Embryotoxicity and teratogenicity of environmental contaminants to bird eggs

In light of recent ecological disasters such as the Exxon Valdez oil spill of 1989, which has already claimed the lives of thousands of aquatic birds with the reproductive success of countless others at risk, there is a need to evaluate the embryotoxic potential of a continuously growing number of industrial and agricultural environmental contaminants that may come in direct contact with bird eggs. Since the Clean Air Act of 1970, the Environmental Protection Agency has issued regulations for only seven toxics, yet in 1987 alone industry released over two billion pounds of toxic substances into the air (Easterbrook 1989).