Lecture 1

Question 1

What is toxicology?

Answer 1

science or study of posons

usage refers to human health

Question 2

What is environmental toxicology?

Answer 2

• toxicity and toxicology or environmental pollutant in air, dust, sediments, soil and water

Question 3

What is ecotoxicology?

Answer 3

• study of fate and effects of toxic substances in ecosystems
• usage -> considers effects at higher levels of biological organizations (big picture)

Question 4

Define chemical:

Answer 4

any substance consisting of atoms or molecules

Question 5

Define contaminant:

Answer 5

substance present in greater than natural [ ] as a result of human activity

Question 6

Define pollutant:

Answer 6

substance present in greater than natural [ ] as a result of human activity WHICH has deleterious effect on living organisms

Question 7

Define xenobiotic:

Answer 7

chemical that is foreign to a biological organism - often man-made

Question 8

Define toxicant:

Answer 8

any toxic substance

Question 9

Define toxin:

Answer 9

a toxicant produced by a living organism

Question 10

Define acute toxicity:

Answer 10

short-term, last hours or days, high single dose, effects occur soon after exposure

Question 11

Define chronic toxicity:

Answer 11

long-term, 10% organisms lifespan, lower dose or mixture, effect take place over long period

Question 12

What are the 6 basic test that are needed to determine if a chemical is safe?

Answer 12

1. acute toxicity
2. chronic toxicity
3. developmental and reproductive toxicity
4. mutagenicity
5. ecotoxicity
6. environmental fate

Question 13

What percentage of the 3000 HPV chemicals have all 6 test done?

Answer 13

7%

Question 14

What was the first human related activity that caused pollution?

Answer 14

use of fire 125 000 years ago

Question 15

What was the characteristic of 3000 BC?

Answer 15

metal age

Question 16

What was the main problem in the middle ages?

Answer 16

urban air pollution

Question 17

What was the root of the pollution problems during the industrial revolution (1760-1840)?

Answer 17

large-scale use of coal -> smog and soot

Question 18

What was the ‘thinking’ from the 1930s to the 1950s?

Answer 18

‘better living through chemistry’

Question 19

When was the first earth day?

Answer 19

April 22 1970 - 10 years after silent spring published

Question 20

In the RISK = EXPOSURE X HAZARD equation, what does each aspect represent/mean?

Answer 20

RISK = how dangerous -> PROBABILITY of harm
EXPOSURE = how much?
HAZARD = how toxic? -> POSSIBILITY of harm

Question 21

There are 4 pollution paradigms. Name them.

Answer 21

1. dilution paradigm - solution to pollution is dilution
2. NIMBY - not in my backyard
3. Boomerang paradigm - what you throw away can come back and hurt you
4. Precautionary principle - duty to prevent harm when within our power to do so even when dont have all evidence