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Environmental Science > Lecture 9/10 > Flashcards

Lecture 9/10 Flashcards

1
Q

What are some examples of environmental impacts on human health

A
  • air pollution
  • climate change
  • built environment (e.g roads, inadequate housing)
  • radiation
  • infectious agents
  • noise
  • hazardous chemicals
  • water issues (e.g supply, pollution)
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2
Q

What are the 4 types of hazards

A
  1. physical
  2. cultural
  3. chemical
  4. biological
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3
Q

Define physical hazards

A
  • occur naturally in our environment
  • cannot prevent them, but can prepare for them
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4
Q

What are some examples of physical hazards

A
  • earthquakes, volcanoes, fires, floods, droughts
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5
Q

Define cultural hazards

A
  • result from the place we live, our socioeconomic status, our occupation, our behavioral choices
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6
Q

What are some examples of cultural hazards

A

smoking, drug use, diet and nutrition, crime, mode of transportation

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7
Q

What are the 2 types of chemical hazards

A
  1. natural
  2. synthetic
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8
Q

What are some examples of natural hazards

A

heavy metals, asbestos, radon gas, etc.

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9
Q

What are some examples of synthetic chemicals

A

biocides, cleansers, cosmetics, disinfectants, herbicides, pharmaceuticals, pesticides

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10
Q

Define biological hazards

A
  • result from ecological interactions
  • cannot avoid risk but can reduce likelihood of infection
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11
Q

What are some examples of biological hazards

A

viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens

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12
Q

Define zoonotic diseases

A

diseases passing from animals to humans

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13
Q

Define pollutant

A

Chemicals or matter that contaminate an environment (e.g. air, soil, water, plants and animals) and have potential to cause harm to human health or the environment

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14
Q

Define contaminant

A

Any physical, chemical, biological or radiological substance or matter that occurs in an environment at above normal levels and that may affect organisms either negatively (are harmful) or positively (are beneficial)

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15
Q

Define toxin

A

A toxic substance (protein) produced by organisms other than humans (e.g. venom)

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16
Q

Define poison

A

An chemical agent or substance that produces harmful biological effects (often death)

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17
Q

Define toxicant

A

A poison or poisonous agent that produces harmful biological effects

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18
Q

Define toxicity

A
  • the degree of harm a toxicant can cause
  • toxicity depends on combined effect of chemical and its quantity
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19
Q

Define toxicology

A

the study of nature, effects, detection and treatment of poisonous substances on humans and other organisms

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20
Q

Define carcinogens (toxicants)

A

causes cancer

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21
Q

Define mutagens (toxicants)

A

causes DNA mutations

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22
Q

Define teratogens (toxicants)

A

causes birth defects

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23
Q

Define allergens

A

over activate immune system

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24
Q

Define neurotoxins (toxicants)

A

assault nervous system

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25
Q

Define endocrine disruptors (toxicants)

A

interfere with endocrine (hormone) system

26
Q

Asbestos

A
  • insulates, muffles sounds, and resists fire
    • asbestosis = scarred lungs may cease to function
    • mesothelioma = chronic respiratory condition
27
Q

Lead

A
  • from lead pipes, paint, gasoline
    • lead poisoning damages organs; causes learning issues, behavioural abnormalities, and death
28
Q

Radon gas

A
  • a highly toxic, radioactive gas that is colourless, undetectable
    • can build up in basements
    • linked to cancer
29
Q

What are some examples of where you can find synthetic chemicals

A

industrial chemicals, household chemicals, pesticides, petroleum products, pharmaceuticals, plastics, etc.

30
Q

What are the toxic 5

A
  1. asbestos - paper and floors
  2. dioxin - banned chemical in herbicides
  3. polychlorinated biphenyls - found in electrical equipment and fire retardants
  4. hexavalent chromium - found in paint used in boats and planes
  5. chlorofluoroalkanes - found in air conditioners and refrigerators
31
Q

What book discussed the risks of DDT to people, wildlife, and ecosystems

A

Silent spring by Rachel Carson (1962)

32
Q

What are some endocrine disruption problems that synthetic chemicals are linked to

A
  • feminization of male animals
  • drop in sperm counts
  • testicular cancer
  • rise in breast cancer rates
  • neurological problems
  • developmental issues
33
Q

