Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Environmental Health > Exam 3 > Flashcards

Exam 3 Flashcards

1
Q

what was one of the most significant measures to enhance the safety of water

A

chlorination of drinking water which resulted in reduction of waterborne infections

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

main sources of drinking water

A

surface water: water in rivers and lakes
groundwater: water stored naturally in underground aquifers

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

hydrology

A

field of water science
- aquifer- a layer or section of earth or rock that contains freshwater, known as groundwater

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

the hydrological cylce

A

evaporation, accumulation, precipitation
- precipitation that falls over land forms glaciers, groundwater, and flows back to the oceans as river run-off

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

freshwater resources

A
  • majority of freshwater is unavailable for human use
  • comes from lakes, rivers, and shallow underground aquifers
  • 9,000 cubic meters for each person on earth is available for use by the human population
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

water scarcity

A
  • a country faces water scarcity when its annual supply of renewable freshwater is less than 1000 cubic meters per person
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

treatment of water for residential consumption

A

water in the US must undergo water treatment and meet quality standards set by the EPA
Water treatment in most plants are:
- coagulation- removes suspended material
- sedimentation - causes heavy particles to settle to bottom of tanks for collection
- filtration- removes smaller particles
- disinfection- destroys pathogens

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

water treatment

A
  • untreated water first goes through coagulation. Aluminum sulfate is used as the coagulating agent
  • this mixture is then transferred to sedimentation tanks. it is filtered to remove small impurities through filters of sand and activated charcoal
  • lastly, the water is treated with a disinfectant to destroy pathogens
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

fluoridation of water

A
  • Dr. Frederick McKay noticed water with naturally high levels of fluoride helped protect against tooth decay
  • the US adds fluoride to public drinking water to prevent tooth decay
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

treatment of water from aquifers

A
  • sometimes water form aquifers is free from microorganisms but still undesirable for human consumption because of impurities and coloration
  • minimal aeration, filtration, and disinfection are necessary
  • uses ultrafine filters
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

anthropogenic sources of drinking water contamination

A
  • almost all water in its natural state is impure due to pollution
  • urban water supply can be contaminated by man-made pollutants such as; chemicals and nutrients, rubber, heavy metal, sodium, petroleum by-products, heavy metals, and microbial pathogens
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

waterborne diseases

A

health conditions that are transmitted through the ingestion of contaminated water and water acts as the passive carrier of the infectious agent

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

waterborne diseases and pathogens

A
  • bacterial, viral, protozoan, and some other agents are responsible for waterborne infections
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

cryptosporidiosis

A

agent- protozoal organism
source and exposure route-
- c. parvum oocysts are excreted in the stools of infected persons
- water used for recreation and drinking may be contaminated with infected sewage
- c. parvum oocytes can survive water chlorination
- following ingestion by the human host, the oocysts reproduce in the body

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

oocyst

A
  • a hard, thick-walled structure formed by certain parasitic protozoa
  • stage in the life cycle of parasites, helping them survive outside a host organism
  • contain infectious forms of the parasite and are often transmitted through ingestion of contaminated food/water
  • once inside a new host, oocysts release sporozoites, which invade the cells and multiply causing protozoal parasites-induced waterborne diseases
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

amebiasis

A

caused by protozoal parasite
source and exposure route
- e. histolytica produces cysts that are carried in human feces
- transmission occurs via the ingestion of cysts that are contained in food and water that have been contaminated

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

giardiasis

A
  • agent is a protozoal organism
    sources and exposure route
  • g. lamblia produces cysts that transmit the condition via contaminated food and water
  • the cysts have the ability to survive for long periods in cold water
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

cyclosporiasis

A

caused by a protozoal organism
source and exposure route
- cyclosporiasis is transmitted via ingestion of food and water that have been contaminated

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

typhoid fever

A

salmonella bacteria cause typhoid fever
- salmonella is transmitted by contaminated food and water

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

e. coli

A
  • bacterial infection
  • primary source of e. coli is the intestines of people and animals, particularly cattle
  • e. coli infections are transmitted through contact with contaminated lakes and swimming pools and via the ingestion of contaminated food and water
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

cholera

A

caused by a bacterial agent
- inadequate infrastructure for processing water causing food or water to be contaminated with the cholera bacteria
- cholera is a continuing pandemic lasting four decades in Asia, Africa, and Latin America

