(M) Lesson 4: Environmental Health Flashcards
Refers to a branch of public health concerned with all aspects of natural and built environments for the benefit of human health
Environmental Health
What is the other name for environmental health?
Environmental Public Health
T or F: Human activities can cause harm to the health of nature
True
Refers to preserving the natural environment by practicing proper maintenance of quality and status of nature for the benefit of the ecosystem
Environmental Protection
T or F: Uncontrolled consequences of improper waste segregation don’t return to us humans
False
T or F: Environmental health addresses physical, chemical, and biological factors internal to a person including all related factors impacting our behaviors
False (external)
T or F: Environmental health targets prevention of disease
True
T or F: Environmental health includes behavior related to the social, cultural, and genetic
False
→ occurs when excessive quantities of harmful gases, particulates, or biological molecules interact with the planet’s atmosphere
→ these substances can harm the ozone layer, cause diseases, allergies, and even death for all organisms (humans, animals, crops, etc.)
Air pollution
T or F: Natural processes that contribute to air pollution cannot be controlled nor contained
True
These are substances in the air that have adverse effects on human health and the ecosystem
Air pollutants
T or F: Air pollution only has 1 source: anthropogenic
False (anthropogenic and natural)
Refers to a type of air pollution derived/ produced from a process
Primary
Refers to a type of air pollution formed in the air when primary pollutants react with one another; not directly emitted from a process
Secondary
This is a key constituent gas of the atmosphere which is produced from fossil fuel combustion
Ozone
This is a leading pollutant and worst climate pollution agent (greenhouse gas)
Carbon dioxide
This gas is expelled from volcanoes and other industrial processes (coal, petroleum, etc.)
Sulfur oxides
This gas is expelled from high temperature combustion processes (thunderstorms/volcanic eruptions)
Nitric oxides
An odorless, colorless, yet toxic gas
Carbon monoxide
Results in the depletion of oxygen levels in the blood by CO binding to the hemoglobin
CO poisoning
Refers to the prevention of oxygen supply from being delivered to the body tissues as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning
Hypoxia
T or F: CO has a lesser affinity than oxygen
False
How many times higher is CO’s affinity than oxygen?
240x
Fine/tiny particles suspended in a gas (solid or liquid)
Particulates
These substances can lead to cardiopulmonary diseases
Persistent free radicals
Examples of these are lead and mercury
Toxic metals
Gases from air conditioners, refrigerators, and even aerosol sprays that are harmful to the ozone layer; from products that are banned from use
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
A toxic gas emitted from agricultural processes; has a pungent odor
Ammonia
Comes from garbage, sewage, industrial processes, etc.
Odors
Substances emitted from nuclear events (e.g. explosive devices)
Radioactive pollutants
→ contamination of water bodies
→ a MAJOR global problem
→ caused by the discharge of inadequately treated wastewater into natural bodies of water
Water Pollution
Refers to the pollution of rivers, lakes, and oceans
Surface Water Pollution
A subset of surface water pollution; direct discharging of sewage and industrial waste into the ocean (e.g. entry of contaminants from rivers to seas)
Marine Pollution
Fcuses on soil characteristics and site ecology; is naturally-occurring
Ground Water Pollution
Refers to contaminants that enter a waterway from a single, identifiable source (e.g. pipe or ditch)
Point Sources
Refers to diffused contamination that does not originate from a discrete source (e.g. leeching out of nitrogen compounds from agricultural lands)
Non-Point Sources
Type of treatment aka sewage treatment by centralized plants
Municipal Wastewater Treatment
Usage of individual septic tanks; pre-treats wastewater and infiltrates it into soil but can lead to groundwater pollution if not properly done
On-site Sanitation
Common for industries that generate large amounts of waste water; typically operate under their own treatment systems
Industrial Wastewater Treatment
T or F: High concentration of organic matter = high amount of waste water
True
Process wherein the flow of water does not harm the crops and prevents creation of a diffused type of soil
Contour Plowing
Process of covering the soil and only revealing the crops to make conditions favorable for the plants to grow
Crop Mulching
Planting different crops sequentially on the same spot of land to improve soil health; optimizes nutrients and the soil and combats pests
Crop Rotation
Crops that complete their harvesting cycle in more than 2 planting seasons
Perennial Crops
This is done to avoid damaging crops during flooding
Installing Riparian Buffers
→ discharge from the treatment of urban wastewater, industry, and fish farms
→ areas are defined as stationery locations or fixed facilities
Point-source Wastewater Treatment
→ aka waste disposal; teaches us how to utilize products to minimize the waste generation later on
→ activities required to manage waste from its inception to its final disposal
→ encompasses the regulatory framework that covers guidance on recycling
Waste Management
Aka trash, garbage, refuse (US-exclusive term), or rubbish (British-exclusive term); can refer to a certain waste such as food waste
Municipal/Solid Waste
What is the US-exclusive term used to call “solid waste”?