What’s an example of an endocrine disruption chemical

A

Bisphenol-A (BPA)
- found in plastics for infants
- can cause birth defects
- while industry protests that chemical is safe
- BPA banned in Canada

34
Q

What is polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)

A

= has fire-retardant properties
- used in computers, televisions, plastics, and furniture
- persist and accumulate in living tissue
- act as endocrine disruptors exposure leads to accumulation in animal bodies (including humans)
- removal from environment leads to reduction of levels in the body
- PBDE – banned in Canada since 2008

35
Q

What are perfluoroalkylated substances (PFAS)

A

= group of ~ 9000 synthetic chemicals – “forever chemicals”

36
Q

What is perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)

A
  • used as a fabric protector / stain repellent in furniture and clothing
  • used as a water repellent in clothing
37
Q

What is perfluorooctanioc acid (PFOA)

A
  • key ingredient in Teflon-treated cookware
  • used as a fabric protector and stain repellent in furniture and clothing
38
Q

What are the 10 most common toxic chemicals in products to avoid

A
  • phthalates
  • paraben
  • lead
  • BPA/BPS
  • 1, 4- dioxine
  • SLS
  • PVC
  • trilosan
  • oxybenzone
  • diazolidinyl or imidazolidinyl urea
39
Q

how do toxins concentrate in water

A
  • Runoff carries toxins from large land areas to small volumes of surface water
  • Chemicals can leach into soil
  • Chemicals enter organisms through drinking or absorption
    • aquatic organisms are effective pollution indicators
40
Q

define pesticide drift

A

airborne transport of pesticides

41
Q

define persistent chemicals

A

have the greatest potential for harm

42
Q

define breakdown products

A

toxicants degrade into simpler products that may be more harmful or less harmful than the original substance

43
Q

define bioaccumulation

A

toxicants build up in organisms from water or soil

44
Q

define biomagnification

A

toxicants concentrate in top predators through food web

45
Q

define the innocent until proven guilty approach

A
  • government, scientists, and public are required to prove a product is dangerous (limited testing before release)
  • benefits: does not slow down technological innovation and economic advancement
  • disadvantage: puts substances into wide use that may later on turn out to be dangerous
46
Q

define precautionary principle approach

A
  • product manufacturers must prove a product is safe
  • assume substances are harmful until proven harmless
  • identifies troublesome toxicants before release
  • may impede pace of technology and economic advance
47
Q

define case histories

A

studying sickened individual directly
- autopsies
- do not tell about future risks

48
Q

define epidemiology

A

large scale comparisons among groups
- studies between exposed/unexposed people lasting for years
- yield accurate predictions about risk

49
Q

define manipulative experiments

A

organisms are used as test subjects
- new techniques may replace some live-animal testing

50
Q

define acute exposure

A

high exposure for short periods of time to a hazard
- easy to recognize
- stem from discrete events: ingestion, oil spills, nuclear accident

51
Q

define chronic exposure

A

low exposure for long periods of time to a hazard
- hard to detect and diagnose
- affects organs gradually: lung cancer, liver damage
- cause and effect may not be easily apparent

52
Q

define synergistic effects

A

occur when exposure to two or more chemicals at one time causes health effects that are greater than the sum of the effects of the individual chemicals

53
Q

define antagonistic effects

A

occur when exposure to two or more chemicals at one time causes health effects that are less than the sum of the effects of the individual chemicals

54
Q

define dose

A

amount of toxicant tests an animal receives

55
Q

define response

A

magnitude or type of negative effects on an organism

56
Q

define dose-response curve

A

plot of dose given against response

57
Q

define LD50/ED50

A

amount of toxicant required to kill 50% of the subjects

58
Q

define threshold

A

dose level where responses occur

59
Q

define risk

A

probability that a harmful outcome results from given action
- exposure to environmental health threats does not automatically produce an effect (causes probability)

60
Q

what does probability entail

A
  • identity and strength of threat
  • chance/frequency of encountering threat
  • amount of exposure to the threat
  • an organism’s sensitivity to the threat
61
Q

define quantitative measurement and comparison of various risks

A
  • need way to identify and outline problems
  • several steps: - scientific study of toxicity
  • assessing an individual or population’s likely extent of exposure to substance

Environmental Science (9 decks)

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