural phenomena and anthropogenic factors on the quality of our environment, the interrelationships between environmental health and the quality of life, as well as the socio- cultural, political, economic, and legal considerations related to environmental stewardship and public health. The primary areas of research interests to the IJERPH include:

• Gene-environment interactions
• Environmental genomics and proteomics
• Environmental toxicology, mutagenesis and carcinogenesis
• Environmental epidemiology and disease control
• Health risk assessment and management
• Ecotoxicology, and ecological risk assessment and management
• Natural resources damage assessment
• Environmental chemistry and computational modelling
• Environmental policy and management
• Environmental engineering and biotechnology
• Emerging issues in environmental health and diseases
• Environmental education and public health

Therefore this international journal covers a broad spectrum of important topics, which are relevant to environmental health sciences and public health protection. It provides comprehensive and unique information with a worldwide readership. Emphasizing holistic approach, the journal serves as a comprehensive and multidisciplinary platform, addressing important public health issues associated with environmental pollution and degradation. A large number of eminent professors and scientists from all over the world serve as guest reviewers for the journal. IJERPH will be indexed by Index Medicus, Current Contents, and several other abstracting and indexing services.

As a comprehensive and interdisciplinary journal, a major question for us is what can we do to advance scientific knowledge, and increase awareness of environmental issues and their impacts on human health? Our primary task is therefore to share and communicate up-to-date scientific information on recent developments in environmental health sciences research and education. In disseminating this scientific information, the journal also hopes to serve as a prime mover of applied environmental health research as it relates to changing attitudes towards environmental management and human health.

Because of its free online publication, it is hoped that papers published in the IJERPH, will be largely distributed, and hence, receive a high publicity. Therefore, it is anticipated that the exchange and dissemination of scientific information about environmental and human health issues will be significantly increased, and hopefully, we will provide a substantial contribution to environmental stewardship, with the ultimate goal of protecting public health.

Paul B. Tchounwou, Sc.D., F.A.B.I., I.O.M.

Editor-in-Chief