EH Intro & Exposure Science

Question 1

What are the three pillars (cores) of environmental health?

Answer 1

Exposure Science (assessment)
Environmental Epidemiology
Toxicology

Question 2

What is exposure science and how does it interact with the other core pillars of EH?

Answer 2

Exposure science measures and evaluates the specific chemicals that humans are exposed to.
By identifying the exposures, the exposure scientists can inform epidemiological studies to contrast health effects. The toxicology can evaluate the chemical exposures to assess the level of toxicity.

Question 3

What is toxicology, and how does it interact with the other core pillars of EH?

Answer 3

Toxicology identifies the most toxic and hazardous chemicals. It relates to exposure science, because it informs the exposure science of what to hone in on when evaluating the extent of human exposure to toxins. Then from there, the epidemiology studies can contrast the outcomes with the exposures.

Question 4

What is environmental epidemiology?

Answer 4

Environmental epi conducts studies that might identify general classifications that can be explored for individual chemical exposure analysis (e.g., air pollution is problematic but exposure science might indicate it is the benzene component in air pollution to which people are most exposed) and these studies can identify chemicals for toxicologic analysis (e.g., levels of tungsten are high and are related to cancer clusters but is tungsten carcinogenic in animal or cell assays).

Question 5

Name 3 principles of environmental health

Answer 5

Humans are fundamentally connected to the natural world.

Our connection to the world spans evolutionary and modern times and health consequences depend upon our ability to adapt.

The dose makes the poison.

Question 6

What book sparked the environmental movement and shifted focus to chemical toxicants

Answer 6

Silent Spring by Rachel Carson

Question 7

Give examples of historic environmental issues

Answer 7

Asbestos exposure from smoking cigarettes with asbestos cigarette filters.

Lead in paint

Question 8

give examples of a emerging modern environmental issues

Answer 8

Introduction of untested replacement chemicals into commercial products

Climate change

BPA

Question 9

Name three ways we can accurately assess exposure.

Answer 9

Direct measurement (either personal or ambient measurements)
Scenario Modeling
Biomonitoring

Question 10

Define Direct Measurement

Answer 10

tbd

Question 11

Define Scenario Modeling

Answer 11

tbd

Question 12

Define Biomonitoring

Answer 12

tbd

Question 13

Define exposure

Answer 13

exposure occurs when a chemical or agent comes in contact with a body envelope or interface such as skill, nasal membrates, and mouth

Question 14

how is exposure science used in risk assessment?

Answer 14

It is one component of a four compent system in risk assessment. The risk is a function of both exposure and hazard. No exposure, no risk, period!

Question 15

Name the three primary routes of exposure

Answer 15

Ingestion (both dietary and non-dietary)
Dermal absorption
Inhalation
Injection and eye absorption are not considered the primary routes.

Question 16

Name some pathways of exposure

Answer 16

ozone in air
pesticides in drinking water
dietary
PBDEs in dust

Question 17

What is the difference between pathway and a route of exposure

Answer 17

A pathway is the contaminant in an environmental medium to that you can become exposed to.

A route is how the contaminant enters your body.