chapter 18 vocab Flashcards
Carcinogen
Chemicals, ionizing radiation, and viruses that cause or promote the development of cancer.
Cancer
produces a tumor in which cells multiply uncontrollably and invade surrounding tissue.
Dose
The amount of a potentially harmful substance an individual ingests, inhales, or absorbs through the skin.
Dose-responsive curve
Plot of data showing effects of various doses of a toxic agent on a group of test organisms.
epidemiology
Study of the patterns of disease and exposure
Hazard
Something that can cause injury, disease, economic loss, or environmental damage.
Hazardous chemical
Chemical that can cause harm because it is flammable or explosive, can cause allergic reactions, or irritate the lungs
LD50
Amount of a toxic material that kills half the test population in a certain time.
Malignant
Spread of malignant (cancerous) cells from a tumor to other parts of the body.
Mutagen
Chemical or form of radiation that causes inheritable changes (mutations) in the DNA
neurotoxin
Chemicals that can harm the human nervous system
Nontransmissible disease
A disease that is not caused by living organisms and does not spread from one person to another.
Pathogen
Organism that produces disease.
Poison/toxin
A chemical that adversely affects the health of a living human or animal
Probability
A mathematical statement about how likely it is that something will happen.
Response
The amount of health damage caused by exposure
Risk
The probability that something undesirable will result from deliberate or accidental exposure to a hazard.
Risk analysis
Identifying hazards, evaluating the nature and severity of risks to determine decisions about limiting and communicating about risks
Risk assessment
Process of gathering data and making assumptions about the effects on people and the environment due to a new product
Risk communication
Communicating information about risks to decision makers and the public.
Risk management
Using risk assessment and other information to determine options and make decisions about reducing or eliminating risks.
Teratogen
Chemical, ionizing agent, or virus that causes birth defects.
Toxicity
Measure of how harmful a substance is.
Toxicology
Study of the adverse effects of chemicals on health.
transmissible disease
A disease that is caused by living organisms and can spread from one person to another
