Environmental Health Flashcards
Absorption
Penetration of a substance into an organism and its cells by various processes, some specialized, some involving expenditure of energy (active transport), some involving a carrier system, and others involving passive movement down an electrochemical gradient.
Note: In mammals absorption is usually through the respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, or skin into the circulatory system and from the circulation into organs, tissues and cells.
Acceptable Risk
The risk that has minimal detrimental effects or for which benefits outweigh the potential hazards. Note: Calculated risk of an increase of one case in a million people per year for cancer is usually considered to be negligible.
Acid Deposition
Acidification occurs after the release of nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide from point or nonpoint sources into the atmosphere. Chemical processes may transform these chemicals into sulfuric and nitirc acids. These are returned to the earth in snowfall, rain, fog, and dust and may deposit at distances far from the original sources.
Acute Exposure
Acidification occurs after the release of nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide from point or nonpoint sources into the atmosphere. Chemical processes may transform these chemicals into sulfuric and nitirc acids. These are returned to the earth in snowfall, rain, fog, and dust and may deposit at distances far from the original sources. Perry, James A. and Elizabeth Vanderklein. 1996. Water Quality: Management of a Natural Resource.
Additive Effect
A biologic response to exposure to multiple substances that equals the sum of responses of all the individual substances added together [compare with antagonistic effect and synergistic effect ].
Adverse Health Effect
A change in body function or cell structure that might lead to disease or health problems.
Aerobic
Life or processes that require, or are not destroyed by, the presence of oxygen.
Aerosol
Mixture of small droplets or particles (solid, liquid, or a mixed variety) and a carrier gas (usually air).
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) , based in Atlanta, Georgia, is a federal public health agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services . ATSDR serves the public by using the best science, taking responsive public health actions, and providing trusted health information to prevent harmful exposures and diseases related to toxic substances
Air Toxics
Any air pollutant for which a national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) does not exist (i.e. excluding ozone, carbon monoxide, PM-10, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide) that may reasonably be anticipated to cause cancer; respiratory, cardiovascular, or developmental effects; reproductive dysfunctions, neurological disorders, heritable gene mutations, or other serious or irreversible chronic or acute health effects in humans
Alpha Particle
A positively charged particle ejected spontaneously from the nuclei of some radioactive elements. It is identical to a helium nucleus that has a mass number of 4 and an electrostatic charge of +2. It has low penetrating power and a short range (a few centimeters in air). The most energetic alpha particle will generally fail to penetrate the dead layers of cells covering the skin and can be easily stopped by a sheet of paper. Alpha particles are hazardous when an alpha-emitting isotope is inside the body.
Ambient Air
Any unconfined portion of the atmosphere: open air, surrounding air.
American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists
ACGIH ® is a member-based organization that advances occupational and environmental health. Examples of this include our annual editions of the TLVs ® and BEIs ® and work practice guides in ACGIH ® ‘s Signature Publications.
Anaerobic
A life or process that occurs in, or is not destroyed by, the absence of oxygen.
Analyte
A substance that is undergoing analysis or is being measured. For example, if the analyte is mercury, the laboratory test will determine the amount of mercury in the sample.
Antagonism
Combined effect of two or more factors that is smaller than the solitary effect of any one of those factors.
Anthropogenic
Caused by or influenced by human activities.
Apoptosis
Programmed cell death, the body’s normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.
Aqueous
of, relating to, or resembling water b. made from, with, or by water
Aqueous Solubility
The maximum concentration of a chemical that will dissolve in pure water at a reference temperature.
Aquifer
An underground geological formation, or group of formations, containing water. Are sources of groundwater for wells and springs.
ALARA
Acronym for “as low as (is) reasonably achievable.” Means making every reasonable effort to maintain exposures to ionizing radiation as far below the dose limits as practical, consistent with the purpose for which the licensed activity is undertaken, taking into account the state of technology, the economics of improvements in relation to state of technology, the economics of improvements in relation to benefits to the public health and safety, and other societal and socioeconomic considerations, and in relation to utilization of nuclear energy and licensed materials in the public interest (see 10 CFR 20.1003 ).
Assessment endpoint
An explicit expression of the environmental value that is to be protected, operationally defined by an ecological entity and its attributes. For example, salmon are valued ecological entities; reproduction and age class structure are some of their important attributes. Together “salmon reproduction and age class structure” form an assessment endpoint.
Asthma
Chronic respiratory disease characterized by bronchoconstriction, excessive mucus secretion and oedema of the pulmonary alveoli, resulting in difficulty in breathing out, wheezing, and cough.