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

waterborne diseases caused by viral pathogens

A
  • viruses are more resistant to environmental conditions and sewage treatment processes, including chlorination and UV radiation, than bacteria
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

norovirus

A
  • transmission routes include ingestion of contaminated food or water and close contact with those who are infected
24
Q

viral hepatitis

A
  • viral hep A can be spread via person-to-person contact and by contaminated food, water, and ice. countries with poor sanitation can be settings for the spread of hep a
  • viral hep B is transmitted via the fecal-oral route and is found in developing countries with inadequate sanitation of drinking water. most frequent mode of transmission is via polluted drinking water
25
Q

guinea worm

A
  • caused by a nematode - a kind of roundworm
  • worm forms larva that enter the water supply. infect small crustaceans in the water which are then ingested through drinking unfiltered water
  • in the abdomen of the human host the larvae mature into worms
  • mature worms migrate to the surface of the skin of the feet where they produce painful blister
26
Q

legionellosis

A
  • waterborne bacterial infection
  • two forms are legionnaries’ disease and pontiac fever
  • legionnaires’ disease produces fever, cough, and pneumonia
  • L. pneumophila can grow in domestic water systems, cooling systems, and whirlpool spas
  • transmission of bacterium can occur when water that is rich in the bacteria becomes aerosolized and inhaled into the human resp. system
27
Q

chemicals in the water supply

A

chemicals that have been identified
- Cr6, As, Pb, fluoride, pesticides, disinfectant by-products, etc.
- pharmaceutical and personal care products
- sewage epidemiology- field of monitoring excreted drugs in the sewer system to assess the level of illicit drug use in the community

28
Q

water disinfectant by-products

A
  • chemicals used to disinfect water include chlorine, chloramines, chlorine dioxide, and ozone.
  • chlorine is associated with trihalomethanes, most common DBP
29
Q

beach and coastal pollution

A
  • during heavy rains, urban runoff into the oceans degrades the quality of ocean water by adding microbial agents, nutrients, and chemical toxins
  • excessive nutrient levels entering the ocean can lead to harmful algal blooms, which deplete oxygen levels in the water
  • urban runoff and sewage contamination can expose swimmers to waterborne diseases
30
Q

clean air act of 1990

A

substantially reduced the mortality of adults and infants from particle pollution and ozone

31
Q

causes of poor air quality

A

combustion of fossil fuels

32
Q

smog

A

a mixture of pollutants, principally ground-level ozone, produced by photochemical reactions in the air involving smog-forming chemicals

33
Q

smog complex

A

eye irritation, irritation of the respiratory tract, chest pains, cough, shortness of breath, nausea, and headache

34
Q

effects of air pollution

A

adverse human health effects;
- respiratory and eye irritations
- impairment of lung function, lung damage, and lung cancer
adverse environmental effects
- acid rain
- reduced visibility
- global warming

35
Q

air pollution episodes in history

A
  • Meuse Valley, Belgium
  • Donora, Pennsylvania
  • London, England
36
Q

sources of air pollution

A

natural sources - mainly particulate matter
- wind-blown dust, breaking waves, mold spores, pollen, forest fires, volcanic eruptions
anthropogenic sources
- stationary sources- electric generating plants, factories and manufacturing complexes, oil refineries, chemical plants, incinerators
- mobile sources- cars, trucks, buses, airplanes, ships, and trains

37
Q

mobile sources and air pollution

A
  • automobiles produce approx. half of two major causes of smog- VOCs and NOx, most carbon monoxide, and about half of emissions of other toxic air pollutants
  • buses and trucks cause more pollution than automobiles
  • off-road vehicles contribute to air pollution in the areas where they are used
  • large commercial jets are the third largest contributor of greenhouse gases
38
Q

criteria of air pollutants

A

air pollution is composed of particles, gases, and vapors;
- ozone, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, particulate matter, sulfur oxides, lead - these are the 6 moist common outdoor air pollutants that the EPA regulates
- greenhouse gases
- hydrocarbons
- other heavy metals

39
Q

ozone

A
  • O3 is a main component of smog
  • ground-level ozone stems from a series of photochemical reactions among the products of combustion and fossil fuels
  • major ozone episodes are often linked to heavy motor vehicle traffic, sunshine, high temp, and temp inversion
  • health effects- resp. difficulties, increased allergies, local irritation of the eyes, reduced ability to fight colds, increased resp. infections
  • environmental impact- damage to forests and plants
40
Q

nitrogen oxides

A
  • NOx refers to gases made up of a single molecule of nitrogen combined with varying numbers of molecules of oxygen
  • approximately 25 percent is produced from the combustion of fossil fuels
  • ground level ozone formation is attributed to the production of NOx
  • health effects- potentially harmful to the respiratory system
  • environmental impacts- NOx are major components of acid rain.
41
Q

