UNIT 2 AOS 1 Flashcards
Endocrine System
Organisms chemical messaging system.
Sources of Endocrine Disruptors
Plastics, Natural hormones, Industry, Medications, Personal care products, Pesticides
What is pollution?
When harmful substances contaminate the environment.
Primary Pollution
Substance that is released into the environment directly from a polluting source (CO, NO2)
Secondary Pollution
Formed by chemical changes to primary pollutants. (Ozone, nitric acid)
Atmospheric pollution
Chemicals or particles in the air that can harm the health of humans, animals, and plants.
Examples of Atmospheric Pollution
CO2, Sulfur dioxide, Carbon Monoxide
What are VOCs
Volatile organic compound, Gases that are emitted into the air from products and processes.
Acid Rain
Water Vapor in the atmosphere naturally dissolves carbon dioxide to form carbonic acids.
Volcanic Ash & Gas
Sulfur dioxide is released near volcanoes and is very toxic to wildlife.
Water Pollution
Occurs when pollutants enters waterways at excessive levels.
Water pollution Examples
Plastic in water, nitrogen, industrial waste
Dead Zones
Reduced amount of dissolved oxygen, usually from run-off (Hypoxia)
Oil Seep
Fractures in the sea floor provides outlets for oil to leak through the sea floor
Terrestrial Pollution
Occurs as a result from an imbalanced of natural systems caused by humans
Terrestrial Pollution Examples
Soil Salinity & contaminated soil
Heavy Metals
Toxic and persistent in the environment for a long time
Light Pollution
Caused by excessive light in the sky from streetlights.
Noise Pollution
Continuous and reoccurring noise which is annoying or physically harmful
Noise Pollution Examples
Cars, Trucks
Waste Pollutants
Substance, eliminated or discharged as no linger useful or required after completion.
Thermal Pollution
Heat from hot water that is discharged from a power plant or factory into a river or lake. (Threats to aquatic life)
Containment Pollutants
Substance that doesn’t naturally occur, or a substance found at concentration above backgrounds.
Pollutants
A contaminate that results in or can result adverse biological effects.
Transport Mechanisms
Where a pollutant ends up in the environment depends on the transport mechanism and transformations that operate on the pollutant.
Direct Source
Pollution is discharged directly into the effected environmental.
Indirect Source
A pollutant finds its way indirectly into an environment
Direct Source Example
Smoke, chimney
Indirect Source
Fertilizer placed.
Point Source Emissions
Single identifiable source of pollution from which pollutants are discharged.
Point Source Emission Example
Pipe, Ditch
Pollution Sinks
A process or place that removes, stores or absorbs pollutants.
Pollution Sink Example
nitrates - no2
Transport Mechanisms
Pollutants being transported through the environment by Air, water etc
Bioaccumulation
Refers to the accumulation over time of a substance, especially a contaminant (such as a pesticide or heavy metal), in a living organism
Bioconcertration
Body of chemical taken in directly from the environment
Biomagnification
Increased concentration of a chemical in organisms as you go up the food chain
Natural Mercury
Atmospheric mercury comes from volcanic emission of forest fire
Where can you find natural Mercury
It is found in rocks, soil, water and air
Unnatural site of mercury
Mining sites where mercury has been dug up.
Health Impacts of Mercury
Mercury is toxic to humans and poisoning is fatal
Scales of impacts on human and environment
Local, Regional, Global
Scale of impact - Local
Affects few square kilometers (oil spills)
Scale of impact - Regional
Affects large and distinct areas (photochemical smog)
Scale of impact - Global
Affects global and international area (greenhouse effect)
Exposure
A measure of how much is a pollutant person is exposed to in given amount of time
Ingested (exposure)
Via food, drink or absorbed into blood stream
Inhaled (exposure)
Taken into lungs and absorbed through membrane into blood stream
Dermal Absorption
Absorbed through the skin
Persistence
increased exposure
Dosage
Amount of a chemical absorbed per unit of bodyweight; the level of harm caused to human Devlopment on the dose.
Respiration rate of dosage
How often somebody breaths when exposed to a pollutant
Frequency of expose
How often somebody is exposed to the pollutant
Toxicity
Effect of a certain dose of a pollutant depends how harmful the substance is.
Acute toxicity
Adverse health effects from a single exposure of the toxic substance
Chronic toxicity
Refers to adverse health effects of repeated exposed to a pollutant in a period of more than a year
Threshold
Level of chemical exposure below which there is no adverse effect and above which there is significant toxic effect.
