Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

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


See full index

BIOL 381 > Lecture 5: Pollutants and Risk Assessment > Flashcards

Lecture 5: Pollutants and Risk Assessment Flashcards

1
Q

Environmental Stressor=

A

factors that constrain productivity, reproductive success, and ecological development

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

disturbance=

A

episodic, but intense influence that causes severe biological and ecological damage

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

pollution=

A

exposure to chemicals or energy (or potentially other stressors) at an intensity that exceeds the tolerance of organisms

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

contamination=

A

when potentially damaging stressors are present in the enviro, but at intensities too low to cause damage

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

T/F
contamination and pollution are the same thing

A

false
- pollution= toxicity/ damage can be measured
- contamination= stressors are present, but at intensities too low to cause damage

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

pollution can be either natural or ____

A

anthropogenic

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What are the 6 different types of pollution?

A
  1. chemical
  2. thermal
  3. biological
  4. noise
  5. light
  6. aesthetic
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

just because something is toxic doesn’t mean the concentration is high enough to:

A

be a pollutant/ cause toxicity

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

chemicals =

A

any material with a definite chemical substance
- chemicals are not always bad!

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

list 3 examples of chemical pollution

A
  1. lead: anti-knocking compound (toxic)
    - used to be added to fuel to make it burn faster/ more effectively
  2. petroleum (oil spills)
  3. pesticides
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

secondary pollution=

A

the release of substances that react in the enviro to synthesize chemicals of greater toxicity
eg= ozone produced by CO + O2
not harmful until they react w enviro

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

thermal pollution=

A

when the release of heat into the enviro results in ecological stress (some species cannot tolerate temperature extremes)

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

what are 4 examples of thermal pollution?

A
  1. deep sea thermal vents
  2. power plants: heat up the water around them, which changes the natural community to organisms who can tolerate the heat
  3. hot springs
  4. heat islands in cities
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

describe an urban heat island

A

cities are usually warmer than the surrounding rural/ natural area
- increases costs to cool in summer, but decreases costs to heat in winter

  • more frequent heat waves will make this worse :(
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

biological pollution=

A

when humans release organisms beyond their natural range
- invasive species
- pathogens

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

noise pollution=

A

when the level of ambient sound becomes distracting to the normal activities of humans or are detrimental to wildlife

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

examples of noise pollution (2)

A
  • cars
  • cargo ship noise impacts beluga whales
  • diff rxns from diff animals depending on type of noise
18
Q

sensory pollution is __ and __ pollution

A

noise and light

19
Q

light pollution=

A

when artificial light levels are detrimental to wildlife
- often occurs when excess light is bright enough to obscure stars in the night sky

20
Q

give 2 examples of light pollution

A
  • search lights disorient birds who migrate based on the moon
  • moths are attracted to light
21
Q

aesthetic pollution=

A

visual images or enviros that are displeasing to many people
- eg McDs sign

*diff b/c it only impacts humans, BUT we are part of the enviro

22
Q

_____ pollution is the most complex pollution and has the largest impact

A

chemical

23
Q

environmental toxicology=

A

the study of the environmental factors that can influence the exposure to organisms to potentially toxic chemicals

24
Q

ecotoxicology=

A

the study of the directly poisonous effects of chemicals, in addition to their indirect ecological effects

25
Q

What is the subtle difference b/w enviro toxicology and ecotoxicology

A

enviro toxicology= how chemicals react with the enviro

ecotoxicology= impacts of the chemicals on the enviro

26
Q

acute toxicity=

A

short-term exposure to a chemical in a high enough [ ] to cause biochemical or anatomical damages (even death)

27
Q

chronic toxicity=

A

long-term exposure to low or moderate [ ] of a chemical.
over time, chronic exposure may cause biochemical or anatomical damage, or become lethal

28
Q

How is toxicity measured?
LD50=

A

LD50= the amount of a compound required to kill half of a population of experimental animals

29
Q

T/F
all chemicals & compounds are toxic at a certain level (even water!)

A

true

30
Q

explain the 3 dose response curves. What are they used for?

A

used for contaminants and medicines

  • ED50= effective dose 50% (produced desired, therapeutic effect on 50% of the pop)
  • TD50= toxic dose 50% (produces a defined toxic effect in 50% of the pop)
  • LD50= lethal dose 50%, kills half of the pop
31
Q

synergistic effects=

A

interactive impacts of toxins that are more than, or diff from, the simple sum of their constituent effects

  • they amplify each other when they’re together and cause unexpected rxns
  • eg baking soda and vinegar
32
Q

List 6 types of toxins and what they do

A
  1. carcinogens: cause cancer
  2. mutagens: cause DNA mutations
  3. teratogens: cause harm to unborn babies
  4. allergens: overactivate our immune response
  5. neurotoxins: impact our nervous system (eg mercury)
  6. endocrine disruptors: act at the hormonal level and impact endocrine system
33
Q

List 4 examples of surface water pollution

A
  1. road runoff (contains oil and HCs)
  2. farm runoff (fertilizer and animal waste= cause algal blooms)
  3. human waste/ sewage
  4. thermal pollution from power plants etc: makes surface water too warm
34
Q

How does the global distillation effect impact chemical pollution?

A

chemicals travel from warmer to cooler regions
- doesn’t necessarily impact the source of the pollutant
- this is why there’s so much pollution in the arctic

35
Q

persistent organic pollutants (POPs)=

A

organic compounds that are resistant to degradation/ decomposition via biological, chemicals, and photolytic (light) processes
- semi-volatile, evaporate slowly, low water solubility, high lipid solubility
- accumulate in tissues of living things
- involved in the global distillation effect

36
Q

what are the 3 main categories of POPs listed under the Stockholm Convention (2001)

A
  • pesticides
  • industrial chemicals
  • by-products (unintentional production)
37
Q

Bioaccumulation=

A

build-up of toxins in tissues of animals at the individual level

38
Q

Biomagnification=

A

the pollutant in individuals magnifies up the food chain (between individuals)

39
Q

biomagnification impacts ___ the most

A

predators (top of the food chain= get highest [ ] of toxin)

40
Q

quantitative environmental risk assessment=

It’s based on which 3 main factors?

A

(can measure)
evaluation of the risks associated with some sort of hazard in the enviro
Based on 3 main factors:
1. likelihood of encountering the hazard
2. likely intensity of the hazard
3. the biological damage that is likely to result from predicted exposure

41
Q

Environmental Impact Assessment=

A

a study of the potential impacts of a project/ activity on the enviro (eg building a power plant)

42
Q

5 steps of Environmental Impact Assessment=

A
  1. screening and scoping
  2. assessment of enviro risk
  3. mitigation
  4. decision making
  5. monitoring (must be able to intervene!)

BIOL 381 (22 decks)

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