Ch.1 pollutants in the environment

Question 1

Common Indoor air quality pollutants

Answer 1

1. Carbon dioxide from human , pets , plants
2. Biological contamination, e.g. Dust mites, bacteria, virus
3. Random emitted from the building materials VOC, ozone, formaldehyde

Question 2

Why do we pollute the environment?

Answer 2

1. Population
2. Technology
3. Environmental law
4. Information social regulation

Question 3

How pollutants affect the environment

Answer 3

1. Deforestation
2. Desertification
3. Climate change
4. Loss of biodiversity

Question 4

Routes of Exposure of pollutants

Answer 4

Through gaseous,liquid, and solid media

Question 5

Vulnerable groups

Answer 5

1. Low socioeconomic status
2. Children
3. Elderly

Question 6

Nature of Persistence Organic pollutants (POPs) in relation to accumulation along the food chain

Answer 6

1. Resist photolytic, chemical and biological degradation
2. They can travel in the environment, and then concentrate in flora and fauna to levels with the potential to injure human health and the environment
3. Enter the air, travel long distance on air currents and then return to earth.

• **4. low water solubility and high fat solubility
• > tend to bioaccumulate in fatty issues
• > concentrations can be magnified by factors of many thousands as they move up the food chain (biomagnification)
• > ordinary food supplies, especially fish, meat and dairy products, tend to be contaminated by POPs

Question 7

Bioaccumulation

Answer 7

Dilute toxins in the environment can reach dangerous levels inside cells and tissue

Question 8

Biomagnification

Answer 8

The effects of toxins are magnified through food webs

Question 9

When does Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAHs) occur?

Answer 9

1. Combustion of fuel
2. Any organic matter is heated to a high temperature with restricted oxygen e.g. Tobacco smoke, smoke food, roasted coffee

Question 10

Organochlorine examples

Answer 10

1. DDT
2. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
3. Dioxins

Question 11

Risk factors of electronic wastes in the workplacea

Answer 11

1. Less regulations on environmental protection
2. Electronic manufacturing uses more than 1000 chemicals
   e. g. Highly toxic, carcinogenic and reproductive hazards