carbon monoxide

A
  • produced by the incomplete burning of solid, liquid, and gaseous fuels
  • appliances fueled with gases and oils may produce CO as well as burning coal, wood, and charcoal
  • care exhaust also contains CO
  • health effects- aggravates coronary heart disease, reduced oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood and increased demand on the heart and lungs
42
Q

particulate matter

A
  • also known as aerosol particles; includes dust, soot, and other find solid and liquid materials that are suspended in and move with the air
  • sources include diesel exhaust, smoke, burning wastes, industrial activities, and effluents form wood-burning fire places
  • health effects- eye and resp. irritation, lung damage, bronchitis, and early mortality
  • environmental impacts- degradation through the deposition of soot
43
Q

health effects of PM2.5

A
  • bypasses the body’s normal defenses and can enter deep in the lungs. If the particle doesn’t dissolve the body’s natural clearance mechanisms are unable to remove them efficiently
44
Q

sulfur oxides

A
  • SO2 is a gas produced by burning sulfur contaminants in fuel
  • power plants that use high-sulfur coal or do not have effective emission controls are a source of SO2
  • health effects- bronchoconstriction and production of excess mucus
  • environmental impacts- can form sulfuric acid playing a role in the production of acid rain
45
Q

lead

A
  • used to be a universal component of gasoline but has been banned as in additive in the US
46
Q

volatile organic compounds

A
  • class of chemicals that contain carbon. these evaporate and escape into the air easily
  • NOT classified as criteria air pollutants, they are the product of fuel combustion
  • most significant source is automobiles
  • health effects- various types of cancers
  • environmental impacts- harmful to plants
47
Q

diesel exhaust

A
  • complex mixture of particles and gases, including carbon, condensed hydrocarbons, gases, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
  • particles are very fine and easily inhaled deeply into the lungs
  • health effects- airway inflammation, allergies, asthma, increased risk of lung cancer
  • children who ride school buses are exposed to a greater amount of diesel exhaust
48
Q

acid rain

A
  • when SO2 and NOx are emitted into the atmosphere, and reacted with water, oxygen, and other chemicals they will form sulfuric and nitric acids that eventually fall to the ground with rain
  • acid rain settles on the earth creating abnormally high levels of acidity that are damaging to the environment, wild life, and human health
49
Q

temperature inversion

A
  • reverse of the usual situation- the warm layer of air stalls above a layer of cool air that is closer to the surface of the earth
  • there is no upward air convection and pollutants are trapped and building up close to the earth’s surface
  • contributes to the creation of smog in the LA Basin
  • during temp inversion episodes smog is trapped creating higher levels of pollution
50
Q

The Air Quality Index

A
  • AQI is used to provide an indication of air quality in specific areas
  • calculated for 5 major air pollutants regulated by the clean air act- O3, PM, CO, SO2, NOx
  • AQI less than 50- good
  • AQI 51-100- moderate
  • AQI 101-150- unhealthy for sensitive groups
  • AQI 151-200- unhealthy
  • AQI 201-300- very unhealthy
  • AQI greater than 300- hazardous
51
Q

National Ambient Air Quality Standards

A
  • EPA standards for air pollution
  • primary standards provide public health protection
  • secondary standards provide public welfare protection
52
Q

health effects of air pollution

A
  • 3 major effects- asthma, lung cancer, and heart attacks
  • heavy episodes of air pollution have been correlated with increased mortality rates
  • common short-term effects- irritation of eyes, nose and throat, aching lungs, bronchitis, pneumonia, wheezing, coughing, nausea, headaches
  • general long-term effects- heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer
53
Q

effects of air pollution on coronary heart disease

A
  • indirect association between exposure to CO in ambient air and acute myocardial infarction through smokings, which is associated with elevated blood CO levels
  • people with pre-existing heart problems may be at increased risk of aggravation to their condition when exposed to high levels of ambient CO in the urban environment
54
Q

effects of air pollution on asthma

A
  • asthma is a major public health problem in the US
  • indoor/outdoor air quality and genetic factors influence the occurrence of asthma
  • potential triggers include- environmental tobacco smoke, cold air, exercise, stress, and asprin
55
Q

effects of air pollution and lung cancer

A
  • correlation between geographic distribution of lung cancer cases and general location of emission sources for hydrocarbons
    -exposure to fine PM over extended periods of time is a risk factor for lung cancer
  • risk of lung cnacer increased among heavy smokers who had extensive exposure to air pollution
56
Q
A

Environmental Health (3 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions