6 - air pollution Flashcards
air pollution
presence of pollutants in the air in large quantities for long periods
common air pollutants
particles, hydrocarbons, CO2, CO
two main types of air pollution
outdoor/ambient air pollution
indoor air pollution - generated by household combustion of fuels
four main sources of air pollutants
major sources - power stations, refineries, petrochemicals, incineration
indoor area sources - domestic cleaning activities, dry cleaners, printing shops, petrol stations
mobile sources - cars, air transport, etc
natural sources - forest fires, volcanic erosion, dust storms, agricultural burning
particulate matter is defined as having a diameter of
10 um (micrometres) or smaller.
Can be liquid or solid
information included in an MSDS
permissible exposure limits
how employee exposure is monitored
designated regulated areas where exposure is expected and location of respirators
plan for communication hazards
hierarchy of hazard controls
- elimination - substitute one agent for a non-hazardous or less hazardous agent (first line of defence)
- engineering controls - pipes, soundproofing, ventilation
- administrative controls - rotate shifts, minimize exposure time, work place rules and policies
- PPE (last line of defence)
what is the main control method used in environmental public health and in the workplace
engineering controls - most important because they do not rely on human choice or judgement
year of the occupational safety and health act
1970
important workers’ rights under the OSH act
information and training about hazards and ways to prevent harm in a language they can understand
two types of immunity
innate immunity - rapid response
acquired (adaptive) immunity - slow response - B and T cells
TH1 cells main concern
intracellular pathogens
TH2 role
antibody production through interleukons.
ALLERGY REACTION
what is allergy
abnormal adaptive immune response
can involve allergen-specific IgE (not always)
which antibody is typically involved in allergies
IgE
which T cell responds to IgE (allergy antibody)
TH2 (T Helper 2)
what is an allergen specific immunoglobin E test
blood test that measures the level of different IgE antibodies found in ones blood
two types of allergens
1) non-infectious environmental substance that induces IgE production (sensitization) causing reaction upon later exposure
2) non-infectious environmental substance that induces an adaptive immune response independent of IgE (ex poison ivy)
what is asthma
obstructive airway disease characterized by episodic narrowing of the airways
asthma risk factors
SES seems to play a major role
many environmental factors like outdoor pollutants or indoor smoke
what does VOC stand for
volatile organic compounds
common things in indoor air
airborne particles
household odours and gases
VOCs
microrganisms
what is a VOC
substances that contain one or more carbon atoms that have high vapor pressure and therefore evaporate more readily in the atmosphere
health effects of VOC
dependent on the chemical and the concentration
can cause minor irritations to the eye nose and throat, but could cause headache, nausea
or damage to your internal systems such as liver, kidney, and CNS
in extreme cases - cancer
T/F indoor air pollution is a greater threat to humans than outdoor air pollution
correct
toluene
common VOC which is in many substance and is hard to degrade. Causes health concerns such as mild irritation of eyes, nose and throat, degraded memory and colour vision
two common categories of technologies for the removal of VOCs
recovery
destruction
