Chapter 14 Study Guide: Environmental Health and Toxicology
Key terms
environmental health
environmental toxicology
risk
risk assessment
risk management
acute exposure
chronic exposure
acute effects
chronic effects
infectious disease
bioaccumulation
biomagnification
mutagens
neurotoxins
carcinogens
allergens
endocrine disruptors
teratogens
toxicant
dose-response curve
threshold dose
ED50
LD50
LC50
synergistic effects
epidemiological studies
case studies
animal/clinical studies
EPA
FIFRA
TSCA
FDA
CDC
OSHA
POPs/Stockholm Convention
REACH
Global Distillation
Minemata, Japan
Bhopal, India
Love Canal, NY
Times Beach, MO
Silent Spring/Rachel Carson
Our Stolen Future
PCB
PBDE
DDT/DDE
Atrazine
Asbestos
BPA
Radon
Bt
Vectors
Breakdown Product
What you must know for the test:
1. What did Louis Guillette find in his study of alligators? Be sure to identify the toxicant.
2. What are the 4 categories of environmental hazards and give an example of each.
3. What virus began spreading worldwide n 2005-2006 and poses another threat for a global pandemic?
4. Why are some threats to human health unavoidable? Give an example.
5. In which human tissues has the European Union found PBDE's?
6. How does Radon gas, a highly toxic radioactive gas, get introduced into homes?
7. What was the impact of Rachel Carson?
8. List the 6 types of Toxicants
9. What happened in Minemata, Japan?
10. What was the significance of the Theo Colburn’s book Our Stolen Future?
11. What did Tyrone Hayes find in his research on frogs? Be sure to identify the toxicant.
12. What do the two graphs on page 392 tell us about endocrine disrupters in the environment?
13. Why is Bisphenol A of interest to scientist studying toxicology?
14. Describe three methods of toxin movement.
15. How many wastewater contaminants, in trace amounts, did the U.S. Geological Survey find in 80% of U.S. streams contain?
16. Why are aquatic animals such as fish and frogs especially good indicators of pollution?
17. What kind of pesticide is known to have a short persistence time? Why is that important?
18. What is a “breakdown product” and give an example of when it is a problem.
19. What is the difference between Bioaccumulation and Biomagnification.
20. Describe Global Distillation and name the unusual place in the world synthetic pesticides been found .
PART II
21. Which organism was impacted by infection from sewage run-off from cat litter boxes from urban areas? What was the toxicant?
22. Contrast Case Studies with Epidemiological Studies
23. Contrast Epidemiological Studies with Animal Testing
24. Why is examining case studies not the best way to assess risk of toxicants for human populations?
25. Describe a dose response curve and explain how it is used.
26. What is LD 50?
27. What is a “Threshold Dose”?
28. What is the difference between Chronic and Acute exposure?
29. What is a “Synergistic” effect? Give an example.
30. What was the significance of the Yaqui Valley, Mexico, study?
31. What is the difference between “Risk Assessment” and “Risk Management?
32. What is the Precautionary Principle?
33. Which approach do you think is better: Innocent till Proven Guilty, or the Precautionary Approach? Explain your reasoning.
34. What does the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) regulate?
35. What is FIFRA and what does it regulate?
36. What is OSHA and what does it regulate?
37. What is the FDA and what does it regulate?
38. Which chemicals used in the U.S. are not reviewed for safety?
39. Of the chemicals that fall under the TSCA ______% have been tested for toxicity and ______have been tested for endocrine, nervous, or immune system damage
40. What are POPs and why are they so bad for the environment/
41. What is the goal of the Stockholm Convention?
42. What is REACH and where in the world is it being implemented?
43. What caused penis abnormalities in Taiwanese boys whose mothers used contaminated cooking oil
FRQ
1. How have artificially produced chemicals played a role in giving us the standard of living we enjoy today?
2. What does the field of environmental health cover?
3. Describe and give examples of indoor and outdoor environmental health issues.
4. Describe the biological effects of chemical pollution in Lake Apopka.
5. Explain the four main types of environmental hazards. Give an example of each.
6. Briefly comment on the research on bisphenol-A.
7. Toxicants, especially those that are lipid-soluble, may build up in an animal in the process termed ______. ______are substances that cause changes in an organism's DNA.
8. What are endocrine disruptors? How do they work on pests? Why are they a problem for humans? Have they been banned? Why or why not?
9. Explain and give an example of biomagnification.
10. What are epidemiological studies, and what is their value? Are there any disadvantages to epidemiological studies?
11. How is the precautionary principle used in environmental health? What is an alternative philosophical approach?
12. Discuss the debate over how much risk is posed by natural vs. synthetic toxicants.
13. Define risk assessment and risk management. Discuss how risk management combines science and other social factors.
14. Explain how response to hazards can vary based upon individual differences and type of exposure. Give examples, where appropriate.