Refuse
What is the British-exclusive term used to call “solid waste”?
Rubbish
→ refers to the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle)
→ aims to extract the maximum practical benefits from products and generate minimum waste
→ represents the latter parts of the lifecycle of each product
Waste Hierarchy
→ lifespan on how long a product can be generated into disposable waste
→ begins with design, manufacturing, distribution, use, and ends in the waste hierarchy
→ optimizes the use of the world’s limited resources by avoiding unnecessary generation of waste
Life Cycle of a Product
Refers to reduction of the environmental impact from the production and consumption of goods
Resource Efficiency
→ polluting party pays for the impact caused to the environment
→ if one violates the law against waste disposal, one needs to pay an appropriate amount of money for the fines and sanctions
→ requires a waste generator-pay for appropriate disposal of unrecoverable materials
Polluter-Pays Principle
A method wherein you throw away your trash underneath the soil
Landfill
Method similar to incineration but residues can be converted into fuel
Pyrolysis
→ any kind of waste that contains infectious material
→ waste generated by healthcare facilities (hospitals, laboratories, dental clinics, medical research laboratories, veterinary laboratories, clinical laboratories, etc.)
Medical Waste
→ all wastes suspected to contain pathogens or toxins (bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi, etc.) in sufficient concentration to cause disease to a susceptible host
→ discarded materials, equipment for diagnosis, treatment, and management of patients with infectious diseases
Infectious Waste
→ tissue sections and body fluids or organs derived from biopsies or surgical procedures sent to the laboratory for examination
→ can be considered as infectious waste as well
Pathological and Anatomical waste
Subgroup of pathological waste that refers to recognizable body parts usually from amputation procedures
Anatomical Waste
→ waste items that can cause abrasions, cuts, pricks, or puncture wounds (lancets, needles, broken glasswares, slides, etc.)
→ the most dangerous healthcare waste
Sharps
T or F: Needle-prick injury is the most common laboratory-acquired infection due to lack of training in venipuncture
True
→ discarded substances (solid, liquid, or gas) generated during disinfection and sterilization procedures
→ wastes with high content of heavy metals and their derivatives
Chemical Waste
What is the acidic and basic pH range for a substance to be considered corrosive?
Acid = <2
Base = >12
What is the flash point for flammable substances considered hazardous?
Below 60 degrees Celsius
Includes descriptions, ways of usage, and hazard classifications of chemicals
Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
→ expired, split, and contaminated products, drugs, and vaccines
→ antineoplastics, cytotoxic, and genotoxic wastes used in oncology or radiology
→ includes biological fluids from patients treated with said drugs—syringes and needles
Pharmaceutical Waste
→ exposed to radionuclides (radioactive diagnostic or radiotherapeutic materials)
→ residues from shipment of radioactive materials and unwanted solutions of radionuclides for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes
Radioactive Waste
Highly hazardous medical waste that can be considered as a carcinogen
Genotoxic waste
Refers to substances that can cause abnormalities to a fetus
Teratogenic
Non-hazardous wastes that typically don’t pose any chemical, biological, physical, or radioactive threat (e.g. recyclable or non-biodegradable waste)
General Non-Regulated Medical Waste
Waste is subjected to combustion to convert them into residue and gaseous products; before 1997, 90% of medical waste was disposed using this method
Incineration
→ use of a steam sterilization to render waste harmless and is an efficient wet thermal disinfection process (uses pressure and heat)
→ used for glasswares, laboratory equipment, bacterial cultures, etc.
Autoclave
T or F: In an autoclave’s color changing tape, it comes in with black lines and it comes out plain once the pathogens have been killed
False
What is a standard temperature and time setting for an autoclave?
121 degrees Celsius for 15-30 minutes
What is the standard pressure for autoclaves?
15 psi
→ incorporates a size-reduction device
→ microorganisms are destroyed by moist heat which irreversibly coagulates and denatures its enzymes and proteins
Microwave
T or F: In microwaving, you can shred the waste after taking it out the microwave
False
What is the temperature and time requirement for microwave waste disposal?
100 degrees Celsius (237.6 degrees Fahrenheit) for 30 minutes
→ sodium hypochlorite (Clorox), hydrogen peroxide, peroxyacetic acid, and heated alkali
→ added to healthcare wastes to kill or inactivate present pathogens but can generate chemical waste
Chemical Disinfections
What is the recommended concentration of sodium hypochlorite for chemical disinfection?
5%
→ uses enzyme mixtures to decontaminate healthcare wastes
→ resulting by-products are put through extruders to remove water for wastewater disposal
→ used for large applications
Biological Processes
