Chapter 3 Toxic Bottles? Flashcards
toxins
chemicals that cause direct damage upon exposure
persistent chemicals
don’t readily degrade over time
Environmental Protection Agency EPA
federal agency responsible for setting policy and enforcing US environmental laws
risk assessment
weighing risks and benefits of particular action in order to decide how to proceed
precautionary principle
rule of thumb calls for leaving safety margin when data re potential for harm uncertain and substance may cause unexpected, unpredictable effects
information literacy
ability to find and evaluate quality of info
primary sources
present new and original data including novel scientific experiments, observations, first hand accounts of given event
peer review
process where researchers submit report of work to outside experts who evaluate design and results, determine if high enough quality to publish
secondary sources
present and interpret info from primary sources: newspapers, magazines, books, internet
tertiary sources
present and interpret info from secondary sources
persistence
length of time takes substance to break down in environment
solubility
ability to dissolve in a liquid or gas
bioaccumulation
buildup of fat-soluble substances in tissue over life time
biomagnification
increased levels of fat soluble substances in tissue or predatory animals that consumed organisms with bioaccumulated toxins
epidemiologist
studies cause and patterns of disease in humans
toxicologist
study scientific properties of potential toxins
in vivo study
studies effect of experimental treatment in intact organisms
in vitro study
studies effect of experimental treatment cells in culture dishes
additive effects
exposure to 2 or more chemicals has effect = to sum of individual effects 1+1
antagonistic effects
exposure to 2 or more chemicals has lesser effect than if individual effects would predict
synergistic effects
exposure 2 or more chemicals has greater effect than sum would predict
endocrine disrupter
molecule interferes w/endocrine system, mimicking a hormone or preventing from having effect
hormone
molecule released by body that directs cellular activity, changes how body functions
receptor
structure on or inside cell that binds a hormone, allowing hormone to affect the cell
dose-response curve
graph of effects of substance at different concentrations or levels of exposure
LD50 (lethal dose 50%)
dose of substance that would kill 50% of test population
critical thinking
skills that enable to logically assess info, reflect on that info, reach own conclusions
logical fallicies
arguments attempt to sway the reader w/o using actual evidence.
