Lecture 1 Flashcards
What is toxicology?
science or study of posons
usage refers to human health
What is environmental toxicology?
- toxicity and toxicology or environmental pollutant in air, dust, sediments, soil and water
What is ecotoxicology?
- study of fate and effects of toxic substances in ecosystems
- usage -> considers effects at higher levels of biological organizations (big picture)
Define chemical:
any substance consisting of atoms or molecules
Define contaminant:
substance present in greater than natural [ ] as a result of human activity
Define pollutant:
substance present in greater than natural [ ] as a result of human activity WHICH has deleterious effect on living organisms
Define xenobiotic:
chemical that is foreign to a biological organism - often man-made
Define toxicant:
any toxic substance
Define toxin:
a toxicant produced by a living organism
Define acute toxicity:
short-term, last hours or days, high single dose, effects occur soon after exposure
Define chronic toxicity:
long-term, 10% organisms lifespan, lower dose or mixture, effect take place over long period
What are the 6 basic test that are needed to determine if a chemical is safe?
- acute toxicity
- chronic toxicity
- developmental and reproductive toxicity
- mutagenicity
- ecotoxicity
- environmental fate
What percentage of the 3000 HPV chemicals have all 6 test done?
7%
What was the first human related activity that caused pollution?
use of fire 125 000 years ago
What was the characteristic of 3000 BC?
metal age
What was the main problem in the middle ages?
urban air pollution
What was the root of the pollution problems during the industrial revolution (1760-1840)?
large-scale use of coal -> smog and soot
What was the ‘thinking’ from the 1930s to the 1950s?
‘better living through chemistry’
When was the first earth day?
April 22 1970 - 10 years after silent spring published
In the RISK = EXPOSURE X HAZARD equation, what does each aspect represent/mean?
RISK = how dangerous -> PROBABILITY of harm EXPOSURE = how much? HAZARD = how toxic? -> POSSIBILITY of harm
There are 4 pollution paradigms. Name them.
- dilution paradigm - solution to pollution is dilution
- NIMBY - not in my backyard
- Boomerang paradigm - what you throw away can come back and hurt you
- Precautionary principle - duty to prevent harm when within our power to do so even when dont have all evidence
